Silver And Black Pride
Returning Raider Nation’s questions for the week
For better or worse, it’s never dull with the Las Vegas Raiders, and Thursday night’s bombshell about Christian Wilkins serves as more proof. In addition to training camp, that gives us plenty to talk about for this week’s Raiders mailbag.
A: Las Vegas claimed defensive tackle Keondre Coburn on Friday after he was waived by the Tennessee Titans. But Coburn’s addition shouldn’t stop the front office from adding another veteran if the organization wants to add a more experienced player in the defensive trenches.
I wouldn’t be surprised if the Raiders sign Quinton Jefferson in the coming days since he was in for a workout recently. Also, Jefferson had three stints with the Seattle Seahawks, all when Pete Carroll was the head coach. A few other names to keep tabs on are: Montravius Adams, Raekwon Davis and Marlon Davidson.
However, Las Vegas isn’t going to find a suitable replacement for Wilkins at this stage in the game. So, their best chance at getting a difference-maker at defensive tackle is if one of the young guys like Jonah Laulu, Tonka Hemingway and/or JJ Pegues steps up. Another option is seeing if Tyree Wilson can slide inside.
I can also see the defense shifting to more odd fronts where they have a nose tackle right over the center and two defensive end body types lining up inside of the tackles, with Maxx Crosby and Malcolm Konce on the edges as standup outside linebackers. That’s what they leaned on a lot when Wilkins went down last season.
The biggest problem is that they don’t have a quality nose tackle. Leki Fotu has been taking on that role so far, but I’m not confident in Fotu’s ability to plug up gaps in the middle.
A: Trade-wise, David Onyemata from the Atlanta Falcons would be at the top of the list for me. Atlanta drafted Ruke Orhorhoro and Brandon Dorlus last year, and then signed Morgan Fox in free agency this spring. So, Onyemata could be availabe since he turns 33 in Novemember and the Falcons have some depth at the position. I’ve always liked his skill set as a solid player in both phases of the game.
A couple of other guys to keep an eye on, Shy Tuttle from the Carolina Panthers, Dante Stills from the Arizona Cardinals and Zacch Pickens from the Chicago Bears. The latter two are younger guys who are getting pushed down the depth chart with their current clubs, but could be worth taking a flier on. Meanwhile, Tuttle has been around for a while and would be more of an addition to just get by this season.
As far as whether the Raiders will make a trade or not, your guess is as good as mine. Between signing a flurry of veterans and releasing Wilkins, these last few days have shown that John Spytek and Carroll are full of surprises.
**Q: The Raiders seem to have made a lot of progress...
