Oakland Raiders’ Free Agency Approach Working Out

The Oakland Raiders don’t have as many pressing needs as many believe. But their approach to free agency may get them most of the ones they have cheap.

The Oakland Raiders didn’t do much early in free agency but could end up with what they need. GM Reggie McKenzie has a good team so he isn’t throwing money around now. He knows he has QB Derek Carr and OLB Khalil Mack’s contracts coming up.

So he wants everything he does now to be sustainable for when his two stars re-sign. That means he has a certain number in mind for each free agent and won’t come off it. And all he lost were a few special teams players, a bust CB, (D.J. Hayden) and a project OT (Menelik Watson).

But the Raiders made up for that with KR Cordarrelle Patterson and OT Marshall Newhouse. And McKenzie still has some solid unsigned players to pick from in free agency. Adrian Peterson tried to bark up McKenzie’s tree early on but he didn’t bite.

Peterson has a disappointing market so if McKenzie wants him, he can have him at a good price. There was a lot of talk about NT Dontari Poe before he went on tour for other teams. His market isn’t what he wanted either and the Raiders are next on his tour list.

The Raiders will also meet with speedy TE Jared Cook and ILB Zach Brown Wednesday night through Thursday. ILB Perry Riley Jr., a Raider in 2016 remains unsigned too. The greedy part of me wants all of the aforementioned players to sign with the Raiders.

But two or three of them at a good price, would set them up well for the draft.

Kudos to McKenzie for his approach to free agency this year!