This is not necessarily a shock, but the possible answers at starting running back for the Oakland Raiders are narrowing. It will likely be either incumbent Marshawn Lynch or a player the Raiders draft. The thin free-agent tailback market has evaporated quickly without the Raiders jumping in. Yes, Doug Martin is still out there, and
Raiders running back: Looking more like Lynch or a rookie starter
Cut lynch and sign a damn defensive lineman or a corner please
RM has made those types of payments to QBs and then cut them later. He gave up insane money to QBs early on. RM is spending Mark’s money not his own.
Cut Lynch. Save $7 million. Draft a RB in the second round to replace him.
Ok. The rookie replacement’s price tag is maybe $1.2 million. Maybe he’s better than Lynch; maybe not. Now, you have $5.8 million savings to go out and draft your superstar defensive lineman or corner. Let me know who you come up with.
There was this corner who signed today for maybe $8 million/year with $10 million guaranteed. He was a player who was a good guy, and was to be appreciated for plugging whatever holes he could. And, he seemed to be getting a little better every year. Best of all, he seemed to be able to tackle guys with footballs. But, other than injuries or meltdowns by high paid FA’s, he wasn’t a real starter on a horrible defense.
So, given what this semi-starter on a horrible defense got $10 million guaranteed, exactly what would you do with the $5.8 million you saved by cutting Lynch and handing the job to a rookie?
The semi-starter’s name with the big wad of cash? Carrie. I love guy. It’s just a “follow the numbers” thing.
Here’s the thing: if we all of a sudden start hollering to sign Reggie’s guys, who are vilified for being so terrible, what’s up with that? Can’t have it both ways. If we have bunch of dumb-ass Reggie’s guys we think aren’t worth a nickel, yet someone gives one of Reggies not-really-a-starter $10 million guaranteed, and now we should have matched it?? … that’s kind of a head scratcher to me.
We have to pay them with cap money … whether it’s Reggie’s, Mark’s, or Al’s ghost is irrelevant. It come from the cap. Reggie can’t spend any more or any less. In that sense, it’s not Mark’s money at all. It’s kinda the league’s money. They decide that Mark has to spend it. For all practical purposes, Mark doesn’t decide, nor does Reggie.
This aint easy.
Drafting a RB in the 2nd round is a problem since Raiders should be dedicating top rounds to defensive talent.
Cutting Lynch, as much as I want to advocate for it, just opens another gaping hole in the roster
Good point, which I forgot to mention, about how unreasonable it is to cut Lynch and solve the problem in the draft. Cant’ waste any high picks on offense.
I wouldn’t be mad if they spent all the picks on defense.
Unless it is at the first pick and Quenten Nelson miraculously is there at 10. OL guys, especially tackles, are getting very expensive as FA’s, and often not that good as draftees – all because of playing spread in college, and the collective bargaining agreement REALLY restricts serious practicing. Maybe 15 padded practices in the regular season??
Nelson could make Osemele a tackle … not that I *want* to see him moved. But, it could happen just due to opportunities, or lack thereof.