Oakland Raiders free agency 2018: Top 5 targets
The Oakland Raiders disappointed last season, leading to the dismissal of Jack Del Rio. Now, the Raiders must find their way back to the playoffs.
After a very promising 2016 season that ended after Derek Carr was unable to play in the playoffs due to injury, many thought Oakland was on the cusp of greatness for 2017. That isn’t how the season played out at all, as the Raiders finished the season 6-10 and was outscored by 72 points. Oakland lost their final four games. Their defense remained among the worst in the league and Carr didn’t look like the same player after returning from a back injury. Jon Gruden has now been given a boatload of money to right the Raiders ship.
The Raiders will pick either ninth or 10th in the first round and obviously won’t be pursuing a quarterback with that selection, which separates them from many teams picking early this year. But unfortunately for Oakland, they don’t have an abundance of cap space presently, although there will be some releases most likely to free more room to spend. Changes need to be made nonetheless and this is clearly truer on the defensive side of the ball.
5. LaAdrian Waddle
The Raiders have a ton of money invested in their massive offensive line, but the weak link of that unit is at right tackle. Marshall Newhouse is coming off a rough 2017 campaign. With just one weak link, Gruden should be able to design protection schemes to help his right tackle and the nature of this offense stresses the ball coming out quick.
Still, Oakland would be smart to add competition of some sort for the 29-year-old Newhouse who basically is what he is at this stage of his career. This could come via the draft and it is noteworthy that Donald Penn will be turning 35-years-old before the season, so getting younger would be ideal.
Waddle is only 26-years-old and comes from a very strong Patriots organization that is known for getting the most from their offensive linemen. But Waddle only played 334 snaps for the Patriots last year and was a full time player in just five games last year. Waddle still has some upside to his game and would at least provide competition for Newhouse as well as giving the Raiders more offensive tackle depth.