Loaded with around $70 million in salary cap room and a roster full of needs, the Raiders are looking ahead to another active offseason.
Raiders general manager Mike Mayock won’t need to clear cap space in the months ahead, but there are a handful of veteran contracts that he and Jon Gruden will have to weigh the cost against the player value. In no particular order, let’s take a look at a few veteran contracts entering 2020 that didn’t necessarily live up to their cost in 2019.
Tahir Whitehead, 29
Tahir Whitehead is entering the final year of a three-year deal he signed in 2018. His 2020 cap number is just under $7.3 million and the Raiders can cut ties with him and in exchange for just over $1 million in dead money. Whitehead was not good in pass coverage this year, but he also played out of position after the league suspended Vontaze Burfict for the season.
Whitehead will be a tough roster decision to make because the Raiders are so thin at linebacker. Mayock might have little choice but to keep the soon-to-be 30 year-old around.
Gabe Jackson, 28
Gabe Jackson has been a staple of the Raiders offensive line since 2014, but his $9.6 million cap number in 2020 might be a little rich – especially considering the Raiders would accrue no dead money by cutting him. Jackson played through injury in 2019, but backup guard Denzelle Good outplayed him for most of the year and it will be interesting to see if the Raiders give Jackson a $9.6 million mulligan after playing injured this year.
Lamarcus Joyner, 29
Lamarcus Joyner didn’t come close to living up to his contract in 2019 and he comes with a $12.9 cap number in 2020. If cut, the Raiders would be charged $8 million in dead money.
Guenther hinted that Joyner played out of position this year which wasn’t particularly encouraging since the Raiders signed him to play nickel cornerback. Maybe Guenther will move Joyner back to safety next year, but none of the Raiders options involving Joyner are overly exciting in light of 2019.
A couple of dates to watch on Joyner are a roster bonus due on 3/20 ($8 million) and two days later his 2020 salary becomes fully guaranteed.
Tyrell Williams, 27
Before we knew how much Tyrell Williams’ foot was still bothering him, his contract looked like one the Raiders might want to run away from. His $11.1 million cap number in 2020 isn’t all that attractive, but neither are any of the wide receiver options in free agency. The Raiders have to roll the dice and hope Williams will have a healthier 2020.
Williams’ 2020 salary becomes fully guaranteed on 3/20.
Maybe Gruden and the gang have a few surprises coming, but the names listed above were among the Raiders most disappointing contracts in 2019. We’ll see if that might affect their status in 2020.
twitter: @raidersbeat
Tahir stinks, Lamarcus is overrated , tyrell is soft ! Only keep Jackson
My trust is with Mike and gruden RAIDERS for life!!!!
Joyner should be moved back to safety. That’s his best position. As for linebacker, it is my fondest wish that we draft both Isaiah Simmons and Kenneth Murray. Also, give AJ Green a one year prove it deal. I don’t think his present team is gonna bring him back.
Uhhhh, where TF is Derek CARRbage in this article!?
You obviously know nothing about football…
This pair Gruden n Mayock (mostly Gruden) r idiots. They had money 2 spend last offseason n just threw money at players carelessly without aforethought. Made some players the highest at their position without negotiations n with a high portion guaranteed on every contract. Because they r so smart (as per all the praise they do no warrant) they now find themselves reaping what they sowed.
Gruden has made so many horrible decisions n because they were forced 2 heavily rely upon rookies n some of the rookies produced people overlook the many many bad decisions that Gruden has n continues 2 make.
What sucks is that there may be some players cut loose due 2 the bad decisions made by Gruden as a means of again overshadowing the remaining horrible decisions that will cost 2 much money 2 rid themselves of.
All i can say is that the most horrible decision made was committed by Mark Davis n like Gruden’s bad decisions Raiders players, organization, n the fans will continue 2 suffer from it just as Gruden’s decisions ridding us of the horrible Gruden return it would cost 2 much 2 cut bait as guaranteed monry appears 2 b a standard with Raider contracts n will continue 2 b due 2 the handling of Mack n others by Gruden upon his return.
Some delusional fans believe Gruden will right the ship but fail 2 realize that it is Gruden that has caused the ship 2 drift further off course. The way the organization has been ran under Gruden is less than desirable n will have ripple effects that will plague this organization 4 years 2 come.
Change Teams Dick
Shut up fool you’ll be back tracking once gruden turns the ship on the right course which is already ha
The ship has drifted further off course? Improving our record in year two, nearly doubling our win total with a lot of rookie help is drifting further off course. Losing key players to injury and suspension are huge hits, and calling an offense that was pretty predictable hurt but Mayock killed it in the draft and Gruden worked with what he had. Paying players what they wanted just to get them to come to Oakland is just a sad reality, they’ve been bad for years, so who really wants to be in that kind of environment unless they’re getting paid? Gruden May have hurt the team in some ways by relying on people that probably need to go on his staff but he took a team of nobodies and did what he could, at some point the players have to man up and play for pride and honor over money. DC May not be what he could’ve been prior to injury but he rarely turns the ball over and is as accurate as they come. There were a lot of dropped balls and not anyone who could really get separation. When Rico Gafford came in though he got open and DC found him for scores. The defense was mainly left over from the years before Gruden, but that can change with some solid players in free agency and the draft. Overall, you’re talking out of your ***. The franchise needs players who actually want to be Raiders, not players who see a potential pay raise for minimal effort in exchange.
Defensively the Raiders play to soft
Barely blitz..corners played to off. Need to get creative
Gotta keep Williams and Gabe Joyner can be let go didn’t help anyway great talent in this draft if burfict can play this year keep him but protect him to keep him on the field love this guy could be a great RAIDER!!
More importantly, there’s a void at QB. I’m sure he’s a nice guy but Derek Carr increasingly shows he’s not the one who can take the team to The Promised Land. A definite one-hit wonder. NEXT!!!!
Tahir Whitehead is our best, consecutive lb $7.3; (put him in the right place Gunther) =$7.3
Game Day Gabe – at $9.6 sounds steep, we won’t be able to replace him, gotta keep him = $16.9
Lamarcus Joyner: I wish he played better $12.9 with a hefty $8 million penalty ~ + 3.9 million in cap, I’m sorry but that’s a steep $8 Mill like a terrible signing, might wanna think about letting him go.
$20.7 spent still.
Tyrell Williams at $11.1? Overpriced big time for sure, but we need WR Like Nothing Else #Draft! Signed still, bad for business but we need him
$31.8
We should still have roughly ~ $38.2 in cap space to fill holes primarily in the Secondary, LB, Draft high with either of two 1st Round picks at a deep WR draft class. Push a little competition at Carr (who’s gonna be our QB regardless)
Mike Mayock is a genius, as well as Gruden. They Have GOT TO MAKE THE DRAFT AND FREE AGENCY WORK!
The Raiders need star players. OBJ, Jerry J from Alabama or Ruggs, Waddle, Lamb from Oklahoma. Need play makers. Need LB’s with speed.Need interior lineman. If I am drafting. I am going after receiver and top lb. At 12 and 19. Then back on point offense, defense.
It’s ridiculous you don’t list CARR, who is the losingest QB in the NFL since his rookie year 2014, and he’s got a $25M per year salary. Until Gruden gets a winner at QB, who isn’t afraid to throw downfield, or use his legs to extend plays, the Raiders have ZERO chance at becoming a playoff team.
Tahir Whitehead is our best, consecutive lb $7.3; (put him in the right place Gunther) =$7.3
Game Day Gabe – at $9.6 sounds steep, we won’t be able to replace him, gotta keep him = $16.9
Lamarcus Joyner: I wish he played better $12.9 with a hefty $8 million penalty ~ + 3.9 million in cap, I’m sorry but that’s a steep $8 Mill like a terrible signing, might wanna think about letting him go.
$20.7 spent still.
Tyrell Williams at $11.1? Overpriced big time for sure, but we need WR Like Nothing Else #Draft! Signed still, bad for business but we need him
$31.8
We should still have roughly ~ $38.2 in cap space to fill holes primarily in the Secondary, LB, Draft high with either of two 1st Round picks at a deep WR draft class. Push a little competition at Carr (who’s gonna be our QB regardless)
Mike Mayock is a genius, as well as Gruden. They Have GOT TO MAKE THE DRAFT AND FREE AGENCY WORK!
Need a new coach
This is terrible. There is no reason for the Raiders to get rid of any of these players. Whoever wrote this needs a credibility check
You forgot someone
They need to sign Karl Joseph, the man was a beast before the injury, who brings fear into RB’s. Ask Melvin Gordon!
What we need are COACHES that can make adjustments during the game and at half time
I couldn’t agree with derek carr naysayers you more. (A horrible defense not withstanding, injuries to JJ and the rest of the rookie class, and the Burfict suspension killed the raiders). But this all being said, I look at derek carr as being the focal point of the raiders issues. He’s had 6 years in the league as a qb, 2 in Gruden’s system. He just doesn’t read defenses well, dinks and dunks all of the time, always making the curcial mistake that kills drives, offense goes 3 and out far too many times, that puts an already bad defense in a worst position. I can go on and on, but you get my point here. No excuses for him here, the 6th best O-line in the league, 2 starting Pro Bowlers, a 1,000 yrd. rusher. Other readers that might be defending derek carr here, please don’t tell me that he didn’t have any receivers to throw to. that’s a lame excuse. I saw Carson Weinz ball out with 3/4’s of the offense starters injured, while throwing to backups…..All-in-All, the difference here is carr doesn’t have the mental toughness, and the will to win like a Carson Weinz and most other good QB’s have, (I don’t care if the ball does look pretty coming out of his hands). I want a QB that can win when you have to have it! I am also very convinced that carr is not that guy, he’s fools gold….