Before free agency, before the draft, the Raiders will need to decide what they want to do with their players whose contracts are up. Not all free agents are created equal. So, I ranked them by priority to be re-signed.
High
WR Nelson Agholor
Several Raiders players have expressed their interest in having Agholor back next season. He had a career revival with the Raiders, shedding his reputation of dropping passes and becoming the deep threat that made him a first-round pick back in 2015. He also became the deep threat the Raiders haven’t yet gotten from their own rookie first-round pick, Henry Ruggs III. To let Agholor just use the Raiders as a springboard to a long term deal elsewhere would be a shame.
LG Denzelle Good
Three times the Raiders have signed Good. The first was claiming him off waivers from the Colts, then two straight one-year extensions. Unless he’s been taking advice from former Raiders OL Khalif Barnes, Good probably will be looking for a long term deal this time around. If the Raiders don’t give him one, he will likely have a few other teams will to do so.
The veteran guard started 14 games this season at both right tackle and left guard. And he played well too. Especially considering he’d never even practiced at tackle only to step in at the position in the middle of the season opener. That kind of talent and versatility is a valuable commodity. A Gabe Jackson said recently “Pay the man.”
DE Takkarist McKinley
You simply don’t claim a player off waivers and place him on injured reserve the rest of the season only to let him walk in free agency. Granted, they claimed him with the hopes that he could return and help them in a playoff run. But on a team desperate for pass rushers, to let (another) one slip through their fingers would be unfortunate. Especially considering that he probably won’t be very expensive to keep, most likely looking for a one-year ‘prove-it’ deal to get back on the radar for a long term deal next offseason. No reason not to get this done.
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