2021 Free Agency

[MrOaktown_56]

48 minutes ago, jimkelly02 said:

I definitely think the Alumni connection is real.

 I just am not absolutely sold on JJ3 as a single high safety.  He’s better attacking towards the LOS, not turning and running.  He makes way more plays coming forward... in that zone right after the LBs.  I’m not saying he’s incapable of playing single high FS.... I question if he’s worth a large contract to play FS in a scheme that might not to his best skill set.

In a sense, I think he is an excellent interchangeable safety. Marcus Wililams is great too. But I don't think we're exclusively playing cover 3 where the free safety has to be super super rangy. 

Johnson is smart, can force turnovers, tackle, and prevent big plays. He's not Jessie Bates or Justin Simmons in that role. But he can do the job well enough.

[Rich7sena]

I'm really curious what the Raiders do at receiver. On one hand, I think there is an impetus to allow Ruggs and Edwards to run away with key roles, but I would definitely want some insurance just in case one or neither are ready to be reliable down-to-down options. I would really like a reliable veteran option on a one or two year deal.

[jimkelly02]

24 minutes ago, MrOaktown_56 said:

In a sense, I think he is an excellent interchangeable safety. Marcus Wililams is great too. But I don't think we're exclusively playing cover 3 where the free safety has to be super super rangy. 

Johnson is smart, can force turnovers, tackle, and prevent big plays. He's not Jessie Bates or Justin Simmons in that role. But he can do the job well enough.

Yeah I see him as a very good interchangeable safety who can play single high on occasion but if placed solely in a single high role he isn’t going to succeed to the level he did with LAR.  
Obviously I’m not against signing JJ3 and I’m not saying he’s incapable of playing a great deal of Single High FS.... I’m just not sold on it.  It’s the difference of questioning something versus believing something to be not true.  I think you understand by position, im clarifying for other posters really.

What sources have you seen that make you believe we’re not playing exclusively cover 3..... well obviously no one plays cover 3 all the time of even 90% of the time.... so my question is what percentage of the time do you think we play cover 3? And the other times what would we be playing?

[jimkelly02]

While we can debate which specific players we should do after until we’re blue in the face .... I think this offseason’s success comes down to 3 key factors:

1) the decision to cut players on the team that are over paid and underperforming and then take that cap space and having the ability to sign 1-2 Premier FAs and 1-2 second tier FAs.  We need to close deals on guys like Byron Jones and not settle for overpaying guys like Nassib and Collins.  In order to sign these top FAs we need to go towards the standard FA contract that includes a SB and low first year cap hit.  You can sign top FAs and have low year 1 cap hits and yet not structure the deals In such a way that threatens future years.  Teams do it every single year.

2) The ability to fill in the majority of the starting positions on offense and defense PRIOR to the draft.... this means finding value, low cost FA players.  We should be going into the draft with MAX 2 starting roles to fill, so we can use rounds 3-7 to bolster depth and overall talent.  This allows us to go Truely BPA.  AND after FA we need to find some value FA players for depth.  You can’t build a roster paying guys like Nassib 8+M or even Richard (RB3) and Heath (S3/4) 3M+.  You need to be filing these roles with equal or better players who are coming in on Near minimum deals.  There are always good value signings out there, we just need to make them.  And not I’m not talking only Veteran minimum deals.  You can sign good players for 2-3M and expect them To start and be effective.  With the cap dropping there should be more potential for value signings then ever because more players will be cut.

3) Trading down in the draft and hitting on our preferred prospects at draft spots as low as possible.  Last year we should have traded down to take Arnette and acquired the picks to at would have allowed us to trade up in the third and draft someone like Jeremy Chinn instead of Muse.  You have to realize during the draft when the talent level is going to start to drop off and position yourself to move up or down accordingly.

[jimkelly02]

29 minutes ago, Rich7sena said:

I'm really curious what the Raiders do at receiver. On one hand, I think there is an impetus to allow Ruggs and Edwards to run away with key roles, but I would definitely want some insurance just in case one or neither are ready to be reliable down-to-down options. I would really like a reliable veteran option on a one or two year deal.

I’m definitely curious as to who we’ll have as the 3rd outside WR alongside Ruggs and Edwards.  I hope we can retain Agholor for something like 2y, 16M.  I prefer Agholor because of his speed and the fact that if Edwards steps Up Agholor could be used in the slot Very effectively and offers a great compliment to Renfrows skillset.  

but I’m also curious as to how we’ll round out the WR group.  Besides the 3rd outside we’ll have 2 WR spots open.  I think we’ll draft one and sign one on a near minimum deal.  I think we need another big WR to compliment Edwards and someone who can be a RedZone threat.  Ideally it’s a 6’3-6’4 210+ WR.  I also wouldn’t mind trying to sign John Ross for cheap.  I think At the right price and used correctly he could be successful reclamation project.

[Rich7sena]

44 minutes ago, jimkelly02 said:

I’m definitely curious as to who we’ll have as the 3rd outside WR alongside Ruggs and Edwards.  I hope we can retain Agholor for something like 2y, 16M.  I prefer Agholor because of his speed and the fact that if Edwards steps Up Agholor could be used in the slot Very effectively and offers a great compliment to Renfrows skillset.  

but I’m also curious as to how we’ll round out the WR group.  Besides the 3rd outside we’ll have 2 WR spots open.  I think we’ll draft one and sign one on a near minimum deal.  I think we need another big WR to compliment Edwards and someone who can be a RedZone threat.  Ideally it’s a 6’3-6’4 210+ WR.  I also wouldn’t mind trying to sign John Ross for cheap.  I think At the right price and used correctly he could be successful reclamation project.

I wouldn't mind T.Y. Hilton.

[oakdb36]

5 hours ago, Rich7sena said:

I'm really curious what the Raiders do at receiver. On one hand, I think there is an impetus to allow Ruggs and Edwards to run away with key roles, but I would definitely want some insurance just in case one or neither are ready to be reliable down-to-down options. I would really like a reliable veteran option on a one or two year deal.

I think another bargain is more likely than the big names we've already discussed. I wouldn't mind Kendrick Bourne.

[Rolni]

5 hours ago, Rich7sena said:

I'm really curious what the Raiders do at receiver. On one hand, I think there is an impetus to allow Ruggs and Edwards to run away with key roles, but I would definitely want some insurance just in case one or neither are ready to be reliable down-to-down options. I would really like a reliable veteran option on a one or two year deal.

With this cap situation I think we should be able to get a solid veteran at WR if we want to. I personally want to see Gruden&Co. coach up Ruggs, Edwards and let them play a lot alongside Renfrow and obviously Waller. 

I want Moreau to have a big role, so I would play lots of double TE sets and also would use Waller as a WR/weapon with Moreau as the TE.

 

[OnlyGlove]

I think we'll get one Vet WR in just as it's a young room. Prove it year just so they can get some tape put and do a Nelly.

 

Keelan Cole, Rashard Higgins, Dede Westbrook, Willie Snead, David Moore and Kenny Stills are one's that jump out and could be had for the cheap.

But the is some really good options out there. I'd love a Curtis Samuel if we are going to get a more expensive guy. Play a Debo Samuel role on the offense. 

[roi34]

9 hours ago, Rich7sena said:

I wouldn't mind T.Y. Hilton.

meh, I honestly think he is smaller Nellie at this point who may not even be as fast now.

 

Golladay offers more than a lot on the market albeit at bigger price. but has speed and size. or Will Fuller 

Edited March 4, 2021 by roi34

[OnlyGlove]

4 minutes ago, roi34 said:

meh, I honestly think he is smaller Nellie at this point who may not even be as fast now.

 

Golladay offers more than a lot on the market albeit at bigger price. but has speed and size. or Will Fuller 

 

You want to spend $15m+ on a WR ?

[roi34]

5 minutes ago, OnlyGlove said:

 

You want to spend $15m+ on a WR ?

depends on price. I'd rather just bring Nellie back and draft WR in 4th/5th after filling other needs. edwards ruggs nellie and Renfrow is fine because we have Waller. I wanted ceedee because he was a better combo of route and speed but ruggs opens up field.

[Rich7sena]

I really want to see Bryan Edwards have a chance at a big role. I really like him as a prospect, and I think he's the perfect type of receiver for Carr. I would want to spend well under $10 million per year on a receiver on a one or two year deal as insurance. I was originally excited about the prospect of adding a top-level receiver this free agency but I'm reversing on that.

I like Hilton because he'll probably be cheaper than Agholor, and he's potentially a much better player. I am not sure what happened in 2020, but he did have a good game against the Raiders. Also, he gives the Raiders another deep threat in the event Ruggs gets injured. As we saw last season, having two vertical threats really opens things up in Gruden's offense.

[dante9876]

11 hours ago, jimkelly02 said:

While we can debate which specific players we should do after until we’re blue in the face .... I think this offseason’s success comes down to 3 key factors:

1) the decision to cut players on the team that are over paid and underperforming and then take that cap space and having the ability to sign 1-2 Premier FAs and 1-2 second tier FAs.  We need to close deals on guys like Byron Jones and not settle for overpaying guys like Nassib and Collins.  In order to sign these top FAs we need to go towards the standard FA contract that includes a SB and low first year cap hit.  You can sign top FAs and have low year 1 cap hits and yet not structure the deals In such a way that threatens future years.  Teams do it every single year.

2) The ability to fill in the majority of the starting positions on offense and defense PRIOR to the draft.... this means finding value, low cost FA players.  We should be going into the draft with MAX 2 starting roles to fill, so we can use rounds 3-7 to bolster depth and overall talent.  This allows us to go Truely BPA.  AND after FA we need to find some value FA players for depth.  You can’t build a roster paying guys like Nassib 8+M or even Richard (RB3) and Heath (S3/4) 3M+.  You need to be filing these roles with equal or better players who are coming in on Near minimum deals.  There are always good value signings out there, we just need to make them.  And not I’m not talking only Veteran minimum deals.  You can sign good players for 2-3M and expect them To start and be effective.  With the cap dropping there should be more potential for value signings then ever because more players will be cut.

3) Trading down in the draft and hitting on our preferred prospects at draft spots as low as possible.  Last year we should have traded down to take Arnette and acquired the picks to at would have allowed us to trade up in the third and draft someone like Jeremy Chinn instead of Muse.  You have to realize during the draft when the talent level is going to start to drop off and position yourself to move up or down accordingly.

Great points. I really want to see if we going to start giving out real SB to. I have said for years that this was main reason we don't really get tier 1 free agents. People have said culture, stadium and coaches. Well we have upgraded all 3 of those supposedly. It's time to start getting top notch free agents. 

[roi34]

10 minutes ago, Rich7sena said:

I really want to see Bryan Edwards have a chance at a big role. I really like him as a prospect, and I think he's the perfect type of receiver for Carr. I would want to spend well under $10 million per year on a receiver on a one or two year deal as insurance. I was originally excited about the prospect of adding a top-level receiver this free agency but I'm reversing on that.

I like Hilton because he'll probably be cheaper than Agholor, and he's potentially a much better player. I am not sure what happened in 2020, but he did have a good game against the Raiders. Also, he gives the Raiders another deep threat in the event Ruggs gets injured. As we saw last season, having two vertical threats really opens things up in Gruden's offense.

I think they will be similar value and Rather go with the known then unknown. and Nellie knows system already. I see them as 2 mill a year difference