Hue Jackson confirmed free agent tight end Kevin Boss is working out with the Raiders today.
The Raiders unexpectedly lost Zach Miller to the Seattle Seahawks and need to plug the huge hole Miller leaves.
There is mutual interest and that is always a recipe for a marriage.
ESPN’s John Clayton reports Zach Miller has agreed to terms with the Seattle Seahawks. Adam Schefter confirms the contract is for five years and $34 million with $17 million in guarantees.
That’s nearly $7 million per season of which about 3.4 million will be guaranteed. Al Davis simply couldn’t match the Seahawks offer.
Davis rolled the dice letting a tight end hit free agency and he lost, but as Alex Miglio of Dolphinsblog.com explains, Miller is not as valuable as he seems.
So don’t panic. Kevin Boss has already shown interest in the Raiders and the Raiders can mitigate the loss in a variety of ways. The receivers growth is a big part, they can also use Richard Gordon as a blocking tight end and David Ausberry or Brandon Myers as receiving options. A piece together Zach Miller approach.
It’s a huge blow to the offense, but the development of Marcel Reece and addition of Taiwan Jones may mitigate some of the offensive loss as well.
It’s a business and the Raiders never made Miller a priority in free agency. He felt wanted in Seattle and got more than the Raiders were willing or able to spend.
Kamerion Wimbley’s cap figure is now more manageable. He agrees on a five-year, $48 million deal which includes $29 million in guarantees.
The signing was brought about somewhat urgently by Zach Miller’s visit to Seattle and former coach Tom Cable.
With Wimbley signed, the Raiders should have enough flexibly to sway Miller and bring in an offensive lineman.
If Miller chooses to sign in Seattle, the Raiders could bring in Kevin Boss.
If the Raiders are serious about fixing the offensive line, they should return the favor and sign Sean Locklear.
Another option would be longtime divisional foe Brian Waters.
Lofa Tatupu is in for a visit. He’s a good player with injury problems. It’s difficult to figure out how he would fit in the Raiders 4-3 defense and may foreshadow the Raiders usage of the 3-4 more this season.
Tatupu, like Gaither, will need to check out medically. He also has a planned visit to Washington, which wouldn’t mean much if the Raiders wanted to extend an offer.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Michael Huff agreed to terms with the Raiders.
Was Tyvon Branch not a fit at free safety or was it Michael Mitchell not ready to be the starter on the strong side?
The Raiders 2010 secondary remains intact less Nnamdi Asomugha. The Raiders went 1-1 without Asomugha in 2010.
The secondary should continue to be strong in 2011 with the additions of rookies Demarcus Van Dyke and Chimdi Chekwa at cornerback.
Huff’s versatility is perhaps his best trait as he can also help out at cornerback when needed.
Next up, Zach Miller, but he must wait for Kamerion Wimbley to sign his long-term extension.
The Raiders took the field for the first time in 2011. Missing were key free agents Nnamdi Asomugha, Zach Miller and Michael Huff and restricted free agents Michael Bush and Marcel Reece. Missing also were the slow tempo learning-intensive practices deployed by Hue Jackson’s predecessor Tom Cable.
Training Camp Report
Hue Jackson is taking a different approach. Jackson’s practice was high tempo and he wants it even faster.
With practices shortened an an abbreviated offseason, Jackson must install the playbook in significantly less time. Higher tempo means more learning in less amount of time. It’s simple, the Raiders should have high tempo practices to get as much done as possible before the season.
Stefen Wisniewski probably had the most interesting media session when he mentioned the new playbook. He mentioned how the Raiders are going to use a lot of misdirection and motion to utilize the Raiders excellent offensive speed. It’s something worth keeping your eye on.
-John Henderson left practice with an injury.
-Bruce Campbell, Darrius Heyward-Bey, & Trevor Scott are on the PUP list with injuries. Heyward-Bey should return soon.
Free Agency
Teams can begin signing free agents at 3 p.m. tomorrow and the Raiders have needs to address. When asked what his team weaknesses were Hue Jackson only mentioned the offensive line. Look for the Raiders to add offensive lineman tomorrow.
The Raiders have been silent so far and are taking a conservative approach to free agency. This is usually a good idea, but in this case the Raiders cap situation may be the major hindrance.
Kamerion Wimbley’s franchise tag number needs to be reduced, to do so the Raiders will need to sign him to an extension. The Raiders will probably redo a few deals in the next few days and potentially make a few cuts.
Reports of Cooper Carlisle and Chris Johnson proved untrue when they took the field today.
Asomugha’s suitors are seemingly down to three: The Jets, 49ers and the Raiders. Don’t be surprised if mystery team emerges as the favorites for Asomugha’s services tomorrow.
The market for Zach Miller has been unusually cool and he’s likely just waiting until the Raiders put their financial house in order to sign. There is an excellent chance he re-signs with the Raiders.
Market seems to be cool on Michael Huff as well. It will be interesting to see who signs him. At an affordable price I am sure the Raiders will be interested.
Michael Bush and Marcel Reece must wait until tomorrow to sign, but they will be in camp.