How The Raiders Should Address Their Need At Right Tackle

The Oakland Raiders have a need at right tackle, and there is one player in particular who could solve their problems at the position.

With their second round pick in the 2013 NFL Draft, Reggie McKenzie and the Oakland Raiders selected Menelik Watson, offensive tackle out of Florida State. Considered a raw prospect that needed plenty of refinement, Menelik has failed to live up to the expectations of his draft slot. Or to even remain healthy, for that matter.

After the Rodger Saffold fiasco in the 2014 offseason, Austin Howard was added to the mix, and he has not lived up to his 5-year, $30 million contract.

With that being said, it’s not really news that the Raiders have a significant hole at right tackle. And in fact, they’ll need a replacement at left tackle soon for Donald Penn, so they need two tackles, not just one.

But the most pressing need is at right tackle, and that’s a hole that has to be filled this offseason.

All but one of the sacks allowed by Oakland’s offensive line in 2016 came from the right side. Gabe Jackson played very well after moving from left to right guard, so he wasn’t the problem. The problem was whoever was filling in at right tackle any given week.

It’s time for an upgrade. Out with the old, and in with the new. Watson is a free agent who is not likely to be re-signed, and Howard could be a cap casualty before free agency gets started.

What to do, then? McKenzie could draft a tackle early, someone who could play right away. However, according to most analysts, this year’s draft is not stacked with quality offensive line prospects. Of course, McKenzie could find gems in the later rounds, but the truth is the Raiders need immediate help at that position, especially if neither Watson or Howard is around.

That help could be Rick Wagner, soon to be former right tackle of the Baltimore Ravens. According to Baltimore Sun’s Jeff Zrebiec, the Ravens will prefer to re-sign nose tackle Brandon Williams, and will let Wagner walk.

Wagner is not a superstar, but he was PFF’s No. 4 ranked pass-blocking right tackle in 2016. The season prior was a down year, but he was also PFF’s No. 1 right tackle in 2014, so he has obviously proven he can play at a high level.

Unlike what Raider Nation has seen at right tackle in recent years, “durability” is Wagner’s middle name, having missed only two games over his first four seasons.

The Ravens are not in a comfortable cap situation, with less than $14 million to spend this offseason. Kamar Aiken is also a free agent — bearing in mind that Steve Smith is no longer there — and together with the aforementioned Williams, they will command a large chunk of Baltimore’s available cap space. Not to mention other players they’ll need to re-sign and the rookies that will be drafted.

Ozzie Newsome is well respected in league circles, but his mismanagement of the salary cap has put Baltimore in a bind, and as a result, this could be the second time McKenzie and the Raiders prosper. The first being the Ravens letting Kelechi Osemele hit free agency — thank you, Ozzie.

Newsome’s decisions to pay players such as Dennis Pitta, Mike Wallace and of course, Joe Flacco, among others, may cause yet another quality offensive lineman to hit the open market in Wagner.

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Still just 27 years old, Wagner is exactly what Oakland needs to solidify the offensive line. Until McKenzie finds the right tackle of the future, who may already be on the roster, depending on future development.

According to Zrebiec, Wagner’s salary could be in the vicinity of $6 million per year, which is plenty reasonable. With the exception of Philadelphia’s Lane Johnson, most of the top right tackles make that kind of money. Including Austin Howard, who could be shown the door if McKenzie feels the dead money hit is justified.

Wagner checks McKenzie’s boxes — he’s still in his prime at 27, rarely misses games, is a product of the Ravens’ coaching tree (like Osemele), and his price will not be through the roof.

Next: The Raiders Should Sign Pierre Garcon

The Raiders could sign Wagner to a front-loaded team-friendly deal, without putting the team’s cap situation in a bind. And if he did, the Raiders will have no more weak links, and will have the best offensive line in football.