NFL Free Agency 2017: 5 Big Names Oakland Raiders Could Target
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The Oakland Raiders have been outstanding in 2016, but have work to do this offseason. These big names in 2017 NFL free agency would help a great deal.
There’s no denying the Oakland Raiders are a tremendous team after what they’ve accomplished during the 2016 regular season. While they still have an opportunity to do more damage during the playoffs, it seems like the right time to look towards 2017 NFL free agency.
As they’ve done in recent years, I’m expecting the Raiders to be busy when the new league year begins in March. They’ve likely to have about $40 million to work with during free agency, depending on which of their own pending free agents they choose to re-sign.
Regardless, Oakland will have plenty of spending power. Seeing as they’re one of the NFL’s rising teams, you better believe there will be several big-name free agents interested in joining the Silver and Black. As crazy as it seems, the Raiders are tentatively a hot landing spot for free agents, although a potential relocation could change that.
Who should the Raiders be interested in signing, though?
There will definitely be a number of intriguing options available when the market opens. Especially with a couple of holes on defense and a position or two needing help on offense, the Raiders will be looking for an opportunity to add a proven playmaker to the 2017 roster.
With that in mind, let’s take a look at five big-name pending free agents the Raiders could target come March.
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5. Captain Munnerlyn, CB – Minnesota Vikings
We all know how exceptional Oakland’s starting duo at cornerback is. However, when it comes to depth, the Raiders are a bit lacking. Addressing that issue during the offseason would be wise.
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More than likely, Oakland will let former first-round pick D.J. Hayden walk via free agency. Once he’s gone, that’ll leave T.J. Carrie as the only other experienced backup cornerback on the roster. Dexter McDonald and Antonio Hamilton could still be around in 2017, but neither has seen many snaps this year. I don’t know about you, but that’s not an ideal situation to be in.
They need a proven playmaker to serve in subpackages. Captain Munnerlyn could be the guy, and he wouldn’t even cost the Raiders too much to sign. Chances are he doesn’t re-sign with the Vikings after some of the late-season turmoil in the secondary. He’s going to be looking for an opportunity to slide in as the starting nickel cornerback, which is exactly where Oakland would love to use him.
Munnerlyn is a tough, experienced veteran who would give the Raiders some consistency further down the cornerback depth chart. Seeing as he wouldn’t cost too much (maybe $4-$5 million annually) to bring to the Bay Area, I’m confident Oakland would at least toss around the idea of signing him when the new league year begins.
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4. Sebastian Vollmer, OT – New England Patriots
As we’ve seen this season, the Raiders offensive line is among the best in the NFL. The only weak link currently lies at right tackle, which has been a position of concern throughout the 2016 campaign.
Austin Howard was the starter, but has battled injuries and ineffective play all season long. Backup Menelik Watson has dealt with similar issues, and is in a contract year. It’s gotten to the point where the Raiders have been forced to play rookie Vadal Alexander at the position; he was drafted as a guard.
Instead of settling for mediocrity on the right side again in 2017, Oakland could make a big move. Yes, I’m talking about signing Sebastian Vollmer to hold down the right tackle position. Now there is some concern surrounding the Patriots’ veteran tackle. He’s coming off a lost season during which he spent the year on IR due to a hip injury. With New England seemingly ready to move on from Vollmer, it appears he could resurface elsewhere and potentially pick up where he left off.
When healthy, Vollmer is one of the better right tackles in the NFL. However, with his recent issues, he’d likely be available to sign a one-year “prove it” deal. If that’s the case, the Raiders could sign him to a sizable but reasonable deal and get quality starter on the right side for the first time in years.
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3. Dont’a Hightower, ILB – New England Patriots
Yes, another Patriot on the Raiders’ potential free agency wish list. I can assure you if Dont’a Hightower is available come March, though, Oakland would be blowing up his agent’s phone.
To be realistic, the Raiders’ chances of getting a shot at Hightower are slim. New England is expected to re-sign him, especially after they traded away Jamie Collins. That essentially declared that the Patriots only wanted to hand one of their linebackers a shiny new contract—that would be Hightower.
However, plans do change. As we’ve seen in the past, there have been situations where top-tier players expected to be re-signed find their way to the open market. Realistically, you can never put it past Bill Belichick to let a player walk if the asking price is too high.
I’ve long been a proponent of the Raiders making an upgrade at middle linebacker. Malcolm Smith absolutely isn’t the answer, and I don’t think Ben Heeney is either. They could address the position during the 2017 NFL Draft, but finding a proven starter via free agency would be best.
Hightower is a tremendous talent who excels as both a run and pass defender. If he’s available when free agency starts, Oakland will undoubtedly kick the tires on one of the 2017 class’ best linebackers.
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2. Martellus Bennett, TE – New England Patriots
If you can’t beat them out for the No. 1 seed in the AFC, you might as well steal their players, right? Yet another Patriots pending free agent who I believe would be an ideal fit for Oakland.
The Raiders’ tight ends failed miserably to live up to expectations in 2016. Lee Smith got hurt early in the year, Clive Walford underwhelmed while battling injuries and Mychal Rivera continues to be a limited option. Moving forward, Oakland needs a new weapon at the position.
Imagine adding a dynamic talent like Martellus Bennett to this already-explosive Raiders offense. Obviously, that’s assuming he even makes it to the open market.
Catching passes from Tom Brady this year, Bennett has re-emerged as one of the NFL’s best receiving tight ends. He’s routinely used his impressive athleticism and size to dominate defenses, racking up big yards and finding the end zone often. Especially with Rob Gronkowski falling to injury, Bennett has stepped up in a big way for the Patriots.
The Raiders already have some exciting options in the passing game with Amari Cooper and Michael Crabtree. Adding a star tight end to the mix would make the Oakland offense nearly unstoppable, especially if the team can re-sign Latavius Murray. Bringing Bennett aboard would make Derek Carr a very happy man.
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1. Calais Campbell, DE/DT – Arizona Cardinals
Despite all of the talent on the roster, the Raiders’ defensive line disappointed a bit in 2016. Apart from Khalil Mack and Bruce Irvin, the defensive front struggled to deliver on a weekly basis. Put simply, an upgrade or two is needed heading into 2017. I’m confident when I say that Calais Campbell would provide the aforementioned upgrade—in a very big way.
The mountainous defender has spent his entire career wreaking havoc for the Cardinals. Although not a traditional 4-3 defensive end, Campbell is more than capable of contributing in Oakland as a defensive end on early downs and as an interior rusher on passing downs. No matter where he lines up, the 6-8, 300-pound defensive line is a difference maker.
Obviously Campbell isn’t a long-term answer for Oakland. He’ll be 31 years old before the start of the 2017 campaign, and has been slowed a bit by age. Still, there’s no denying he’s a consistent impact player with the potential to be a star for the Raiders—especially alongside players like Mack and Irvin.
Campbell isn’t going to be cheap, but would be a huge addition for the Raiders. Seeing as they should have plenty of cap space to work with this offseason, I wouldn’t be surprised if they took a long look at the monstrous veteran defensive lineman.
