As we inch closer to the start of the 2019 league year, the Raiders are actively getting their books in order and are prepping for free agency. According to OverTheCap.com, the Raiders are projected to have more than $71 million in cap space this season.
While that should be more than enough space for the Raiders this offseason to acquire a few “big-name” free agents, it’s never a bad idea to trim some of the fat off of the roster to save some cap space. That is especially true if a player isn’t a starting-caliber player.
Today, we are looking at three potential cap casualties for the Raiders ahead of the new league year. Together, these three players that are listed below could save the Raiders more than $15 million if released, while only totaling $1.75 million in dead money.
Without further ado, let’s take a look at three potential cuts by the Raiders ahead of the 2019 offseason:
QB A.J. McCarron
Potential Savings: $5 million
Before the start of the 2018 season, the Raiders traded a 2019 fifth-round pick for A.J. McCarron to be Derek Carr’s backup quarterback. At the time of the trade, that felt expensive as McCarron was likely to be released by the Bills.
McCarron played in just two games for the Raiders in 2018, completing only one pass for eight yards. Heading into the 2019 season, Oakland now has a decision to make regarding their backup quarterback.
According to OverTheCap.com, McCarron has a cap number of $5 million this season. If he is released before the fifth day of the league year, the team can save that entire amount against the cap without taking on any dead money.
Is McCarron good enough to warrant a roster spot and that big of a cap hit? His career suggests no. If the Raiders do decide to let go of the former Alabama and Bengals quarterback, the team would need to find a backup in free agency. They should be able to do that at a much lower price. This one seems like a no-brainer.
WR Seth Roberts
Potential Savings: $4.65 million
As we have discussed multiple times here at the Raiders Wire, the team is in desperate need of a total rebuild of the wide receiver corps. It needs an influx of youth and speed as the current group is older and their ceiling is limited.
One player that could be reasonably easy to replace is slot receiver, Seth Roberts. Despite signing a two-year contract extension in 2017 worth more than $10 million, Roberts has never had a season of at least 500 receiving yards. For his career, he’s averaged just 11.6 yards per reception and just doesn’t offer much explosiveness to the roster.
Per OverTheCap.com, the Raiders could move on from Roberts and save $4.65 million against the cap without any dead money on their books. Considering just how replaceable slot receivers are in today’s NFL, Roberts isn’t worth his current salary. Expect the Raiders to select multiple receivers in the 2019 NFL Draft.
RT Donald Penn
Potential Savings: $5.5 million
Of the three players listed, right tackle Donald Penn would be the toughest to release. When he is healthy, he is one of the best tackles in the NFL. Penn joined the Raiders in 2014 and has since started 66 games for Oakland at both left and right tackle.
However, it’s fair to wonder if Father Time is starting to catch up with Penn. He missed most of last season as he dealt with a foot injury and he turns 36 in April. While he is clearly better than replacement Brandon Parker, it does appear that the team wants their 2018 third-round pick to win the job this season.
If the Raiders did decide to move on from Penn, they would save nearly $5.5 million against the cap, according to OverTheCap.com. In 2018, Penn took a $5.75 million pay cut to remain with the team, so cutting him might not be something the Raiders want to do at this time considering his commitment to the team.
However, if they feel like Penn will never be a starting tackle again, it might be time to cut the cord loose on one of the best tackles of this decade.
