The 2020 offseason is right around the corner as NFL teams have already begun to make plans for free agency. But before Mike Mayock and Jon Gruden can start to think about which players they may target on the open market, they must decide which of their own players needs to be retained.

Luckily for the Raiders, they don’t have many key contributors that are expected to hit the free-agent market. But there are a few players who need to be brought back.

1. SS Karl Joseph

After selecting Johnathan Abram in the first round of the 2019 draft, many assumed that it signaled the end of Karl Joseph with the Raiders. However, Joseph proved to be a valuable asset to the team once again, creating plays whenever he was on the field.

With the recent struggles of Lamarcus Joyner, the Raiders would be wise to hold onto Joseph. After a disappointing start to his career, Joseph has been phenomenal over the last two seasons, when he’s healthy.

Given his physical nature and ability to play both in the box and as a free safety, Joseph is someone the team would be wise to hold onto as his best football is still likely ahead of him.

[lawrence-newsletter]