September 10, 2012: Raiders owner Mark Davis jokes with general manager Reggie McKenzie before the game on Monday, September 10, 2020 at O.co Coliseum in Oakland, CA. The Chargers defeated the Raiders 22-14.
I want to start this piece off by saying that I’m of the belief the Oakland Raiders will not be big spenders in free agency. As I explored earlier this offseason, after re-signing Derek Carr, the Raiders won’t have a whole lot of money left.  Especially considering the 18 players on their roster who are going to be free agents and many of whom the team will want to re-sign.
That being said, everyone’s dream is that the Silver and Black will attack free agency and bring in names who could be game changers. It may not be very likely that any of these guys get signed but it’s fun to dream and these are three players who would make a pretty big impact for the Raiders right away.
So let’s take a look at who we have:
Calais Campbell
This one might be the most far fetched of the three names. Campbell is still a pretty big name who will likely require a pretty big contract. I don’t think it’s very likely at all that the Raiders would land him, but if they do go after big names, I think his is the biggest they could land. Plus, he would make a whole lot of sense for this defense. He’s capable of providing a pass rush from the defensive tackle position on passing downs. Having Campbell come up the middle while Khalil Mack and Bruce Irvin crash the edges would be brutal for opposing quarterbacks.
Dont’a Hightower
Maybe not quite as far fetched as Campbell but Dont’a Hightower is still a very big name in free agency that could easily be priced out of the Raiders target area. However, some injury concerns could drive his price down and if so, he’s a great target for the Raiders. Middle linebacker was a major issue last season and while Perry Riley helped, he’s not the answer. Hightower would fill a major role on a defense that could use a good amount of help. It would also free up draft picks since MLB would be a likely draft target if not addressed in free agency.
Martellus Bennett
Of these three names, Martellus Bennett is the one the Raiders are the most likely to land, even if they aren’t likely to land him. Unless your name is Rob Gronkowski, the tight end position simply doesn’t command huge salaries. That being said, signing Bennett won’t be cheap either. But after trying to find Derek Carr a good tight end using multiple draft picks, it might be time to bring in a talented veteran who would upgrade the position immediately. The team isn’t ready to give up on Clive Walford, but bringing Bennett in on a shorter contract would give Walford time to develop and allow for some pretty fierce two tight end packages.
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I do not feel a tight end is what we should even consider right now…..Walford and Ryvera are just fine Defense Defense Defense