The Oakland Raiders loaded up on defense in the NFL Draft. Drafting defensive end Khalil Mack in the first round set a trend for the remaining rounds as quarterback Derek Carr and offensive guard Gabe Jackson represented the only offensive players the team took. That is great considering the Raiders have a defense filled with veterans, but the lack of attention towards offensive weapons has general manager Reggie McKenzie still eyeing some options.
The Raiders acquired Matt Schaub prior to the draft before getting rookie quarterback Derek Carr in the second round to develop for the future. Neither quarterback will be successful if the Raiders do not give them weapons to work with. The ground game already inspires very little confidence. Darren McFadden cannot be trusted and likely will not play the entire season. Maurice Jones-Drew is on the wrong end of the age scale and coming off one of his worst seasons. The wide receivers are not exactly home runs either.
The Raiders opted to pass on moving up for Sammy Watkins. They passed on Mike Evans and Odell Beckham Jr, both big red zone targets. They passed on Martavis Bryant twice in the fourth round despite having a raw talent that scouts were considering a steal for any team. McKenzie admits that he would have liked to have gotten a receiver at some point, but things just did not work out.
"I would have liked to have had a receiver, I would have," McKenzie said, vi SFGate.com. "But it just didn't fall that way."
So Raiders still need another big playmaker to help whichever quarterback starts Week 1. The first thing fans can rule out is a trade of Denarius Moore. The fourth-year wide receiver had been rumored to be on the blocks this offseason after the Raiders had gotten sick of his inconsistencies. SFGate.com goes on to report that the Raiders are not trading the player and will instead hope that a group feature Moore, Rod Streater and newly acquired James Jones will mesh into an elite corps for the offense.
McKenzie is keeping the door open for a free agent before training camp. The options on the market are extremely slim. The team could grab someone like Santonio Holmes who failed to really make an impact in 2013. Miles Austin is unsigned, but will likely still not be healthy after battling hamstring injuries. Danario Alexander is in the same boat after complications with a recent knee surgery.
Earl Bennett is a strong option for the Raiders, but only if he lowers his contract demands. He is only 27, but is not worth the price he is asking for. Bennett could be a solid addition if the Raiders can strike a deal. He is the best available and possibly the only real option for the Raiders.
