Raiders: Filling holes on defense could hinge on Mack’s contract
Head coach Jon Gruden said you “don’t need to be a football genius” to identify which areas of their roster the Raiders must address this offseason.
“Obviously, defensively, there are some glaring needs at this time,” Gruden said at the recent NFL combine. “Free agency hasn’t started yet, but our linebacking corps, we’ve got a lot of questions there … looking for an inside pass rusher to step up. Our secondary, we’ve got to clean that up.”
After Gruden named virtually every position on defense except edge rusher, where Khalil Mack roams, the Raiders figure to be active in pursuit of defensive players when the free-agent market opens this week. NFL
teams can start negotiating with agents Monday and begin signing free agents Wednesday, when the new league year begins.
Perhaps no position on Oakland’ roster is more in flux than cornerback. The Raiders have already released David Amerson rather than guarantee his $5.5 million salary. Sean Smith is under contract for next season, but he is another candidate for release as he is on trial for felony assault and battery charges, and his $8.25 million base salary is not guaranteed.
Free agent TJ Carrie has expressed a desire to return. The Raiders, though, are counting on having a healthy Gareon Conley, their first-round pick last year who played in just two games because of a shin injury. General manager Reggie McKenzie said that Conley looked like “a No. 1 corner” in the glimpse the Raiders had of him on the field.
The Raiders could look for a starter in free agency to pair with Conley. They’re reported to have interest in Trumaine Johnson, a 6-foot-2 cover corner from Stockton who likely will be let go by the Rams, who added corners Marcus Peters, Aqib Talib and Sam Shields in the past two weeks.
Patriots cornerback Malcolm Butler, notably benched for the Super Bowl, also will be an unrestricted free agent. The cornerback pool got deeper Friday when the Seahawks released Jeremy Lane.
Such names, though, figure to command significant salaries. And the Raiders, who have some $15.8 million in salary cap space, according to overthecap.com, will be mindful.
The Raiders could clear more cap room by releasing players whose deals are not guaranteed. Those include Smith, rusher Bruce Irvin ($8.25 million), receiver Michael Crabtree ($7.72 million), running back Marshawn Lynch ($6 million) and tight end Jared Cook ($5.68 million).
Gruden and McKenzie have spoken positively about Irvin, Crabtree and Lynch. McKenzie and new defensive coordinator Paul Guenther also have said they’d like to bring back NaVorro Bowman, a steadying presence at middle linebacker last year, though it’s not clear what kind of contract Bowman, who turns 30 in May, will command.
The Raiders also have defensive end Denico Autry, who recorded five sacks in 2017, coming off the books. They reportedly agreed to terms with defensive tackle Justin Ellis on a three-year contract last week, and could also address needs along the defensive line and at linebacker in the draft in April.
McKenzie recently said the Raiders would “like to bring just about all our free agents back. We feel like that was a pretty good group.” He acknowledged, though, that the Raiders have some choices coming up — and one major uncertainty to consider.
The Raiders have made clear their intent to sign Mack, 2016’s NFL Defensive Player of the Year, to a long-term contract extension this offseason. Mack’s current deal expires after the upcoming season — for which he’s scheduled to make $13.85 million — and the Raiders do not intend to let him reach free agency.
That extension will be a significant financial commitment. For comparison, Broncos edge rusher Von Miller signed a reported six-year, $114.5 million deal in 2016, including nearly $70 million in guarantees. Mack figures to be headed for a similar contract, though it could be structured to not significantly affect the cap in 2018.
McKenzie said the Raiders do not intend to rush negotiations with Mack. Until the deal is completed, however, it will hover over the Raiders’ ability to make other moves.
“You can say it weighs on it,” McKenzie said. “It’s not a minimum contract. So we’re going to have to figure out what we can do if we can’t get it worked out. We have to spend the money elsewhere.”