Free agency will offer many options and the Las Vegas Raiders can benefit from making the right moves. However, they should refrain from signing a certain kind of player.
If a talent is worth keeping, a team will do anything in their power to re-sign them. Whether the turk does his job or they offer a massive signing bonus that gives the playmaker an obscene amount of money upfront but has cap hits in later years, organizations do whatever it takes to retain their own.
Most of the players that will partake in free agency have red flags, injury concern or they’re past their primes. A.J. Green and Josh Norman have had fine careers but they can and will break down at any time without any warning beforehand.
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Las Vegas has cap space but they have to use it wisely. Last season, the Silver and Black brought in many stop gap players such as D.J. Swearing and Brandon Marshall. Instead of investing in patches, why not pay difference makers that will have a lasting impact? Rodney Hudson’s signing has work out pretty well for both the team and the player.
Don’t get me wrong, the Raiders shouldn’t be opposed to spending money in free agency, but they have to do so wisely. If they’re going to pay retail for someone, he’d better be worth it. Chris Jones comes to mind. Maybe Byron Jones.
Some talk about how the Trent Brown deal worked out in the end, but my biggest criticism wasn’t the transaction per se, but rather the amount given to him. Las Vegas can’t afford to just throw money at every roster hole they have. As good as the tackle was in his first season with the Raiders, the organization can always optimize their budget.
Corey Littleton and Robby Anderson are fine player, but someone is about to overpay them as the demand for adequate players outweighs the supply. I’m glad players can cash out and if anything, it would be a disservice to themselves not to do it. Teams should be point their finger at teams not the players when they make bad signings.
In the end, how the Raiders decide to spend their money is on them, but if they’re going to do it, might as well not pick players from the discarded bin.
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