Apr 26, 2013; Alameda, CA, USA; Oakland Raiders general manager Reggie McKenzie during the 2013 draft press conference at Oakland Raiders headquarters. Mandatory Credit: Ed Szczepanski-USA TODAY Sports
With free agency starting to slow down in terms of big names available for signing, we can expect to start to see the posts by various writers/bloggers about where each team grades out. For me, I always find those posts a little silly, akin to picking a winner in football based on the first quarter alone. While it’s true that the big names for the most part are all signed up, that doesn’t mean there still isn’t value or talent to be had of the players available.
The Raiders have been one of the busier teams in the market for players. When you have 60 million to go shopping with, you can buy a lot of talent.Whether it turns out to be good or bad is still to be determined. While many will say that the team has not done the best job in free agency, I would say that they have done a solid job. Not great, but in no means terrible. One knock on the team that is starting to make circle is the fact that Reggie Mckenzie (Raiders General Manager) has brought in a lot of players that by football standards are considered old. While this is true, old does not mean ineffective. If you examine those players closely, the majority of them bring with them a history of winning and succeeding at the highest level. Whether it be playoff games or earning rings with their previous teams, or having made the Pro Bowl; most of them have proven their worth on the field. You can choose to call them old and washed up if you want to, I’ll call them proven winners. Another common trait amongst the players the McKenzie has brought in is they all have no character issues to speak of. I’m not saying these players are all destined for saint hood but none of them have been in the spotlight for the wrong reasons. Also, none of the players brought in have that diva/drama king tag associated with them. What they do have is a desire to play football and to prove that they can still play. Lastly, each player signed so far hasn’t broken the bank to sign with the team. In that regard, Mckenzie should get a lot of credit for keeping the books clean and not overspending on who he’s brought in. Of course that could have changed had Rodger Saffold been signed.
PLAYERS ADDED or RE-SIGNED:
Signed OT Austin Howard
Signed DE Justin Tuck
Signed LB LaMarr Woodley
Signed DL Antonio Smith
Signed CB Tarell Brown
Signed WR James Jones
Signed G Kevin Boothe
Signed OT Donald Penn
Re-signed RB Darren McFadden
Re-signed S Usama Young
Re-signed OT Khalif Barnes
One player I would say that they need to re-sign is Charles Woodson. Not only is he a fan favorite, but he has indicated that he would like to return and continue to help build the Raiders back to relevancy. I think it would be a slight and not sit well with the fans if this doesn’t happen. For one, Woodson would not demand a lot and it’s not like the Raiders are strapped for funds. Two, consider the fan support that got Woodson here last year and how that ultimately played in him signing back with the Silver and Black. Furthermore, this would probably be Woolson’s last run at playing and signing him to stay on with the team would show that the organization truly values his contributions to the team. I would hate to see him go into the Hall of Fame as a Packer because this signing couldn’t get done. Lastly, Woodson actually played well last year, totalling 97 tackles,three fumbles, two sacks, two recoveries, one interception and did I mention he played in all 16 games. Not bad for an “old ” guy right? Come on Reggie, pull the trigger and get this done!
FREE AGENTS STILL ON THE ROSTER:
CB Phillip Adams
WR Jacoby Ford
DE Jason Hunter
CB Mike Jenkins
DT Pat Sims
C Andre Gourde
S Charles Woodson
TE Jeron Mastrud
DT Daniel Muir
OT Tony Pashos
There is still plenty more to do before this team gets ready for the field. There are still many holes that need to be filled at key positions. Many have said that the team still needs a QB whether it be from the draft or free agency. For me, I’m not big on drafting a QB in the first round. I’m also not sure that a stop-gap free agent is available that could help the team. Of the ones that have been rumored to be on the Raiders list, I would say Mattt Schaub or Josh Freeman represent the best picks for the team. I would also be ok if the teams current QB’s, Matt McGloin and Terrelle Pryor, got anohter shot a proving themselves a starter. Another need is to continue to add to both offensive and defensive lines as well as add depth to the secondary and linebackers. The critical part for McKenzie is figuring out what position needs the most and at what cost. The free agency period has just begun, keep it here because the drama is just unfolding.
Let us know what you think Raider Nation.
Do you think the team should re-sign more of their players?
What position do you think needs to be filled ASAP?
Who would you like to see in Silver and Black that is still available in free agency?
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