NFL teams are lining up to overpay above-average players, with a few stars thrown in, during the tampering period. However, the Las Vegas Raiders are sticking to their vision—whatever that may be. Besides the Geno Smith trade and retaining Maxx Crosby, Raider Nation anxiously awaits more news.
While some key players such as Robert Spillane and Tre’Von Moehrig have signed elsewhere, there are still plenty of options available. For the sake of this post, considering there are a lot of former Raiders the team would like to retain, we will only be looking at players outside of the organization. Let’s dive right in.
Raiders Target No. 1: Rico Dowdle, RB
Can we still consider Rico Dowdle a player who is often overlooked? In 2024, the former Dallas Cowboy made a significant impact with a career-high 1,328 scrimmage yards and five touchdowns. During his first three years in the league, Dowdle didn’t play much, but when injuries allowed him to play in 2024, he took full advantage.
Despite his breakout year last season, Dowdle’s market value doesn’t seem to be too high. With that in mind, he could be an excellent candidate for the Raiders this offseason. Las Vegas has a sizeable hole at the position, and there doesn’t seem to be a clear lead-back candidate in free agency.
However, the draft does have some exciting prospects at the position. With that in mind, one route Las Vegas could take is to sign Dowdle to a short contract and draft a running back to pair alongside him. At the least, Dowdle proved he could be a playmaker in 2024. He won’t be too expensive and is one free agent the Raiders should add to their offense.
Raiders Target No. 2: Kevin King, CB
One position the Raiders must address in free agency is cornerback, and really the secondary as a whole. Players like Moehrig Nate Hobbs are gone; meanwhile, Marcus Epps is unsigned as of this publication. With that in mind, Kevin King might be the perfect player the Raiders can bring in.
King had a solid, underrated season for the Atlanta Falcons last year. Pro Football Focus gave him an impressive 81.7 overall grade in 2024, the seventh-highest at his position. As one might expect from a cornerback, his 79.3 coverage grade, ranking 12th at the position, primarily reinforced this.
Also beneficial in a potential King signing is the fact that he’d come cheap. King’s cost wouldn’t be prohibitive, yet he could contribute significantly to the Raiders secondary. That’s a unit that could be hit hard in terms of depth this week, so King would be an excellent player to bring in in that regard.
*Top Photo: Getty Images
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