NFL Rumors: Oakland Raiders to make run at signing Jared Allen and BJ Raji

The Oakland Raiders have been a bad team for a long time –something I’ve pointed out with dutiful glee in the past. But a lot of people, myself included, may start have to eating crow if the Raiders can pull off a miraculous free agent haul that will instantly makes them competitive in a suddenly difficult AFC West.

ESPN.com Raiders beat writer Paul Gutierrez notes that the Raiders may take a run at Green Bay Packers defensive tackle B.J. Raji and will almost certainly make a run at Minnesota Vikings defensive end Jared Allen.

"A little more high-priced than what I envision McKenzie doing, even with more than $60 million in cap space, but throw in the Packer factor of B.J. Raji, I can dig it. … I still see the Raiders making a run at Jared Allen as a defensive end, though, rather than the likes of Justin Tuck, Michael Bennett or Greg Hardy."

For all those that hate on the Raiders, a defensive line that has both Raji and Allen on it will shut a lot of people up — and shut a lot of offenses down. With more than $60 million in cap space to spend, the Raiders are in for a serious free agent period, but the only question is will they be able to pull off the signings?

If they do, all who laughed at them before had better watch out because the Black Hole of the Raiders defensive line will consume more than just quarterbacks and running backs.