NFL: Rebuilding the Oakland Raiders - Blueprint

by Chad Jones

Reggie McKenzie leads the charge to rebuild the Oakland Raiders. Photo credit NFL

Reggie McKenzie enters year two as General Manager, a pivotal season for the future of the Franchise. Looking at the players cut this offseason, what remains is a roster of unknown commodities. No players were protected, it was a methodical process that took into account performance in correlation to compensation. Overpaid veterans were released (Tommy Kelly & Richard Seymour) and former top draft picks were kicked to the curb (Darrius Heyward-Bey, Rolando McClain & Michael Huff).

All five players were overpaid relative to performance. Salary cap wise, 5 of the largest 7 2013 figures will be dead money from Cuts. It's a complete overhaul that consists of drafting, developing and retaining core players. Herein lies the process of the Raiders contending for AFC West Titles in the seasons forthcoming.

Realistically, how many football games were the players released going to help the team win in 2013? The more difficult losses came in free agency, where Mike Goodson, Brandon Myers, Desmond Bryant and Philip Wheeler signed elsewhere. The latter two were tough to bear, but overpaying did not make sense. The next contention window will ideally open in 2014 or 2015, and all decisions must be made with that in mind.

Veteran FA signings were unspectacular, with the loan multi-year deals signed to revamp the linebacking corps. The other veteran signings were stopgap players, who could warrant long-term commitments if they exceed expectations this season.

With Desmond Bryant signing with Cleveland, the team added two young Defensive Tackles to fill the void. Both are young and intriguing players. Overhauling an underperforming secondary, Mike Jenkins and Tracy Porter bring an influx of talent. But reverting to a previous concept, the true rebuilding process will be through the draft.

Al Davis' win now attitude put the Franchise in dire straits following his death. In 2012, the first pick was a Compensatory selection in Round 3. Not having a complete haul of selections in 2013, Reggie found a trade suitor and slid down the board.

Looking at the draft selections, you've got to be excited about the class as a whole. D.J. Hayden is an immediate starter at Corner. Menelik Watson should be effectively molded into a major upgrade over Khalif Barnes by new offensive line coach Tony Sparano. 3rd rounder Sio Moore is an intriguing versatile pass rusher.. In Round 4, the team added competition at Quarterback. While Tyler Wilson may not be the proverbial 'Franchise Quarterback', he's a talented player that warrants a close look.

In the latter stages of the draft, two tight ends were selected, one of which should eventually become a starter. Add UCF RB Latavius Murray, who was one of the most gifted backs in the class. The draft added 10 players who will be Raiders for the next 4 seasons at affordable rates.

The next major decisions McKenzie will have relate to the 2014 UFA group.

Priorities must be Jared Veldheer followed by LeMarr Houston. Both players will be 27 during the 2014 season. In the preceding decade of draft blunders, these two are successes. Veldheer came from little-known Hillsdale College, and has developed into an upper echelon left tackle. Houston arrived in the same draft, and has become a versatile Defensive Linemen that could take his game to the next level.

The remainder of the UFAs should only be considered on 1 year deals, or at marginal money. Depending on how McKenzie values the Kicker position, Sebastian could be retained for the duration of his career. But again, we'll revert to the previous point- use discretion. Assess the market, don't extend beyond market rates, and seek to broker long term extensions prior to Free Agency.

The wildcard is Darren McFadden, who should be more productive in the return to man blocking in 2013. With a strong year, fan consensus will be- Resign D-Mac. In a pass first league, McKenzie should exercise caution with the oft-injured McFadden.

If he can be retained on a 3-4 year deal similar to the one Reggie Bush signed this offseason, it's worth considering. Back to the point of discretion, McKenzie cannot overpay to retain players. It has ramifications down the line, as evidenced by Tommy Kelly and many other contracts.

Conclusions:

The rebuilding process was long overdue. Under Al Davis' leadership, it was never going to materialize. Now, the Raiders are on a sustainable path to success. Beginning to view draft picks as Gold, McKenzie will have additional resources via compensatory selections  next year. Accept reality that in 2013 the Raiders aren't winning the AFC West. What Reggie McKenzie should be looking for is the next window of opportunity, which gradually opens as Peyton Manning's career winds down, and the Raiders have been rebuilt from the ground up.