It’s a bit weird what’s going on with the wide receiver position right now. Several teams need one and the Raiders are near the top of that list. And yet there has been little to no movement with regard to adding outside free agents at the position.
The full list of outside free agent receivers signed goes like this:
Randall Cobb, Texans, 3-years, $27 million
Seth Roberts, Panthers, undisclosed deal
Damiere Byrd, Patriots, 1-year, $2.5 million
Full stop.
There have been some trades like DeAndre Hopkins to the Cardinals — which prompted the Texans to sign Cobb — and former Vikings WR Stefon Diggs to the Bills. Now the Rams are dangling Brandin Cooks as trade bait as well.
A few receivers have been retained by their respective teams such as the Bengals keeping A.J. Green with the franchise tag, Amari Cooper being re-signed long term by the Cowboys, and Larry Fitzgerald getting another year with the Cardinals. But in terms of receivers changing teams, that really hasn’t happened yet.
The first domino expected to fall is that of former Jets receiver Robby Anderson. It’s possible all other receiver deals are in a holding pattern until that happens. Here is the list of receivers still out there who could potentially sign deals once the market finally heats up.
Robby Anderson
Emmanuel Sanders
Breshad Perriman
Nelson Agholor
Geronimo Allison
Travis Benjamin
Phillip Dorsett
Devin Funchess
Taylor Gabriel
Josh Gordon
Rashard Higgins
Johnny Holton
Demarcus Robinson
Jarius Wright
If you consider that free agency actually began with the opening of the negotiating period (and it did), we are now on day four. That’s an eternity in free agency time.
Keep in mind as well that the draft is expected to be deep with wide receiver talent which could be lowering the overall interest in free agent wide receivers and therefore could be contributing to the lag. Anderson, as well as perhaps some others, could be looking for the kind of money offers they aren’t getting.
For the Raiders purposes, it means they could still be in play for a free agent receiver. They’re still out there. It’s just a waiting game now.
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