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2017 NFL Free Agency: 5 Big-Name Players Oakland Raiders Must Avoid

Updated Mar. 5, 2020 12:48 a.m. ET

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The Oakland Raiders have plenty of money to spend during 2017 NFL Free Agency, but spending it on one of these five big-name players wouldn’t solve any problems.

Just as they did last year, the Oakland Raiders are expected to be significant players during 2017 NFL free agency. They’ll have plenty of money to spend when that time comes, but that doesn’t mean they need to spend frivolously.

Free agency can be a make or break time for some teams. The Raiders fell into the “make” category in 2016, signing a handful of stars off the open market including Kelechi Osemele, Bruce Irvin and Reggie Nelson. The hope is they’ll use that aforementioned cap space to make a similar impact when free agency begins again in early March.

However, Oakland must be wary of which players they choose to pursue. There are quite a few big-name free agents who simply won’t shine the way their reputations would indicate. That’s why I’m here—to highlight the free agents the Raiders should avoid.

With that in mind, let’s take a look at five pending free agents the Raiders should keep off their radar. For one reason or another, the Silver and Black shouldn’t touch these guys with a 10-foot pole.

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5. Morris Claiborne, CB – Dallas Cowboys

The Raiders have two outstanding starters at cornerback in Sean Smith and David Amerson. The remaining depth behind them, though, leaves a lot to be desired heading into 2017. It’s very clear they need to make some additions at the position in the near future.

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The draft will be a great opportunity to do so, but I’d expect Oakland to scour the free agency market as well. I’m not sure what they’ll find, but most players scheduled to be available are either overpriced or overrated.

Morris Claiborne falls into the latter category. Sure, he’s coming off a solid 2016 campaign after getting a one-year, “prove it” deal from the Dallas Cowboys. That same season also saw Claiborne miss nine games due to a hip injury. Put simply, he can’t be relied upon.

The former first-round pick has all of the physical tools and athleticism to be a star in the NFL. Unfortunately, poor instincts, awareness and durability have watched him develop into little more than a bust. He showed well before his injury in 2016, but was it enough to earn a team’s full confidence? I don’t think so.

The Raiders need help at cornerback, but Claiborne isn’t it. They need a player who can be depended on throughout the entire season. and hasn’t already earned the bust label. They already had someone like that in D.J. Hayden, and finally got to watch his contract expire this offseason.

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4. Andre Smith, RT – Minnesota Vikings

With Austin Howard always injured and Menelik Watson headed for free agency, the Raiders could use a new right tackle. Unfortunately, there aren’t a ton of quality options scheduled to be available this offseason. One of the bigger names set to hit the open market is Andre Smith. The eight-year veteran seems like a solid option—or at least he would have been a year or two ago.

During his days with the Cincinnati Bengals, Smith was one of the better right tackles in the NFL. However, wear and tear took their toll, eventually reducing the once-outstanding starter to a week-to-week unknown. Still, the Vikings gave him a shot last offseason and got minimal returns on their investment, as he got hurt after four games and wound up on IR.

Oh, and Pro Football Focus gave him absolutely horrendous marks for the limited action he saw.

So why would the Raiders want to take that risk? They’ve already dealt with two oft-injured right tackles in the last couple of seasons, and Smith would essentially keep them in the same situation. Not exactly ideal if you ask me.

I know their options are limited at right tackle. However, unless Smith is willing to sign a bargain deal with limited/no guarantees, he’s not worth the time. The Raiders need someone who can be depended on for more than just getting hurt.

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3. Brandon Williams, DT – Baltimore Ravens

This offseason, the Raiders must address the defensive tackle position one way or another. The current talent they have simply isn’t cutting it, especially after a disappointing 2016 campaign saw the group as a whole flop.

I’m a fan of the team targeting some options during the 2017 NFL Draft, but I’m guessing they’ll also look to free agency to make some upgrades. There options will be limited, but one guy who’s likely to get some interest is Brandon Williams.

However, if I were McKenzie, I’d avoid making a move on the Ravens’ dominant nose tackle. Why? Because he doesn’t fill the team’s biggest need at the position, which is a productive interior pass rusher.

Don’t get me wrong—Williams is an outstanding talent who has quietly emerged as one of the league’s best nose tackles. While I wouldn’t necessarily expect Williams to disappoint with the Raiders, he’s a pure run stuffer with limited pass-rushing chops. If that’s the case, the team might as well stick with what they’ve got right now.

The other aspect is that Williams is going to cost big money to sign this offseason. Spotrac expects him to sign a deal averaging about $11.6 million per year, which is not a ideal situation for the Raiders despite their excessive amounts of cap space. In that case, they might as well wait for the draft and spend an early pick on someone who can actually collapse the pocket on a consistent basis.

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2. LeGarrette Blount, RB – New England Patriots

Obviously, the need for a starting running back would depend on whether or not the Raiders re-sign Latavius Murray. They’ve got two quality backups, but his departure would leave a gaping hole atop the depth chart. I can assure you that LeGarrette Blount would not be the answer if Murray left, though.

Sure, he’s coming off a career year that came at the best time for him. In 2016, he scored 18 rushing touchdowns as part of one of the NFL’s most potent offenses. However, I don’t think he’s a reliable workhorse back. Not only does he have a history of injuries, but he’s also had off-field issues cost him games as well.

To make matters worse, he’s expected to demand quite the contract this offseason. It makes sense considering his 2016 production, but I’m still not convinced he’s ready to serve as a true workhorse back—that’s what he’s going to be paid to be.

Chances are Murray is retained. In the instance he doesn’t, though, the Raiders would be better off signing someone other than Blount or adding a starting-caliber prospect during the draft. With the loaded 2017 running back class, it wouldn’t be too tall an order.

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1. Lawrence Timmons, ILB – Pittsburgh Steelers

Lawrence Timmons stated before the 2016 season that he wanted to remain with the Steelers. However, after his play continued to decline, I wouldn’t be surprised if Pittsburgh opted to let him walk.

If that’s the case, there will be several teams interested in seeing if a change of scenery will do the trick. However, testing Timmons on a new team in a new defense certainly wouldn’t be the right solution for the Raiders.

Based solely on notoriety, Timmons is the top name on the open market. While he certainly isn’t the most talented option at this point in time, I’d venture to guess there are at least a few teams willing to give him a shot. It’s hard not to be at least curious with how dominant Timmons has been at times.

While the Raiders need an upgrade at middle linebacker, Timmons isn’t it. He’s spent his entire career in a 3-4 defense, while the Silver and Black run a 4-3. I’d love to see the team find an alternative to Malcolm Smith as the starter, but settling on the Steelers’ castoffs isn’t going to help their defense improve in 2017.

I’m not saying linebackers making the transition from 3-4 to 4-3 is impossible. However, with the way Timmons has played over the past two years, it’s clear he’s no longer a star. That’s exactly what the Raiders need in the middle of their defense, so you can see why Timmons shouldn’t be a consideration.

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