Teams Las Vegas Raiders - The Black Hole

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Jul 1, 2014
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For anyone continuously scrolling Twitter etc hoping for another Raiders signing, take the rest of today off. You can never be 100% sure, but I spoke to someone well in the know a half hour ago who straight up told me nothing was in the works to happen the rest of today.
 
Feb 1, 2008
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Renfrow and Jimmy G gone.

Harrison Bryant in to back up the backup TE.

As for their total cap space, between this week's signings and releases, they should be sitting at around $35 million in cap space. That offers the Raiders the flexibility to address other needs on the roster, namely on the offensive line.

"Offensively, we have a lot of work to do," general manager Tom Telesco told reporters at the NFL Scouting Combine. "I think that's pretty easy to see."

The team could also look to upgrade at cornerback and add depth on the defensive line and at running back
 
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Jul 1, 2014
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Press conference in around 5 hours for Wilkins and Minshew.

Don't mind the Harrison Bryant signing. At the very least you know he'll be a really serviceable TE2 who is a competent receiver and a good blocker.

Looking at the roster I think this team needs to fill the following spots:

-QB1
-RB
-FB
-WR4
-RG
-RT
-2 DTs
-Outside corner

RB needs to be someone who can be a true 50/50 split with Zamir White. Given Getsy wants to run wide zone I will be shocked if they don't enter the season with a fullback on the roster. I'm comfortable going into the season with Adams, Meyers and Tucker as the top 3 receivers. They just need to add one more who also adds special teams value. Pretty much Andre Holmes' role in 2016. I don't believe Van Roten will be back next season, and with Eluemunor going to New York that's another position that needs filling (RT). That being said, Thayer Munford may be earmarked for that right tackle spot. He has played well in limited time. Right now the interior of the D-Line is looking thin after Wilkins, with just Nesta Jade Silvera, Byron Young and Matthew Butler on the roster (might be a few others but none are noteworthy). Re-signing John Jenkins and Adam Butler would be perfect. One could also suggest they need another body on the edge if Tyree Wilson plays more inside as well. Then they need someone to replace Amik Robertson on the outside - shame he moved on, I really liked his tenacity.

I was having a spirited discussion with someone on X earlier today, and we were discussing the upcoming draft. This individual wanted to maximise value in the draft irrespective of position. I disagreed, as I believe they need to find their QB of the future in this draft, and that takes priority over any perceived value. For instance, if 5 QBs have gone by the time the Raiders are on the clock, I'm 100% down to draft QB6 which will most likely be Michael Penix. If you don't take Penix there, you're taking a massive gamble that no one is going to take him from picks 14 through say 25. Then you pay a fortune to get from pick 44 in round 2 back up to pick 25ish to take him if he's still available - and that's a massive "if." Imagine such a scenario where they pass on Penix at 13, and then he gets taken at pick 20 and the Raiders miss out on him (and all the other top QBs)? In such a scenario you're then either putting your eggs in the Rattler/Milton basket (which I'm not keen on) or you're kicking the can down the road another year. At which point you're in the same position in 12 months time, except all your stars are one year older, and given that rookie QBs never lead their team to a Super Bowl, the earliest true year of contention in such a scenario becomes 2026. I just can't see how that's a good idea all in the name of getting "value" in the draft. I don't care if they pass on the next Orlando Pace to draft a QB at 13, because without a QB who can potentially be a franchise guy, this team is simply not ever going to be a contender. Interested to hear your thoughts on the matter.
 
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I'm happy to sit on 13 and see which if any QB is available. I like Penix, got a bit of X factor.
On these lists of 100 best players in the draft McCarthy, Penix and Nix are all outside first round but for sure they will go earlier. Those three all have questions but " don't try, don't know" I guess.

Mark has plenty of money. Needs to go hard in FA so we have all the other spots filled.
Going to be difficult to replace Jacobs. Should have kept Ingold too.
Outside CB should be a priority.

I still have no Idea what happened to Young since he was drafted and M.Butler is struggling.
 
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I'm happy to sit on 13 and see which if any QB is available. I like Penix, got a bit of X factor.
On these lists of 100 best players in the draft McCarthy, Penix and Nix are all outside first round but for sure they will go earlier. Those three all have questions but " don't try, don't know" I guess.

Mark has plenty of money. Needs to go hard in FA so we have all the other spots filled.
Going to be difficult to replace Jacobs. Should have kept Ingold too.
Outside CB should be a priority.

I still have no Idea what happened to Young since he was drafted and M.Butler is struggling.

I don't think outside corner is a huge need if they are banking on Brandon Facyson returning to health. I suspect Jakorian Bennett will be the backup slot. Of course I could be completely wrong and we then see them draft a corner at 13 then a QB later in the draft. I'm not too concerned about finding another RB though, they're pretty easy to plug in these days. Definitely should have kept Ingold but that's a few years ago now.

Trying to predict what they're going to do in the draft is pretty bloody difficult right now.
 
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If we don't get a QB in this draft next year looks even less likely. Everyone will be thinking the same.

Getting a good CB means Hobbs could go back to slot.

Trying to predict what they're going to do in the draft is pretty bloody difficult right now.

There isn't a lot they can do. Probably try to move up to first 3 but unlikely to get a bite.
 
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If we don't get a QB in this draft next year looks even less likely. Everyone will be thinking the same.

Getting a good CB means Hobbs could go back to slot.



There isn't a lot they can do. Probably try to move up to first 3 but unlikely to get a bite.

Hobbs was in the slot for all of last season. That will continue to be the case going forward.

They definitely want to get up to the top 3. I still think there's a chance they get a deal done with New England but I wouldn't be putting my house on it.

If they don't trade up to the top 3 the options right now imo are as follows:

  • trade up to 6-8 for a QB (most likely McCarthy)
  • stay at 13 and take an offensive tackle, defensive tackle or a corner. Then hope like hell a QB they like slides far enough so they can trade up from 44 to get them (this is the riskiest option, though if the top 6 QBs are gone by 13 it makes the most sense).
  • stay at 13 and draft the highest QB on their board.

I just don't see a scenario whereby they can afford to not have their QB of the future locked in by the conclusion of day 1 of the draft.

And on the odd chance they don't get a QB in the draft, we will have to hope like crazy that AOC has a significant second year improvement and wins the starting job on merit. Stranger things have happened. If he is somehow able to improve his mobility just a tiny amount, he probably goes from being a career backup to a reasonable low tier starter. But I wouldn't bet on him making a huge leap which I why I'd be getting ham to get a QB in the draft.
 

Constantgin

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Next year he is due $25 million or you cut him and back to no QB.

Plus got to decided on his 25 mil option for 2025 by early may. Better to give it a miss. Plus Steelers aren’t in running for an early qb which is good.
 

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Alexander Mattison new RB. Possibly starter

Mattison joins the Silver and Black after spending the last five seasons with the Minnesota Vikings (2019-23). Last season, Mattison played in 16 games and started in a career-high 13 games, posting 700 rushing yards on 180 attempts (3.9 avg) along with 30 catches for 192 yards (6.4 avg.) and three touchdowns.
 
Alexander Mattison new RB. Possibly starter

Mattison joins the Silver and Black after spending the last five seasons with the Minnesota Vikings (2019-23). Last season, Mattison played in 16 games and started in a career-high 13 games, posting 700 rushing yards on 180 attempts (3.9 avg) along with 30 catches for 192 yards (6.4 avg.) and three touchdowns.
Not a starter, surely. We are in trouble if he is.
 
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Not a starter, surely. We are in trouble if he is.

Yeah he will be a solid rotational piece but I highly doubt he gets the bulk of the carries.

Zeus started the final four games of the season and averaged 97 yards per game at a healthy 4.7 yards per carry. And what surprised me most during that stretch was how he actually showed he could run zone plays as opposed to pure power (which he has run at Georgia).

Not many more pieces need filling heading into the draft though. They're in a solid position and with 20M in cap space or thereabouts still in tow, have plenty of money to make any more moves between now and the draft next month.
 

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