The Oakland Raiders may not even be the Oakland Raiders by the end of the summer but one thing is for certain they will hold the 14th pick in the first round of the 2016 NFL draft.
Oakland has a ton of needs but less than they did a season ago. They have found their franchise quarterback in Derek Carr, a productive running back in Latavius Murray, and a developing deep threat in Amari Cooper. On the defensive side of the ball they have Khalil Mack to help solidify this pass rush. What the Raiders really need is a solid safety or cornerback to help out the back end of the defense.
Oakland will likely look to rebuild their offensive line as well so they can protect Derek Carr and run the ball effectively. With the most cap space currently in the NFL the Raiders can afford to bring in some high priced free agents that other teams could not afford.
After losing a safety look for them to look at Eric Berry or former San Diego Charger Eric Weddle. They could also look at playmaking safety Tashaun Gipson formerly of the Cleveland Browns. They could also draft the best pure safety in the draft which is looking like Jayron Kearse who is projected to go in the second round.
Without a high first round pick Oakland will likely miss out on the top prospects at the cornerback position which could make them key players in free agency. The cornerback market is stacked and with talent and there are plenty of options to choose from.
The Raiders could bring aboard Sean Smith, Prince Amukamara, Janoris Jenkins, or Adam Jones from the free agent pool. There is always Josh Norman as well if he decides to test free agency. In the draft it is likely the Raiders will settle for the best offensive lineman at their position and some of the other talented cornerbacks in the second round such as Tre'Darious White, Eli Apple, or Kendall Fuller. Offensive linemen such as Jack Conklin or Shon Coleman would make great additions to this O line.
The Raiders are on the right track so solidifying this defense as one of the most competitive units in the NFL should be the course of action.
