As soon as the 2020 offseason started, it just seemed inevitable that Maliek Collins would be joining the Las Vegas Raiders. The 24-year old defensive tackle is a favorite of Rod Marinelli, and he brings production and experience to an interior defensive line that desperately needs it.
What is fascinating about this signing is how relatively cheap it is for the Raiders. According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Collins received a one-year deal with the Raiders worth up to $6 million. Considering how young and productive Collins has been in the past, that is quite the value signing for the Raiders.
If Collins performs well, you can bet that the Raiders will make a strong effort to try to retain him. But if he flops or someone like Maurice Hurst emerges instead, this move doesn’t have any long-term impact on the Raiders at all.
Mike Mayock and Jon Gruden continue to take smart, calculated risks in free agency, and they should soon pay off in a big way for the Raiders.
