Las Vegas Raiders

5 players the Raiders must move on from in 2016

Published Jan. 20, 2016 4:00 p.m. ET

foxsports

How young is too young for this Oakland Raiders team?

That's the question general manager Reggie McKenzie has to ask himself this offseason. Established veterans like Charles Woodson won't be returning in 2015, leaving the team with an experience vacuum.

McKenzie could choose to invest in the older players he has. Or, he could stick to the principles he learned in Green Bay and bid farewell to the dead weight on his roster, experienced or not. These five players could be the first to go:

1. Nate Allen

The post-Woodson era ought to begin with his oft-injured safety mate off the team. Nate Allen inked a lucrative four-year deal last offseason, but couldn't stay healthy or assist the Raiders' terrible pass coverage. His team should seek a fresh start at safety by cutting ties with Allen -- and getting $5 million in cap relief for it.

2. Curtis Lofton

There's no sugar-coating it. The 29-year-old Lofton is a liability in pass coverage (particularly against tight ends) and a two-down linebacker at best. Those attributes aren't worth his weighty $5.9 million cap number whatsoever. Expect the Raiders to move on and explore younger options like former rookies Ben Heeney and Neiron Ball.

3. Sebastian Janikowski

Seabass' time in Silver and Black is coming to an end. The legendary kicker missed an uncharacteristic amount of gimme field goals in 2015, including two huge misses in Week 5 that sealed a Denver Broncos win. His team could save upwards of $8 million over the next two years by moving on to a cheaper specialist like Giorgio Tavecchio after signing the Cal product to a future's deal.

4. Donald Penn

General manager Reggie McKenzie infused his offense with young, exciting talent at nearly every position. But his starting left tackle is neither young (he'll be 33 next season) or that exciting. Penn will cost $5.4 million against the cap if his sticks around in 2016. Continuity aside, it might be worth it for the Raiders to go grab a younger cornerstone and save that salary for their defense.

5. Justin Tuck

If the Raiders added Tuck to instill a winning attitude, then mission accomplished. The soon-to-be 33-year-old mentored both Khalil Mack and Mario Edwards Jr. over two seasons in Silver and Black. A third seems unlikely, given his injury history (including his recent season-ending torn pectoral), his age, his on-field output (six sacks over the past two seasons), and last but not least, his high cap number of $4.9 million.

*All salary cap information comes from OverTheCap.com.

Nick Toney covers the AFC West for FOX Sports. Find him on Twitter at @nicktoneytweets.