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In his first year as a general manager Reggie McKenzie rolled the dice on two veteran corners with a recent history of injury. We know all too well how that failed experiment went. So one year later McKenzie is making the same gamble except this time he’s letting it ride on a 26-year-old corner with plenty of talent still in the tank.

The signing of Tracy Porter isn’t going to make many headlines…at least not yet. A year or two from now this could go down as first major moment of growth in the McKenzie era.

Giving a castoff player with the kind of game Porter has is a vintage Raider move. The man that was coached up by Dennis Allen in New Orleans and made a memorable house call against Peyton Manning on football’s biggest stage is by far the biggest free agent signing of the McKenzie era.

That’s not saying much considering all the issues Porter struggled through in Denver last year including suffering a seizure and a concussion. None the less this was a move the Raiders sorely needed to make.

Addressing the gaping hole at cornerback was high atop the McKenzie priority list. Getting a player entering his prime with something to prove is a move ripped right from the Al Davis book.

Again, this move isn’t going to turn many heads. Then again neither was the signing of Philip Wheeler a year ago. We know how well things turned out for Wheeler who took his talents to South Beach at the sum of $26-million. Hopefully we got more of the same from Porter…with the lone exception being Tracy staying put in Silver and Black.

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Among the many needs still on Reggie McKenzie’s list are defensive backs. As it stands the Raiders have Tyvon Branch and not much else in the defensive backfield. Yesterday the Silver and Black lost out to the Bengals on Terence Newman so now all eyes shift to Tracy Porter and Mike Jenkins.

Porter already paid a visit to the Raiders and Jenkins could be coming in next though he’s already got an offer from the Jacksonville Jaguars.

With the Raiders rebuilding again the focus is on finding veterans with something to prove who will play on the cheap. Porter has a connection to Oakland having played for Dennis Allen when he was coaching DBs in New Orleans.

As for Jenkins he became expendable when the Dallas Cowboys drafted Morris Claiborne and then signed former Kansas City Chief Brandon Carr.

Last season was an absolute disaster for Oakland corners as Michael Huff quickly became the best option despite the fact he had not played the position since college. McKenzie rolled the dice on Shawntae Spencer and Ron Bartell only to crap out with both vets.

Kyle Terada-US PRESSWIRE

Apparently Reggie McKenzie got his man in yesterday’s signing of Shawntae Spencer. Vittorio Tafur states that many believe McKenzie might have found one of the great grabs in free agency…in relative terms of course. Peyton Manning this isn’t. But considering Spencer addresses an immediate need of Oakland’s and that he’s going to be playing with something to prove, it all adds up as a potentially valuable addition.

Spencer’s signing is also said to be the reason why the Raiders are backing off in their interest of inking Tracy Porter to a deal. Tafur notes that Porter is on his way to Tennessee to hear what the Titans have to offer. They just landed former Raider Kamerion Wimbley so Porter might just be a day late in his attempted cash grab.

The reality is Porter is younger and will be looking for more years than the one-year deals Oakland issued to both Spencer and Ron Bartell. Clearly the Raiders are looking for experienced NFL vets that have a chip on their shoulder. Bartell is coming of a season cut short by injury. He was released by the Rams so you’d better believe he’s got something to prove. Same goes for Spencer who was cut by the Bay Area rival 9ers after falling out of favor with the coaching staff.

In all McKenzie is taking a very sensible approach to molding this new Raider team. Low-risk investments with the potential for maximum upside.

Nothing guarantees success but sensible spending ensures the Raiders won’t be capped-out again anytime soon.