As promised, you sent great questions (some of you, at least) and answers are on the way.
Where you don’t get answers, maybe settle for an opinion or two.
Off we go…
1 – Why have they not locked up Mack? And why did they sign someone who was just arrested?
Reggie McKenzie likes to move slowly on these mega deals. Just ask Derek Carr. Everyone will make their concessions at the 11th hour and it’ll end well for everyone involved. The Raiders don’t know what they have at cornerback. That makes it easier to roll the dice on player who was arrested just a week ago. Low risk. High reward.
2 – What should we expect from Beast Mode this season?
As of now, Jon Gruden is counting on Marshawn Lynch in a big way. The draft might change things a little, but when the Raiders essentially guaranteed Lynch $4.5, they were all in.
3 – What kind of compensation can the Raiders get for the 10th pick?
Depends how far they move back in the draft. Just a guess, but they might not want to drop past whoever they consider the best offensive tackle in the draft. Ideally, they could grab another second round pick. That’s probably what McKenzie and Gruden are hoping for. There’s always the chance a quarterback drops and a team sells the farm to move up to the Raiders pick. Problem is, the desperate team could probably just do that deal with the 49ers at pick nine.
4 – What is the likelihood the Raiders trade down?
Good chance it happens. Probably the most likely scenario, in fact. Fitzpatrick, James, and Smith are the players it would be tough to pass on drafting with the 10th pick.
5 – Would the Raiders take Roquan, Minkah, or Ward if all three managed to be sitting there at 10?
Thankfully, that’s a decision well above my pay grade. In that scenario a trade back 2-3 positions would be ideal, but if they have to decide on one there it could come down to a draft room brawl. In that case, McKenzie’s guys wins and that means it isn’t a linebacker, right? Actually, take that back. Reggie has learned his lesson, the pick is Roquan.
6 – What are the chances we take Minkah if he’s on the board?
One nice aspect to drafting Fitzpatrick is he can play several positions. If Obi Melifonwu surprises at safety, Fitzpatrick can be on the field and thrive at another position. That’s a huge bonus. He has to be high on the Raiders draft board.
7 – What is the Raiders biggest area of need. LB, DL, T, or CB?
Been saying for a while the Raiders need an offensive tackle in this draft. Defensive tackle might be a tad more important than linebacker with NaVorro Bowman just a phone call away. Cornerback isn’t a disaster. Just zero depth.
8 – Why wouldn’t we draft a stud like Guice at 10? It’s got Gruden written all over it.
Too many good running backs in this draft to do that, but don’t rule out Guice ending up with the Raiders by some means other than the 10th pick.
9 – Would the Raiders consider trading up for a player like Barkley or Chubb?
Can probably rule that out, but the Browns should take Chubb with the first pick and take a good quarterback with the fourth pick.
On second thought, if the Raiders could somehow pair Mack with another elite edge rusher… WHOA!
10 – When the Raiders pick is in, who is it going to be?
Roquan Smith and Minkah Fitzpatrick are exactly the kind of players Gruden would love – and McKenzie, too, for that matter.
While Gruden and McKenzie are whispering back and forth about those two, scouts will be screaming across the room for Derwin James.
If a trade happens, maybe an offensive tackle or a top tight end. Maybe even Derrius Guice.
twitter: @raidersbeat
Why would the Raiders draft Minkah or James when they already have Jospeh and Obi? They NEED a slot CB that can cover Tyreek Hill, Travis Benjamin, Emmanuel Sanders, Sammy Watkins and Brandin Cooks. Neither Minkah nor James can cover those guys. Ward, Nickerson and Donte Jackson can (at least they have the speed and athleticism to cover them). I am not saying that Minkah or James are not good players but S is not the Raiders problem yet until we know for sure that Obi cannot play. And athletically Obi has better measurables than both James and Minkah). Also at #10 as it looks right now they probably will not be able to trade back unless GB really wants Minkah. If they cannot trade down then they will have a choice of at least one of the following players – Ward, Smith, or Edmunds. And these guys are all elite/BPA talents at NEED positions which is a great position for the Raiders to be in. Take one of those guys and move on. By now we all know the NEED positions are: slot CB, LB, T, and P (easy to get in the 6th or 7th round). The really WANT positions are: DT with pass rushing ability (Hurst, Hall, Phillips), WR (findable), 4-3 DE/EDGE (hard to find), and RB (easy to find).