Raiders narrow their needs, but work still needs to be done

The Raiders completed a significant amount of their offseason work over the first four days of free agency.

In the process, they added depth, production and upside along the defensive line, filled the void left by the departure of wide receiver Nelson Agholor and added a dynamic weapon to the offensive backfield.

Doing so narrowed their high-alert needs to a much more manageable few rather than the many they had merely a week ago. Of immediate importance is right tackle, free safety and perhaps a veteran cornerback.

As far as the secondary, the Raiders on Saturday brought back cornerback Nevin Lawson on a one-year contract. He played 737 snaps last season and provides reliability as a rotational corner and spot starter, if necessary.

The move doesn’t preclude them from adding more corners through free agency and the draft. He will have to earn a job in training camp to hold onto his roster spot.

As of Saturday, the Raiders have roughly $1.8 million to spend under the cap. But that can easily expand to $18 million with some roster moves. Quarterback Marcus Mariota, who carries a $10.7 million salary, is a candidate to be cut. And given the recent moves at defensive line and running back, defensive end Arden Key ($2.18 million) and running back Jalen Richard ($3.5 million) are cap casualty candidates as well.

The Raiders walk a bit of a fine line at corner after investing a second-round pick in 2019 on Trayvon Mullen and a first-round pick in 2020 on Damon Arnette. Arnette battled a wrist injury and concussions while playing just nine games last year, and it’s incumbent the Raiders get him on the field in 2021 to expedite his development and, frankly, their assessment of him.

The need to get returns on their investment in Mullen and Arnette likely means anyone they bring in via free agency figures to be in conjunction with their two young corners rather than in lieu of them.

That said, former first-round pick Adoree Jackson is on the open market and could add depth and be a potential replacement for Lamarcus Joyner as the slot corner. Amik Robertson, who the Raiders drafted in the fourth round last year, will get every chance to win the slot corner job. But the Raiders can’t assume he is capable of handling it. Expect competition to be added.

The free safety group is dwindling in free agency after former Vikings standout Anthony Harris agreed to terms with the Philadelphia Eagles. Kareem Jackson, the 11-year veteran who played the last two seasons with the Broncos, remains unsigned and a possibility. As do free agents Duron Harmon of the Lions, Malik Hooker of the Colts and Tre Boston of the Panthers.

New defensive coordinator Gus Bradley has shown he is not hesitant to start rookies at safety, and an intriguing draft class offers plug-in starter options in TCU’s Trevon Moehrig and Central Florida’s Richie Grant. One or both could still be on the board with the Raiders’ second-round pick at No. 48.

At tackle, former Kansas City Chiefs standout Mitchell Schwartz is still available, although the back injury he suffered last year casts doubt on his health and as his “welcome to Kansas City” tweet to new Chiefs guard Kyle Long indicted, a reunion in Kansas City might be in the works.

The Raiders aren’t inclined to make a desperate grab at tackle knowing the draft depth at the position could yield a starter.

Among the potential first and second-round options are USC’s Alijah Vera-Tucker, Virginia Tech’s Christian Darrisaw, Oklahoma State’s Teven Jenkins and Notre Dame’s Liam Eichenberg.

The draft depth at two key areas of need allows the Raiders to be patient in how they allocate their remaining cap space, but the sense is at least one more significant move is coming.

Contact Vincent Bonsignore at vbonsignore@reviewjournal.com. Follow @VinnyBonsignore on Twitter.