National Football League

2017 NFL Free Agency: Predicting the Oakland Raiders 5 Biggest Moves

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 4:31 p.m. ET

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With 2017 NFL free agency just over a month away, let’s take a look at five moves the Oakland Raiders could make when that time comes.

On March 9, the Oakland Raiders and the rest of the league embark on the wild journey that will be 2017 NFL Free Agency. With plenty of money to spend and issues to address, the Silver and Black should be very active again this offseason.

Last year, the Raiders were one of the biggest winners of NFL free agency. With the additions of Kelechi Osemele, Bruce Irvin, Sean Smith and Reggie Nelson, Oakland essentially turned into a contender overnight. While they don’t need that type of haul this offseason, another splash or two wouldn’t hurt.

With that in mind, I’ve decided to predict a few significant moves the Raiders could make when that time comes. Being smart with cap space, filling holes and trimming fat are all part of the process. These five predictions do all of those things while improving on what already looks like a stout 2017 roster.

So here they are—my predictions for the Raiders’ biggest free agency moves this offseason. They may not all be blockbuster deals, but they could keep the goal of a Super Bowl in focus for Oakland.

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5. Sign WR Cordarrelle Patterson

Obviously the Raiders don’t have too big of a need at wide receiver. The duo of Amari Cooper and Michael Crabtree carried the passing game in 2016, but more depth wouldn’t hurt. Especially with Andre Holmes headed for the open market and Seth Roberts an inconsistent option, Oakland could use some more talent out wide.

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Instead of spending big to land one of the larger names on the market, the Raiders could spend a modest amount on Cordarrelle Patterson.

The former first-round pick is certainly an exciting talent. However, it took until his fourth season to finally carve out a prominent role on offense, and was still far from a star. Then again, he was limited by the offense’s creativity and an offensive line that wouldn’t let plays develop.

Imagine if Patterson could play with a quarterback like Derek Carr. The Raiders could certainly find ways to take advantage of his superb mix of athleticism, speed and elusiveness. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him earn a prominent role as Oakland’s No. 3 option out of the slot.

It also helps that Patterson is arguably the NFL’s top kick returner. While Jalen Richard filled the role decently in 2016, Patterson would be an unmistakable upgrade that could help the Raiders put even more points on the board in 2017.

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4. Release RT Austin Howard

When healthy, Austin Howard is one of the better right tackles in the NFL. Unfortunately, it’s not very often he isn’t on the injury report for one reason or another.

That unreliability is why I believe the Raiders could seriously consider making him a cap casualty in 2017. In this case, I’m predicting it’ll happen—even if Menelik Watson isn’t re-signed. Oakland has arguably the best offensive line in the NFL, but Howard is too untrustworthy at this point.

Obviously keeping him around wouldn’t be the worst thing. Howard is still a solid starter, and can provide several quality starts in a season. However, he missed five games in 2016 and was relatively ineffective while playing hurt in the other 11 games. On top of that, he’s expected to miss a big chunk of the offseason program after undergoing surgery in January.

What really has me thinking he gets the ax, though, is the $5 million in cap space the Raiders could save. Scheduled to count $6.4 million against the cap in 2017, Howard would only count $1.4 million if designated as a post-June 1 cut.

Between the injury history, ineffectiveness and cap implications, it seems reasonable to think Howard could be shown the door this offseason. That’s why I’m predicting it’ll happen in the near future.

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3. Sign RT Ricky Wagner

With Howard gone (hypothetically) and Watson potentially parting via free agency, the Raiders suddenly need help at right tackle. Luckily for them, there are a couple of worthy options scheduled to hit the open market in 2017.

One of my favorites is Ricky Wagner, an underrated talent who’s coming off another strong season with the Baltimore Ravens. The market for right tackles will be thin, but Wagner is arguably the best in terms of talent and long-term potential.

There are other options, such as Sebastian Vollmer, who could act as a bridge-gap. However, the 27-year-old Wagner offers much more upside and bang for the Raiders’ buck. He’s also coming off a 2016 campaign during which Pro Football Focus ranked him as the NFL’s best pass-blocking right tackle. In 2015, he earned PFF’s top overall ranking among right tackles.

Surprisingly, the Ravens aren’t expected to re-sign Wagner (via the Baltimore Sun). And with his former teammate Osemele on the Raiders’ roster, the team could have an edge.

Still, it won’t be easy winning him over with a bidding war likely on the horizon considering the dearth of tackle talent available this offseason. Spotrac predicts he’ll sign a contract paying him about $6.9 million per year. Even if that’s true, the Raiders have the money to secure him, effectively creating the league’s most outstanding front five.

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2. Re-Sign RB Latavius Murray

Of the Raiders’ 13 pending free agents, none are more important to re-sign than Latavius Murray. The starting running back of the last two and a half years, Murray has earned his keep in Oakland. The former sixth-round pick got off to a slow start during his time with the team. He missed his entire rookie season due to injury, and spent most of his sophomore year as the backup. However, in 2015, he broke out as the unquestioned starter and never looked back.

Although the Raiders forced him to split time with rookies DeAndre Washington and Richard in 2016, it’s clear he’s the No. 1 runner in this Oakland offense. He’s done a great job of carrying the ground game, which is why they can’t afford to let him walk this offseason.

Murray has already stated that he wants to return to the Silver and Black (via SiriusXM). It’s not going to be cheap re-signing him, but Oakland has enough cap space to get the job done. Regardless of what it costs, they need to get him back under contract for 2017 and beyond.

We saw the type of impact Murray can make in 2016. He took the baton and ran with it, rewarding the Raiders with 12 touchdowns and plenty of explosive plays. Murray has earned that big payday, and I’m predicting he’ll get it from Oakland in the coming weeks.

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1. Sign DE Calais Campbell

One of the Raiders’ top priorities this offseason will be finding an interior pass rusher. They failed to get any significant push up the middle in 2016, which is why they need to make a big move in order to avoid a repeat performance in 2017.

One way to do that would be to sign Calais Campbell when free agency kicks off. The Arizona Cardinals’ monstrous defensive end is one of the best interior pass rushers in the business, and just so happens to be scheduled for free agency. With the Cardinals’ cap situation, it seems likely he’ll at least test the waters.

If that’s the case, Oakland must jump at the opportunity. Campbell is coming off a season during which he earned Pro Football Focus’ second-best pass rush rating among interior defensive linemen. His eight sacks on the year were proof of his effectiveness when it comes to getting after quarterbacks.

Campbell would have to make the transition from a 3-4 defensive end to a three-technique. However, with his massive frame and overwhelming mix of power and athleticism, it should be a piece of cake. The Raiders made some splashes last offseason during free agency. While I don’t think they need to make as many big moves, the addition of Campbell would be a great way to ensure this team’s return to the playoffs in 2017.