We’re a few days away from Week 1 getting underway for the Las Vegas Raiders, so football is back. However, work on a roster is never done. Are there any free agents that general manager Dave Ziegler should still consider? Well, according to Bleacher Report, there are a few, two of them particularly for Patrick Graham’s defense.
By all accounts, it doesn’t appear as though the Raiders are in the market right now ahead of their matchup with the Denver Broncos later this week. Even so, this current front office has done a great job of keeping things under control. Financially speaking, Ziegler could still make some moves, but knowing his style at this point, they’d be highly calculated maneuvers. Adding depth to the defense is hardly a “sexy” move, but it’s one that can often mean the difference down the line.
Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox actually listed two defenders, both of whom are familiar with the Raiders.
Carl Nassib and the Raiders reuniting?
Strictly in a pass-rushing sense, Nassib would provide adequate to average production. The bigger concern would be that if more help is needed, how does this figure for Chandler Jones? You also have to keep in mind that Tyree Wilson isn’t 100 percent just yet—he’s still getting his feet wet at the professional level.
In Nassib’s defense, he accumulated four sacks last season when he returned to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. In terms of sacks, and only sacks, Nassib actually outperformed Jones. That’s a bad look, no matter how you try to look at it.
Kyle Van Noy, A Familiar Addition To The “Patriot Way”
Van Noy, who’s familiar with Ziegler and head coach Josh McDaniels, would appear to be a natural fit. The veteran linebacker (and two-time Super Bowl champion) is an instant shot of what the Raiders could be missing on a young defense. More importantly, Van Noy adds immediate credibility to Graham’s run defense; at the same time, he’s also tallied 10 sacks over the last two years.
As Knox added, both Carl Nassib and Kyle Van Noy would come relatively cheap, which would certainly be attractive for Ziegler. They can be had on one-year deals valued from 1.2 million to 1.8 million—thoughts, Raider Nation?
*Top Photo: L.E. Baskow/Las Vegas Review-Journal