General manager Reggie McKenzie deserves an A-plus for his shrewd free-agent moves, but shallow spots on the roster remain leading up to the draft.
In the new calendar year, Oakland signed defensive backs Sean Smith and Reggie Nelson to address the secondary, added another primary pass-rusher to pair with Khalil Mack in Bruce Irvin and strengthened the interior of the offensive line with Kelechi Osemele. The front office also refreshed deals with offensive tackle Donald Penn and pass-rusher Aldon Smith, per ESPN.com.
What’s left over on the roster checklist?
First, the Raiders must address their No. 28 rushing offense, which averaged 91 yards per game. In today’s NFL, the quarterback shouldn’t rank as the second-best ball-carrier on the roster.
Defensive end Mario Edwards Jr. expressed sheer optimism for his return to the field and set his aim for the Pro Bowl in the upcoming season, per WCTV anchor Kenny Morales. Nevertheless, the Raiders cannot count their chickens before they hatch. Edwards will undergo medical checks at some point this month, per Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle.
Oakland should add insurance for Edwards in case he’s not 100 percent and upgrade its 3-4 scheme with another dual-threat, 5-technique defensive end on the opposite side.
Third, after safety Nate Allen’s injury-plagued season, Oakland released and re-signed him to a one-year deal, per Spotrac.com. Despite Nelson’s two-year deal, the secondary needs a defensive back who can set the tone and thump in the box against the run.
The trade-down phenomenon has hijacked most NFL franchises. However, the best-player-available approa...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Oakland Raiders
