Raiders created draft flexibility with free-agent activity

The Raiders were one of the most active teams during the first wave of free agency, signing 12 players while addressing needs at linebacker, safety and defensive line. Four of the newcomers are slotted in as starters on a defense that needed an infusion of playmakers across all three levels.

“I think what we’ve been able to do is spread around the money a little bit in free agency to plug some holes, especially on the defensive side of the ball, that needed to be plugged,” Raiders general manager Mike Mayock said. “We’ve done it with guys that are both young and have a consistent amount of playing ability, and a lot of them have been starters.”

As a result, the Raiders have much more flexibility heading into the draft while dealing with more streamlined needs.

“I think what it does is it allows us to go into the draft on the defensive side of the ball and just say, ‘OK, where’s the best football player? Let’s go get him,’ ” Mayock said.

Over the first two days of free agency, the Raiders added two starters at linebacker, former Los Angeles Ram Cory Littleton and former Chicago Bear Nick Kwiatkowski. Both are three-down linebackers able to defend the run and the pass. Kwiatkowski will call the Raiders’ defensive signals.

“Cory Littleton covers as well as anybody in the league,” Mayock said. “We feel like Kwiatkowski will … fit in seamlessly with what we do.”

Mayock also had high praise for newly acquired defensive end Carl Nassib, who, much like second-year defensive ends Clelin Ferrell and Maxx Crosby, is a big, physical player who can add speed off the edge. Nassib will come off the bench, although there could be scenarios on known passing situations in which he and Crosby will play off the edge, with Ferrell moving to the interior alongside new acquisition Maliek Collins.

“Carl Nassib plays just like Ferrell and Crosby,” Mayock said. “He’s 6-foot-6, 275. We’ll get off the box with three long, powerful, tough defensive ends. He’ll fit right in.”

Collins played in Dallas under new defensive line coach Rod Marinelli, who encouraged the Raiders to pursue him. “Rod jumped up on the table in support of what this kid could be,” Mayock said.

While the Raiders targeted specific needs in free agency, they did so with age in mind as well. Aside from veteran tight end Jason Witten, whom the Raiders value as a veteran locker room leader, and former Cowboys safety Jeff Heath, who turns 29 in May, the majority of the Raiders’ free-agent pickups will start the season at 27 or younger.

That includes free safety Damarious Randall, who is slated to start opposite second-year strong safety Johnathan Abram.

Mayock, who worked as a draft analyst for the NFL Network prior to joining the Raiders last year, had Randall as his No. 1 safety coming out of Arizona State in the 2015 draft. He also has cornerback experience, having played that position over his first three seasons with the Green Bay Packers.

“When he came out of college, he had kind of that corner, free safety versatility,” Mayock said. “Day one he’ll be a free safety. He’ll be competing for the opportunity to play with John Abram and those other guys on the back end. We love the fact that he can drop down and cover the slot and man-to-man. But initially, we’d like to see him at free safety. I think that’s his best position.”

Contact Vincent Bonsignore at vbonsignore@reviewjournal.com. Follow @VinnyBonsignore onTwitter.