Grading the Raiders’ first-week free agents
So far, the Raiders have yet to nab any of the “truly premium” free agents.
So far, the Raiders have yet to nab any of the “truly premium” free agents.
So far, the Raiders have yet to nab any “truly premium” free agents.
Free agency started for the Raiders this season when tackle Jared Veldheer left Oakland for the Arizona desert, and the Raiders were stung by one of the biggest signing failures of recent memory.
Rodger Saffold had agreed to a mega-deal with Oakland before a failed physical nullified the deal and landed him back in St. Louis.
Between Veldheer and Saffold, it’s truly hard to tell who’s better. Veldheer, who signed a five-year deal with the Cardinals worth up to $35 million, was reportedly offered a similar package with the Raiders.
Reports have the overall maximum figure at $30 million, though it may have been the better deal.
For Saffold and new Raiders tackle Austin Howard, the contracts that were offered happened to be front-loaded.
What that means is that the two players’ first year salaries are larger than the second and third year. Saffold would have received $13 million in salary for 2014, and Austin Howard will receive $8 million this season, $5 million as a roster bonus, $2.9 million in salary and a $100,000 workout bonus.
All the information available to SFBay makes it clear that Saffold’s deal did not include a $22 million bonus, rather a $9 million bonus with incentives, and the $13 million base salary for the first year.
After the first two seasons, Howard will not receive any bonus other than the same workout bonus.
Veldheer, who was represented by his brother instead of an experienced sports agent, likely received a similar deal.
Reports from Raiders camp indicate that Veldheer’s brother was “almost impossible to deal with,” essentially putting the kibosh on his future in Oakland.
Instead of accepting the Raiders’ offer, Veldheer took a backloaded deal from the Cardinals. Backloaded deals include less money up front, and escalate towards the end of the deal, often ending with the player being released from the team or taking a pay cut.
Arizona has a whole lot of contracts coming due over the next few years, and Veldheer might fall victim to both the business of football — as well as mixing football business with family.
The pass-rushers the Raiders have signed have been older and near the end of their careers. Having Saffold in the mix for the run-game would have been a huge boost for Oakland, though I understand the displeasure with the price tag.
Austin Howard OT — Five years, $30 million
Howard is only 26 years old, and should only get better over the next few years. His contract, while fairly large, isn’t terrible. Oh, and the Jets’ offensive line only allowed seven sacks all of last year.
Justin Tuck DE — Two years, $11 million
Tuck is a bit older. But that’s not always a bad thing. He has experience, and the 11 sacks he recorded in 2013 say that he’s not yet slowed down. Jared Allen racked up a number of sacks last year. So, why not Tuck this year?
Lamarr Woodley DE/OLB — Two years, $12 million
Woodley is similar to Tuck in age, not in statistical production. That’s fine, though, since he was in coverage for about 50 percent of snaps. The one question mark, is whether Woodley can be effective starting from the three-point-stance. He played 4-3 defensive end in college, but that was a decade ago.
Antonio Smith DT — Two years, $9 million
The first interior pass-rusher signed by Oakland this year was hardly a fugazee. Smith is certified, with 18.5 sacks over the last three seasons and a master of the bull-rush. Oakland appears thin at defensive tackle, though Smith has only missed one game since 2006.
Tarell Brown CB — One year, $3.5 million
Former 49er Brown doesn’t even have to move. Brown has had six interceptions and 39 passes defensed since 2011. National media has the opinion that San Francisco has a weak secondary — they don’t, and Brown was a big part of it.
Follow @SFBay and @JLeskiwNFL on Twitter and at SFBay.ca for full coverage of the Oakland Raiders.
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