The Las Vegas Raiders are paying big names to some big names as they move to Nevada for the 2020 season, but overall, they’re still one of the youngest NFL rosters, and therefore crowded or close to rookies of … minimum bids So when it comes to identifying the biggest bargains on your list, there are actually quite a few eligible candidates.
Some who don’t, from the start: Derek Carr and Marcus Mariota, the two best quarterbacks in Jon Gruden’s depth chart.
Carr becoming the NFL’s highest-paid QB in 2017 sounds like an old story now, but he’s still 11th in terms of 2020 salary caps; his $ 21.5 million in total beats boys like Matthew Stafford, Kirk Cousins, Matt Ryan and Carson Wentz. Carr may be a good / helpful QB, but it would be foolish to suggest that Gruden would take it over those other callers.
Mariota, meanwhile, has been hailed primarily as a smart addition to being Carr’s insurance, but its $ 9,125 million hit is not cheap. It ranks 20th among all QBs, ahead of starters like Baker Mayfield, Kyler Murray and Ryan Fitzpatrick. It’s almost double what the Bears will pay Nick Foles ($ 5.3M) to compete with Mitchell Trubisky. It’s more than three times what the Cowboys will pay Andy Dalton ($ 3M) to back Dak Prescott, not to mention what the Browns are giving Case Keenum and the Saints are giving Jameis Winston.
That said, the Raiders do have a fair amount of bargains, especially when you jump to the other side of the ball. Here are five of his best contracts for 2020:
All cap figures are courtesy of Spotrac.
1. S Dadallious Randall
2020 salary cap coup: $ 2.1 million
Randall has not been the most trusted presence, apparently falling out of favor in both Cleveland and Green Bay and missing 14 games in the past four years. However, when he is healthy and active, he is a game creator, with 14 interceptions and almost 50 pass deviations already under his belt. He also has a cornerback experience and is a safe bet to start most of the 2020 season against Jonathan Abram, who may need his own insurance against a shoulder injury.
Your maximum hit of $ 2.1M might seem standard for a potential incumbent but consider you rank 56th among 2020 security wages even behind four other Raiders insurance.It’s a bargain, regardless of whether Randall gives Vegas 12 or 14 or 16 game plays in a high school he needed a lot more in 2019.
2. DT Maliek Collins
2020 salary cap coup: $ 6.25 million
His departure from Dallas was the reason the Cowboys plunged into the old D-line market to add Gerald McCoy and Dontari Poe. And make no mistake: While both DTs may have bigger names, the Raiders should be glad they chose to pay Collins. His tackle totals have never been flashy, but he has held his own against the run while glinting like a rising pass runner; He graduated as one of the Top 10 Indoor Runners in 2019, by PFF. It will be an unquestionable headline, and as an added benefit, he is only 25 years old.
It gets even better when you realize how Collins’ salary stacks up with the rest of the league. Ranked 22nd among 2020 DT’s top hits, it’s a good $ 2-3M cheaper than more questionable veterans like Solomon Thomas and Star Lotulelei. And while a top dollar is expected from elite NFL DTs, $ 6.25M Collins hardly seems unreasonable in contrast to top paychecks from guys like Aaron Donald ($ 25M), Fletcher Cox ($ 23.8M), DeForest Buckner ($ 23.3M) and Chris Jones ($ 16 million).
3. WR Hunter Renfrow
2020 salary cap coup: $ 753,987
Wanted in 2019 training camp, Renfrow ended up being much more than that during his rookie season, ending up as Carr’s most trusted target not named Darren Waller. His 605 yards and four touchdowns were not groundbreaking, no, but 49 catches, and a 69 percent catch percentage, in 13 games, as the Raiders slot receiver was a good performance for a fifth-round pick. With Henry Ruggs and more speed infused into the Las Vegas offense, Renfrow’s chances in the middle should theoretically increase in 2020.
As for the salary, you can’t do much better either, considering he’s in a last-minute rookie deal. Even a slight improvement in its 2019 numbers would count as a bargain considering its rate.
4. WR Nelson Agholor
2020 salary cap coup: $ 887,500
He may be best known for his droplet fights and his subsequent onslaught at the hands of Philadelphia Eagles fans. But between seasons as one of Philly’s favorite targets for ridicule, the former first assailant was quite successful operating from the slot. This is the same man who recorded consecutive seasons of 60 catches, scored eight touchdowns during the Eagles’ Super Bowl career and LED The Birds with nine catches in that championship win, even if 2019 was riddled with injuries and mental errors.
Will Agholor make the list? That’s not clear, because fourth-round Renfrow, Ruggs, Tyrell Williams and Bryan Edwards look like locks. There’s a reason 31 other teams also refused to pay him more than the veteran minimum. And yet, at 27, Agholor surely still has a lot in the tank. If he can return even close to his 2017 form, he will be a true comeback candidate.
5. CB Prince Amukamara
2020 salary cap coup: $ 887,500
At 31, Amukamara’s best days are behind him, especially after a regular Bears campaign in 2019 prompted Chicago to release him despite holes in the corner. However, it’s not that he’s been incredibly bogged down by injuries, having appeared in at least 14 games in four consecutive seasons and starting 30 of 32 games since 2018. Simply put, it can do a lot worse if you’re looking for a plug-and veteran. -play on the outside.
Like Agholor, his vet minimum suggests that the rest of the NFL is ready to play with younger alternatives, but for the Raiders, what’s the downside here? First-round Damon Arnette is waiting in the wings against Trayvon Mullen, and the team also spent a fourth round on Amik Robertson. At less than $ 900K, Amukamara is a bargain for an insurance policy.
