The Oakland Raiders are scheduled to have roughly $50 million in salary cap space this offseason and they are going to be required to spend a lot of it in order to meet the minimum salary cap threshold. As usual, Oakland is flush with roster holes. So who should be the beneficiary of all that cap space?
How about the top overall free agent on the market this offseason? Detroit Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh is set to hit the open market if he doesn't re-sign with Detroit. The Raiders are expected to be serious suitors should that happen.
Considering that Oakland ranked just 22nd against the run this past season (119.4 rushing yards allowed per game), Suh would be a perfect fit on the roster.
"The other part of this for the leading contenders is the teams with the most cap room," Jason Cole of Bleacher Report said. "The Oakland Raiders, Jacksonville Jaguars...But look at the Raiders. They have the combination of the money and the need to spend because, if you know the cap rules, they are going to have to spend money. But they don't have a lot of players on their own roster that they can pay yet. So if they're going to put out big money, they are going to want to put out big money on a quality player like Ndamukong Suh. They can really overbid in this situation. Make him an outlandish deal...Look for the Raiders to be the No. 1 contender if Detroit lets him go..."
Suh's reported first preference is to play for the Seattle Seahawks, as they are a contender and he is originally from the Northwest. However, with a big contract extension on the horizon for quarterback Russell Wilson (and a reported extension for running back Marshawn Lynch), Seattle may not be able to afford the type of deal Suh is looking for.
Oakland will have the cap space necessary to make Suh one of the highest paid defensive players in the NFL. A front seven that features Suh and linebacker Khalil Mack is a scary thought for opposing offensive lines.
Working in Oakland's favor is the fact that the Lions almost assuredly cannot afford to retain Suh's services. Placing the franchise tag on him would cost the team an astronomical $26.8 million.
Could a Suh signing and the continued development of quarterback Derek Carr be the beginning of the path to redemption for the Raiders? It's possible.
