The 2020 offseason is right around the corner as NFL teams have already begun to make plans for free agency. But before Mike Mayock and Jon Gruden can start to think about which players they may target on the open market, they must decide which of their own players needs to be retained.
Luckily for the Raiders, they don’t have many key contributors that are expected to hit the free-agent market. But there are a few players who need to be brought back.
1. SS Karl Joseph
After selecting Johnathan Abram in the first round of the 2019 draft, many assumed that it signaled the end of Karl Joseph with the Raiders. However, Joseph proved to be a valuable asset to the team once again, creating plays whenever he was on the field.
With the recent struggles of Lamarcus Joyner, the Raiders would be wise to hold onto Joseph. After a disappointing start to his career, Joseph has been phenomenal over the last two seasons, when he’s healthy.
Given his physical nature and ability to play both in the box and as a free safety, Joseph is someone the team would be wise to hold onto as his best football is still likely ahead of him.
2. CB Daryl Worley
Finding starting-caliber cornerbacks in the NFL is hard, especially ones with the size and athleticism of Daryl Worley. Is he perfect? Absolutely not. But does he have value in a league with big receivers and athletic tight ends? Absolutely.
Worley is just 24 years old, with a ton of game experience. It’s reasonable to assume his best football is still ahead of him. If the Raiders can continue to improve their pass rush and their linebacker play, that should only make Worley’s job a lot easier.
It’s also concerning that the Raiders don’t have another proven cornerback on their roster outside of Trayvon Mullen. If nothing else, the Raiders should re-sign Worley as a placeholder until they can find another player who fits with Mullen longterm. If not, the Raiders could be in big trouble at the cornerback position heading into the 2020 season.
3. RB Jalen Richard
The Raiders have their feature back in Josh Jacobs, who has shown that he can carry the offense. However, the Raiders still need someone to complement Jacobs, and nobody does that better than Jalen Richard.
Richard isn’t your typical running back as he does most of his work in the passing game. Over the last three seasons, Richard has caught 131 passes for 1,186 yards as he’s averaged over nine yards per reception. He’s a fantastic passing-down back who doesn’t need a lot of touches to impact a game.
Given his likely low-cost, the Raiders should think long and hard about bringing Richard back. He’s the type of player who can change games given his ability to win in the passing game. Look for several teams to have an interest in Richard in free agency.
