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Oakland Raiders free agency 2017: Top 5 targets

By Brad Weiss

SAN DIEGO, CA - DECEMBER 18: Head coach Jack Del Rio of the Oakland Raiders on the field before the game against the San Diego Chargers at Qualcomm Stadium on December 18, 2016 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
SAN DIEGO, CA - DECEMBER 18: Head coach Jack Del Rio of the Oakland Raiders on the field before the game against the San Diego Chargers at Qualcomm Stadium on December 18, 2016 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) /
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The Raiders head into free agency fresh off their best season in 14 years. Here are five players they should look to add to the roster.

At 12-4, the Oakland Raiders had a terrific season in 2016, even if it did end in disaster. The team appeared poised to be the No. 2 seed in the AFC for the playoffs, but in Week 16, star quarterback broke his leg against the Indianapolis Colts. That led to the team losing its grip on the AFC West title, and they were quickly disposed of by the Houston Texans in the Wild Card round.

As they look towards 2017, there are plenty of question marks up and down their roster. They need to make some additions on the defensive side of the ball, and two of their stars are free agents. Head coach Jack Del Rio was just awarded a four-year deal for his work with the team thus far, and it is now time for him to finish the job.

Lets take a look at five possible targets for the Raiders this free agency period.

5

Jared Cook

TE, Green Bay Packers

The Oakland Raiders showed during the 2016 NFL season that they have one of the more explosive offensive units in all of football. Quarterback Derek Carr has blossomed into one of the best in the game at his position, and he has two elite targets to throw to on the outside. Wide receivers Amari Cooper and Michael Crabtree can both turn a game on its head on any play, making the Raiders a very dangerous team when they have the ball.

Last offseason, the Raiders spent a ton of money to bolster their offensive line, which paid dividends during their 12-4 season. While the Raiders offense is extremely fun to watch,  they could use some help at the tight end position. Guys like Mychel Rivera and Clive Walford do a nice job in spurts, but they need a pass-catcher to be Carr’s safety valve moving forward.

Jared Cook has never really lived up to his lofty expectations, but he is quite a talent at tight end. He will be a free agent after his one season in Green Bay, where he helped the team make it all the way to the NFC Championship Game. He would be a perfect fit for the Raiders offense, which loves to try to get the ball to the tight end in the red zone. Cook may not be super productive, but he could finally hit his potential with the Silver and Black.