The Raider Nation is an antsy and anxious group for whom inactivity and periods without games spell forecasts of doom and gloom, and it is indeed rare to witness days pass by while dozens of players visit facilities, agree to deals, or move on the next suitor. So far the only confirmed player to visit the Raiders is G Mike Brisiel, and it's uncertain if the team will proceed with the former Texan guard.
In about an hour the Buffalo Bills will annnounce Mario Williams as its newest member, and it appears the world will have to wait until at least Sunday to determine where Peyton Manning will land, with Tennessee Titans seemingly taking the lead in the race, and the Denver Broncos right behind them and the Miami Dolphins claiming they're still in it. A job for life in Tennessee is reportedly on the table, but it might be safe to say that any smart team would likely attempt to keep Manning's cerebral football abilities on the sidelines and in locker rooms after he retires whether announced in a press conference or not.
GM Reggie McKenzie has patiently reduced the Raiders' effective salary cap number, slowly but surely, and it appears he will approach potential free agents in a similar fashion and look for strictly value players. His long history of talent evaluation in the league has the Raiders in capable hands, but fans of the team will have to wait and see who becomes available at a bargain and will have to temper any desires they might have had for marquis free agents about whom fans get excited, and instead trust McKenzie will find the right men to make this Raider team better and one step closer to the future.
CB Brandon Carr, whom many Raider fans had on wishlists as a potential new Raider with the Chiefs' acquisition of Stanford Routt, will join the Cowboys, signing a five year deal. Though the Raiders' receiver corps is young and promising, most fans will agree the addition of a reliable solid possession receiver will be needed to help them become a dominant force this year, especially with Chaz Schilens receiving league-wide interest and potentially ending up somewhere else. With his injury history here, most fans will probably be okay with rolling the dice on a new project. The possibility of Manning ending up a Bronco could present its own challenges.
We'll continue to watch and wait and post developments as they occur today. Don't be surprised if nothing happens today either, which might just be the best thing for value shoppers.
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