Oakland Raiders 2011 Free Agent Targets: Jammal Brown Edition

Welcome to the Jammal Brown edition of the Oakland Raiders 2011 free agent targets. This is the second installment as we started of with Atlanta Falcons right tackle, Tyson Clabo. I am starting with tackles because that is where the Raiders should start. They only have one player with NFL tackle experience under contract. And that is no way to start a season.

With that in mind let's take a look at Redskins right tackle, Jammal Brown. Brown will be entering his seventh season, the Redskins did not place a franchise or transition tag on him and he will be an unrestricted free agent. Jump over for more....

Brown is a two-time Pro Bowl left tackle. He earned both trips as a member of the New Orleans Saints after the '06 and '08 seasons. Brown then missed the entire '09 season after undergoing hip surgery. Brown grew unhappy with the Saints entering the 2010 season as he didn't like their tender offer and they were making him compete to reclaim his job. So, the Saints dealt him and a fifth-round selection to the Redskins for a third-round selection. 

The 6'6" and 313 pound Brown struggled for the first half of the 2010 season as he adjusted to his move to the right side and he was still recovering from his hip surgery.

Brown describes the recovery process himself on HomerMcFanboy.com:

The hip has no problems at all. It feels brand new. I just had to get through the scar tissue stage and then midway through the season I started feeling like my old self. Hopefully my play speaks for itself because I feel like I was playing a lot better in the second half.

Pro Football Weekly charted Brown for giving up 5.5 sacks in 2010 and three false starts and one holding, but by all accounts he finished the season very strong. At his best he is a solid run blocker and an excellent pass blocker. He is also going to be one of, if not the most, sought after tackle free agent. 

The Redskins are likely going to try and re-sign Brown. If not, they paid a steep price for a guy that essentially only played half of a season. The question with Brown is going to be how much is a 30-year-old tackle that has already had one hip surgery. This is a question the Redskin fan base is already asking itself.

This is from Hogs Haven:

It seems as if Redskins nation is split on Jammal Brown. Some see him as an improving tackle throughout the season, and others as an injury prone, has been, 30 year old liability. The decision to keep Brown will be an interesting one

The reality is that Brown is going to have plenty of options. Brown has expressed an interest in returning to Washington. I found this in the above linked HomerMcFanboy article:

I want to be back here in Washington. It’s a good place and Coach Shanahan is a proven coach. I like playing for him. We’ve got to get a few things ironed out at other positions, but I hope I’m able to stay here.

That may just be typical free agent rhetoric though. According to Mike Jones of The Washington Post Brown would prefer to move back to left tackle. And that is a scenario he is not likely to get in Washington or in Oakland.

If the Raiders could land Brown without sinking big long-term money I would be all for this move. I wouldn't even mind if they told him he could compete for left tackle, and put the loser of that battle with Veldheer at right tackle. However, if Brown is looking for a contract that gives security beyond two seasons the Raiders should pass.

And with the lack of talent in this free agent market at tackle I imagine a team is going to wind up offering Brown a contract more than the Raiders should offer.