Ndamukong Suh, DeMarco Murray and Randall Cobb were among the big fish the Oakland Raiders tried and failed to land in free agency. Even a truckload of cash as bait couldn’t change the fact that general manager Reggie McKenzie was still fishing with a twig and dental floss.
Quietly, McKenzie did reel in a stream of upgrades early in free agency, which cumulatively may be enough meat to feed a roster hungry for talent. It’s about the best he could do in an environment that scares away the few free agents worth dipping into long-term reserves to catch.
Unlike last year, McKenzie ...
With the production of the film Moneyball back in 2011, Oakland A's general manager Billy Beane became a nationally known figure.
Since that outstanding movie's release, the A's have been even more successful and Beane has been even more daring.
The Athletics have made the playoffs in each of the past three seasons—two American League West titles and one Wild Card Game appearance—which is the most consecutive postseason appearances under Beane.
Even though they have failed to advance to the next round in any of those years, it's hard to argue with that kind of success in a frugal environment like Oakland.
Not only ...
After the first week of free agency, all of the top free agents have already found a new home. The Oakland Raiders made their share of moves, but that doesn't mean the team doesn't still have important roster spots to fill.
Fortunately, the fact that the biggest free agents are gone doesn't mean that there are no good options available. And for a team like Oakland that's still short on overall talent and has plenty of cap space, now is a great time to further improve the roster.
The first week of free agency is for addressing the team's biggest needs. Now, ...
The first week of free agency brought some much-needed changes for the Oakland Raiders.
The significance of the upgrades are debatable, but general manager Reggie McKenzie signed some solid free agents who will likely start in the 2015 season.
The NFL calendar has just started a new year, and there will be more changes to come for the Raiders. For now, here is a current look at the starting lineup with notable expected changes for the Silver and Black.Begin Slideshow
With more than $60 million to spend, the Oakland Raiders were expected to make a big splash in free agency. Instead, what general manager Reggie McKenzie has done so far has been far from what everyone hoped for or anticipated.
That doesn't mean McKenzie hasn't done a good job. He's addressed several major needs. He's also made two things clear: He's trying to rebuild the roster from the inside out, and he will not get caught up in bidding wars for big names, regardless of the player.
The new additions to the roster have also clarified what the Raiders' plans will be ...
The Oakland Raiders aren’t having a flashy start to free agency, but they’ve already managed to add eight new players to the roster. While general manger Reggie McKenzie failed to land a game-changing talent like defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh, he did focus on rebuilding the heart of his defense.
Among the Raiders’ first signings was defensive tackle Dan Williams, formerly of the Arizona Cardinals, who will be the anchor of new head coach Jack Del Rio’s defensive line. Williams will quite literally be the centerpiece of a defense that desperately needs to improve in 2015.
Many believed defensive tackle Terrance Knighton would ...
General manager Reggie McKenzie and Oakland Raiders’ brass have significantly upgraded the roster through the first wave of free agency, but they still have work to do.
The Raiders didn’t land any big names to satisfy some of the casual fans, but if you pay close attention to their signings, it’s clear the lesser names were inked at a good value with the opportunity to make a substantial impact on the 2015 season.
You can view a listing of all the official signings updated daily via Bleacher Report.
What areas have the Raiders missed thus far? Primarily at wide receiver, defensive end and guard.
Quarterback ...
Spring is the perfect time for young, inexperienced players to take that next step forward into one of the game's elites. With the importance of the games, and thus the pressure on the players, decreased compared to that of the regular season, it is a time for youth prospects to thrive.
One such prospect in the early stages of spring training this year has been Oakland Athletics shortstop Marcus Semien.
After spending time with the Chicago White Sox, Semien was sent to Oakland as part of the Jeff Samardzija deal and wasn’t seen as anything special in his limited time in the ...
Nate Allen is no longer a free agent, as the veteran safety signed with the Oakland Raiders Thursday.ESPN's Adam Schefter reported the news, which the team confirmed on Twitter. Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun broke down the financial details: Allen spent the last five seasons in Philadelphia. A former second-round pick by the Eagles in 2010, he had his share of struggles with the team. He did have a career-high four interceptions and three fumble recoveries in 2014. The advanced numbers suggest that Allen is starting to find himself. Thomas Maney of Pro Football Focus had the 27-year-old as the sixth-best ...
The Oakland Raiders have reportedly agreed to terms with free-agent linebacker Curtis Lofton on a three-year contract. Financial details weren't immediately released.Michael C. Wright of ESPN broke the news:ESPN's Josina Anderson received confirmation from Lofton and provided the contract length:According to ESPN's Field Yates, the contract has a maximum value of $18 million with $10 million guaranteed. Lofton spent the first four years of his career with the Atlanta Falcons before moving to the division rival New Orleans Saints for the past three. He's tallied 885 tackles, 11 forced fumbles, seven sacks and three interceptions in 112 career games.The ...