The Oakland Raiders need to sign some veterans to help bolster this roster for a playoff push. The recently released inside linebacker Karlos Dansby would make a fine addition to this defensive unit.
Dansby is a former Arizona Cardinal and Cleveland Brown who was a leader on both defenses putting up good production as a cover linebacker. Dansby has been an effective blitzer when called upon; however, he should not be relied on for his pass rushing ability alone.
Dansby has had 19 interceptions in his career and 69 pass defenses. He has spent 13 seasons in the NFL and is a productive veteran who can help integrate the Raiders' young linebackers into the NFL. Leon Hall has spent his whole career on the Cincinnati Bengals and has been one of the more productive members of their secondary.
Now, Hall is a free agent and has drawn some interest specifically from the Dallas Cowboys. The Raiders should add Hall to this young secondary as he could become a solid teacher for these young defensive backs.
Hall has recorded 470 career tackles, 111 pass defenses, 26 interceptions and 3 defensive touchdowns. The Raiders are likely going to draft a cornerback with their first round selection so picking up Hall to help their rookie class would be a thoughtful decision.
Oakland could also use Hall's production as a slot corner to help keep this secondary together towards the end of the regular season. The Oakland Raiders are slowly becoming a powerhouse during the 2016 NFL offseason.
After a solid 7-9 campaign that saw the franchise falter toward the end of the season, the Raiders are poised for resurgence. They have acquired offensive guard Kelechi Osemele, formerly of the Baltimore Ravens.
This is a huge move for the Raiders as they will bolster this offensive line and help protect Derek Carr for the 2016 season. They also added cornerback Sean Smith, formerly of the Kansas City Chiefs, which should provide a boost to this secondary that struggled during the 2015 season.
The last big free agent the Raiders added to their roster was former Seattle Seahawks outside linebacker Bruce Irvin who signed a four year $37 million contract with the team.
The Raiders also only lost three free agents, however those players were mainly depth additions who should be easily replaced in the upcoming draft. With a few more offseason additions and a strong incoming draft class this Raiders team could become a favorite to win the AFC West in 2016.
