The Oakland Raiders are coming into the NFL draft with a top five pick and names like Amari Cooper, Kevin White, Dante Fowler and Marcus Mariota have come up as potential targets and this comes as the team may also look at Michael Crabtree, Greg Jennings and Hakeem Nicks on the free agent market for quarterback Derek Carr.
The Raiders have been an active team this offseason and they have signed Roy Helu, Trent Richardson, Curtis Lofton and Malcolm Smith. The Raiders had only three wins in 2014 and they have a new head coach coming in with Jack Del Rio getting hired. Owner Mark Davis is hoping for some stability and Del Rio comes in after running the defense for the Denver Broncos. Bill Williamson at ESPN writes that Cooper is likely the top target for the Raiders if they draft a wide receiver.
Cooper and Kevin White are considered to be the top two wide receivers in the draft and the Raiders have a need at the position. James Jones was solid last year after signing in free agency, but the team needs depth and playmakers for Carr as he comes back for year two. The Jaguars could look at Cooper at number three, but if the team opts for another player, most mock drafts have Cooper going to Oakland.
According to ESPN.com, the team is meeting with free agent Michael Crabtree this week and the two sides could have mutual interest in a deal. Williamson writes that Crabtree and the Raiders may "need" each other, as he is considered to be the top wideout left on the market and the team has a need at the position. The Raiders came into the offseason with a ton of cap space and they missed out on signing players like Jeremy Maclin and Randall Cobb on the market.
Crabtree met with the Dolphins already this offseason and he also has had some interest from the Washington Redskins and the San Francisco 49ers. Crabtree said that he would be willing to wait as long as he had to for the right deal and that could mean one with Oakland or another team. According to Pro Football Talk, Crabtree and the Dolphins talked about a deal and the team offered "close to $3 million" to the receiver. The Miami Herald reports that Crabtree may want $4 million or more for a one year deal.
The Raiders can afford that and if they do not bring in Crabtree before the draft, it's very likely they target Cooper or White in the first round. Cooper is coming off of a monster season at Alabama with 124 receptions for 1727 yards and 16 touchdowns and he has good side at 6-1, 211 pounds for what the Raiders do on offense. White put up a great 40-yard dash time and that could push him ahead of Cooper after he made 109 catches for 1447 yards and 10 touchdowns for West Virginia last season.
The Raiders won three games last season, but they feel optimistic after signing a number of free agents, including Trent Richardson, Rodney Hudson and Nate Allen.
