Day two is winding down for free agency, so it’s a good time to wrap up what the Raiders have done so far. They have certainly not sat on their hands and fans should be encouraged by what they’ve seen so far.
Here is their current haul through the first two days of free agency:
QB Marcus Mariota
TE Jason Witten
DI Maliek Collins
DE Carl Nassib
LB Cory Littleton
LB Nick Kwiatkoski
FS Jeff Heath
The biggest addition here is Cory Littleton. He was one of the top free agents at any position and it comes at the Raiders’ most desperate need position. The 26-year-old joins the team on a 3-year, $36 million deal, making for a very affordable $12 million per season average salary.
He wasn’t the first linebacker the Raiders added. The first was Nick Kwiatkoski who signed on with a 3-year, $21 million deal. For a team needing three linebackers, adding two early on was a must. And they got them in Littleton and Kwiatkoski.
Quarterback was also a priority and they got their guy in Titans’ former number two overall pick Marcus Mariota. Details on this contract have not been revealed yet, but Mariota will at very least be the best backup and competition for Carr the Raiders have had since they drafted him. And at most a potential starter himself. That was a must and they filled that need.
New defensive line coach Rod Marinelli got a couple of his former Cowboys defenders. Most importantly he reeled in Maliek Collins to provide some interior pass rush. They added some depth at safety as well with safety Jeff Heath.
Former Cowboys and Monday Night Football analyst Jason Witten was the curveball so far. The 38-year-old comes to the Raiders at arguably their strongest position. Hard to know what to make of it. Kind of an “ok, whatever” type move.
And finally, Carl Nassib who teams up with the Raiders two drafted defensive ends Clelin Ferrell and Maxx Crosby. Nassib didn’t come cheap, so you’d have to figure they don’t see him as just a depth signing, though depth at pass rusher was needed. I suppose when your other three ends (along with Arden Key) are all on rookie deals, you can afford to spend a little on the position.
These additions are a great start to free agency for the Raiders. I say start because there are still at least a couple positions that need addressing. Wide receiver and cornerback primarily.
The Raiders understand cornerback is a priority and they made it one, going hard after another former Cowboy, Byron Jones. But they lost out to the Dolphins in the bidding to make Jones the highest-paid cornerback in the NFL at $17 million per season. They even reportedly offered more money to Jones, but he chose Miami because the structure of the deal had $40 million in the first two years of his deal.
No word yet on arguably the team’s most glaring need at wide receiver, but really there’s been no word of any kind at the position in terms of free agents outside of Amari Cooper re-upping with the Cowboys.
Coop was the top receiver on the market and since he accepted a lesser deal to stay, he didn’t set the market for others to follow. Next up in the chain would be Robby Anderson and on down the line to the likes of Emmanuel Sanders and Breshad Perriman.
As is often the case, once one goes, the dominoes will fall and the others will come off the board quickly.
There is still a full day of the negotiating period left to address wide receiver as well as cornerback. For now, seven players, most of whom shore up significant need areas, is a very promising free-agent haul.
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