T-post Tom
01-10-2020, 02:47 PM
https://theathletic.com/1523606/2020/01/10/raiders-free-agent-shopping-list-chris-jones-and-other-impact-players-worth-a-long-look?source=shared-article
When Mike Mayock first moved into his office last year, the Raiders general manager had the blinds taken down and dedicated a whole wall to the AFC West. Rosters with magnetic names, depth charts, stats, etc. Coach Jon Gruden, meanwhile, has said many times that he is chasing the Chiefs — who won the division again this season — more so than any other team in the league.
Now, I haven’t been in Mayock’s office (“Hard Knocks” didn’t even get that clearance), but let’s say he had some pictures on that wall, too, of the best Chiefs players, like Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce and Chris Jones.
Mayock takes the picture of Jones down, has someone scan it in for him (Mayock, after all, still carries around large binders of scouting reports) and then puts the defensive tackle’s picture on his laptop as a screensaver.
Welcome to 2020 free agency … which is still two months away, but we are big on primers here.
The Raiders, coming off a 7-9 season, have five draft picks among the first 92 (which we wrote about Wednesday) and they have $69.5 million in salary-cap space. That could go up to $75.75 million when and if they cut linebacker Tahir Whitehead. So, they are loaded for bear, and to steal one of the few cool scouting terms, Jones is a dancing bear.
Here is my 2020 Raiders free-agent shopping list:
Chris Jones, DT, Chiefs, 25
The 6-foot-6, 310-pound interior pass rusher has 31 sacks over the last three seasons and is durable, missing only three games (last year) in the past four seasons. He is also very good against the run and has received a top-8 overall grade from Pro Football Focus each of those years.
He would be a perfect fit for coordinator Paul Guenther’s defense and would turn a solid line into one of the best in the league overnight. Guenther had Geno Atkins with the Bengals, and Jones will likely want more than the four-year, $65 million extension that Atkins got last August.
Would the Chiefs really let him go? Well, Jones held out briefly last summer and there was talk of getting an extension done, but nothing has happened. The Chiefs could give Jones the franchise tag or decide they can allocate that money elsewhere, which would give the Raiders the opportunity to essentially offer Jones a blank check like they did Trent Brown a year ago.
Jones was seventh on Sheil Kapadia’s top-50 ranking of unrestricted free agents, but he would have the most impact for the Raiders — his departure would deliver a baseball bat to the knees of their division rival. (Four of the six ranked above Jones are quarterbacks, one is former Raiders receiver Amari Cooper and the other is defensive end Jadeveon Clowney, who I expect to re-sign with the Seahawks.)
Cory Littleton, LB, Rams, 26
Littleton has five interceptions, 21 passes broken up, 12 tackles for a loss, 5.5 sacks and seven quarterback hits over the past two seasons. The Raiders have not spent much on linebackers the past 10 years and, looking at the results, maybe they should have.
Matt Judon, LB, Ravens, 27
I can’t see the Raiders breaking the bank for a pass rusher after trading away Khalil Mack two years ago. But Judon (or “Doggone Judon,” as Gruden called him after he had three sacks and a forced fumble against the Raiders last year) will be cheaper than the Bucs’ Shaq Barrett and he had 29 combined sacks and quarterback hits after getting more playing time with Baltimore.
Jordan Phillips, DT, Bills, 27
Once upon a time, this coaching staff had big plans for Justin Ellis and gave him an extension. Phillips tips the scales at 341 pounds, moves well (9.5 sacks in 2019), and would give the Raiders defensive line some beef if the whole Chris Jones fantasy fizzles out.
Maliek Collins, DT, Cowboys, 24
Another interior rusher with some wiggle. He has 14.5 sacks and five fumble recoveries over four seasons.
Robert Quinn, DE, Cowboys, 29
The veteran can still get to the quarterback and would be a nice addition to youngsters Maxx Crosby, Clelin Ferrell and Arden Key.
A.J. Green, WR, Bengals, 31
Odds are that Green finishes his career with the Bengals, but you never know. Gruden loves veteran stud receivers and Green is the opposite of the look-at-me diva that Antonio Brown has become.
Mario Addison, LB, Panthers, 32
See Quinn, just add some gray and subtract some green.
Jason Pierre-Paul, DE, Buccaneers, 31
One-time prolific sack artist had the finger issue, and then a neck injury last season. Why not roll the dice before you get to Las Vegas?
(Tie) Tom Brady, QB, Patriots, 42; Drew Brees, QB, Saints, 40; Philip Rivers, QB, Chargers, 38; Teddy Bridgewater, QB, Saints, 27; Marcus Mariota, QB, Titans, 26; Case Keenum, QB, Washington, 31
Yeah, you thirsty Derek Carr-haters knew this was coming. And I know that is only some of you. Carr, at this point, is the quarterback of the Las Vegas Raiders. That could change, and I expect Gruden and Mayock to weigh all options.
Brady and Brees will likely re-sign with their teams, and if they don’t, you have to know that Gruden will be interested. He respects them too much not to be. Same with Rivers, although he might be washed up.
Bridgewater is different. He would require a longer contract and that would mean that the Raiders are breaking up with Carr.
Mariota and Keenum work as guys that the Raiders could bring in as “backups” behind Carr, stressing the quotation marks on them just like the Titans did when they traded for Ryan Tannehill.
Why are there no cornerbacks on this list?
The Raiders are high on Trayvon Mullen, Isaiah Johnson and Keisean Nixon and Lamarcus Joyner is still a nickel corner at this moment, plus they could re-sign Daryl Worley or Nevin Lawson and draft another corner in the middle rounds.
• Meanwhile, the Raiders signed backup guard Denzelle Good to a one-year extension. Good started five games last season.
When Mike Mayock first moved into his office last year, the Raiders general manager had the blinds taken down and dedicated a whole wall to the AFC West. Rosters with magnetic names, depth charts, stats, etc. Coach Jon Gruden, meanwhile, has said many times that he is chasing the Chiefs — who won the division again this season — more so than any other team in the league.
Now, I haven’t been in Mayock’s office (“Hard Knocks” didn’t even get that clearance), but let’s say he had some pictures on that wall, too, of the best Chiefs players, like Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce and Chris Jones.
Mayock takes the picture of Jones down, has someone scan it in for him (Mayock, after all, still carries around large binders of scouting reports) and then puts the defensive tackle’s picture on his laptop as a screensaver.
Welcome to 2020 free agency … which is still two months away, but we are big on primers here.
The Raiders, coming off a 7-9 season, have five draft picks among the first 92 (which we wrote about Wednesday) and they have $69.5 million in salary-cap space. That could go up to $75.75 million when and if they cut linebacker Tahir Whitehead. So, they are loaded for bear, and to steal one of the few cool scouting terms, Jones is a dancing bear.
Here is my 2020 Raiders free-agent shopping list:
Chris Jones, DT, Chiefs, 25
The 6-foot-6, 310-pound interior pass rusher has 31 sacks over the last three seasons and is durable, missing only three games (last year) in the past four seasons. He is also very good against the run and has received a top-8 overall grade from Pro Football Focus each of those years.
He would be a perfect fit for coordinator Paul Guenther’s defense and would turn a solid line into one of the best in the league overnight. Guenther had Geno Atkins with the Bengals, and Jones will likely want more than the four-year, $65 million extension that Atkins got last August.
Would the Chiefs really let him go? Well, Jones held out briefly last summer and there was talk of getting an extension done, but nothing has happened. The Chiefs could give Jones the franchise tag or decide they can allocate that money elsewhere, which would give the Raiders the opportunity to essentially offer Jones a blank check like they did Trent Brown a year ago.
Jones was seventh on Sheil Kapadia’s top-50 ranking of unrestricted free agents, but he would have the most impact for the Raiders — his departure would deliver a baseball bat to the knees of their division rival. (Four of the six ranked above Jones are quarterbacks, one is former Raiders receiver Amari Cooper and the other is defensive end Jadeveon Clowney, who I expect to re-sign with the Seahawks.)
Cory Littleton, LB, Rams, 26
Littleton has five interceptions, 21 passes broken up, 12 tackles for a loss, 5.5 sacks and seven quarterback hits over the past two seasons. The Raiders have not spent much on linebackers the past 10 years and, looking at the results, maybe they should have.
Matt Judon, LB, Ravens, 27
I can’t see the Raiders breaking the bank for a pass rusher after trading away Khalil Mack two years ago. But Judon (or “Doggone Judon,” as Gruden called him after he had three sacks and a forced fumble against the Raiders last year) will be cheaper than the Bucs’ Shaq Barrett and he had 29 combined sacks and quarterback hits after getting more playing time with Baltimore.
Jordan Phillips, DT, Bills, 27
Once upon a time, this coaching staff had big plans for Justin Ellis and gave him an extension. Phillips tips the scales at 341 pounds, moves well (9.5 sacks in 2019), and would give the Raiders defensive line some beef if the whole Chris Jones fantasy fizzles out.
Maliek Collins, DT, Cowboys, 24
Another interior rusher with some wiggle. He has 14.5 sacks and five fumble recoveries over four seasons.
Robert Quinn, DE, Cowboys, 29
The veteran can still get to the quarterback and would be a nice addition to youngsters Maxx Crosby, Clelin Ferrell and Arden Key.
A.J. Green, WR, Bengals, 31
Odds are that Green finishes his career with the Bengals, but you never know. Gruden loves veteran stud receivers and Green is the opposite of the look-at-me diva that Antonio Brown has become.
Mario Addison, LB, Panthers, 32
See Quinn, just add some gray and subtract some green.
Jason Pierre-Paul, DE, Buccaneers, 31
One-time prolific sack artist had the finger issue, and then a neck injury last season. Why not roll the dice before you get to Las Vegas?
(Tie) Tom Brady, QB, Patriots, 42; Drew Brees, QB, Saints, 40; Philip Rivers, QB, Chargers, 38; Teddy Bridgewater, QB, Saints, 27; Marcus Mariota, QB, Titans, 26; Case Keenum, QB, Washington, 31
Yeah, you thirsty Derek Carr-haters knew this was coming. And I know that is only some of you. Carr, at this point, is the quarterback of the Las Vegas Raiders. That could change, and I expect Gruden and Mayock to weigh all options.
Brady and Brees will likely re-sign with their teams, and if they don’t, you have to know that Gruden will be interested. He respects them too much not to be. Same with Rivers, although he might be washed up.
Bridgewater is different. He would require a longer contract and that would mean that the Raiders are breaking up with Carr.
Mariota and Keenum work as guys that the Raiders could bring in as “backups” behind Carr, stressing the quotation marks on them just like the Titans did when they traded for Ryan Tannehill.
Why are there no cornerbacks on this list?
The Raiders are high on Trayvon Mullen, Isaiah Johnson and Keisean Nixon and Lamarcus Joyner is still a nickel corner at this moment, plus they could re-sign Daryl Worley or Nevin Lawson and draft another corner in the middle rounds.
• Meanwhile, the Raiders signed backup guard Denzelle Good to a one-year extension. Good started five games last season.