The Las Vegas Raiders have crushed the free agency period. They have found multiple starters, especially on defense, that should be able to have big impacts in 2020. Best of all, they targeted ascending players, such as Maliek Collins and Cory Littleton, whose best football is still ahead of them.
While it appears the Raiders are just about done signing veteran free agents, there are still a few names available that could improve the overall roster for the 2020 season.
So without further ado, here are three players the Raiders should consider signing before the 2020 NFL Draft.
1. RB Devonta Freeman
Outside of receiver, the Raiders don’t have many holes on offense. They will be returning all five starters on the offensive line, including all of their key backups, as well. The receiving corps remains intact, and the team even upgraded the depth at quarterback and tight end.
However, the one position the Raiders could use more depth at is at running back. Josh Jacobs is the team’s workhorse, and he should see well over 300 touches next season if he can play close to 16 games. Jalen Richard signed a new deal with the Raiders, and he will spell Jacobs in the passing game.
But the Raiders could use an every-down backup that could handle a significant workload if Jacobs were to miss time. While they certainly could spend a Day 3 pick on the position, Las Vegas doesn’t have a lot of draft capital after the top-100 selections. Instead, they could look to target a cheap veteran free agent, such as Devonta Freeman.
Freeman just turned 28 years old, but he still has enough left in the tank to function as a No. 2 running back in the NFL. Last season, he touched the ball 243 times for the Falcons in 14 games. With the Raiders, his workload would be far less. He would give Jon Gruden some comfort if his star running back were to miss any time, and the price tag would likely be cheap. Keep an eye on Freeman as a potential signing for the Raiders over the next few weeks.
2. DE Michael Bennett
If the Raiders are looking to sign another former Dallas Cowboy, look no further than Michael Bennett, who was traded midseason from the Patriots. While Bennett played just nine games for the Cowboys, it was clear that he still had a lot of juice left as a pass rusher. He recorded 11 tackles for a loss and four sacks as a part-time player in Rod Marinelli’s defense.
Bennett is no longer a starting defensive end, but he is still one of the better pass-rushers in the NFL. In a part-time role, playing as a defensive tackle for Marinelli, Bennett could have a lot of value for this Raiders’ team. But does he want to continue to play football as he turns 35 in November? That’s a question he might not even be able to answer right now.
3. CB Brandon Carr
It seems likely that the Raiders will select a cornerback in the NFL Draft, but the team could always use depth. Brandon Carr was released by the Ravens this offseason due to cap reasons, but he is still a starting-caliber cornerback who has yet to miss a start in his NFL career.
Carr played as an outside cornerback for the Ravens to start the season in 2019 but eventually moved to strong safety after an injury to Tony Jefferson. He is widely considered one of the best teammates in the entire NFL and would be a great mentor for players like Trayvon Mullen, Eli Apple, and Isaiah Johnson.
Carr would also provide insurance if Mullen or Johnson wasn’t able to make a leap next season, and he already has familiarity with the Raiders’ coaching staff as he was a favorite of Rod Marinelli when he was in Dallas. Carr shouldn’t cost much, but he is still a good CB2 with the flexibility to play multiple positions.
