The NFL draft has come and gone and the Raiders appear to have had a good class. Despite not picking until pick No. 90, the Raiders found multiple interior offensive linemen and two defensive tackles that could play as rookies.
But what position could the Raiders look to upgrade next, given how much cap space they still have available?
In a recent article by Paul Gutierrez of ESPN, he named the one position the Raiders are expected to address in the upcoming months. That is none other than the linebacker position after releasing two veterans in early March.
Here is what he had to say about the possibility of the Raiders adding a veteran or two at that position:
“After drafting two versatile O-linemen, a pair of defensive tackles and two running backs (a day after declining the fifth-year option on one-time Pro Bowler Josh Jacobs), the Raiders still have depth issues in the secondary and at linebacker.
So look for Las Vegas to address those position groups with undrafted rookies and the smattering of vets still unsigned. The Raiders will have some $20 million in cap space coming their way on June 1 to make signings thanks to the cuts of defensive end Carl Nassib and linebackers Cory Littleton and Nick Kwiatkoski.
The Raiders don’t have a lot of holes on their roster, but they could certainly use another veteran presence at linebacker. Could someone like Kyle Van Noy, who the front office knows well, be an option in June or July? Or what about Anthony Barr, who can also help as a pass rusher?
Jamie Collins is another one to consider given his history with the Patriots. He’s a bit older now, but he is still a good blitzer and an excellent run defender. K.J. Wright should also be mentioned as he played well for the Raiders last season when he was on the field.
While we aren’t sure what linebacker they may be targeting yet in free agency, expect the Raiders to have an interest in upgrading that position. Outside of that, the rest of the roster looks pretty much set heading into training camp.
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