Day 4 of free agency 2012: Raiders have targets in sight, but have yet to pull a trigger

With latest headlines claiming the Miami Dolphins are out of the battle for Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos flying reps out to NC for a Friday workout, Raider Nation settles into a distinct two camps: one that stands united in support of the brazen tearing down of the roster assembled by the former regime and new GM Reggie McKenzie in wait for gems believed he will find in subsequent waves of free agents, another that watches in horror as division rivals Broncos, Chiefs, and Chargers sign contracts to address roster deficiencies whilst they only mount in Oakland.

Perhaps, a roll call is now in effect:

the list of FAs w/ yrs in the league from Yahoo sports:

OT Khalif Barnes 7
ILB Darryl Blackstock 5
QB Kyle Boller 9
OLB Jerome Boyd 1
S Tyvon Branch 4 (franchised)
DE Mason Brodine 0
DT Desmond Bryant 3
RB Michael Bush 4
QB Jason Campbell 7. Now a Chicago Bear
RB Rock Cartwright 10. Now a 49er.
S Matt Giordano 7
OLB Quentin Groves 4
OT Stephon Heyer 5
WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh 11
CB Bryan McCann 2
OLB Jarvis Moss 5
FB Marcel Reece 2
C Samson Satele 5
WR Chaz Schilens 4
DE Trevor Scott 4
CB Lito Sheppard 10

LB Kamerion Wimbley. Not yet a FA, but believed by many to be destined for release.

starters under contract:

OFFENSE: QB Carson Palmer, RB Darren McFadden, LT Jared Veldheer, LG/C Stefen Wisniewski, G/T Joe Barksdale, TE Brandon Myers, WR Darrius Heyward-Bey, WR Denarius Moore, WR Jacoby Ford, WR Louis Murphy

DEFENSE: DT Richard Seymour, DT Tommy Kelly, DE Matt Shaughnessy, DE Lamarr Houston, MLB Rolando McClain, OLB Aaron Curry, LB Travis Goethel, CB Demarcus Van Dyke, CB Chimdi Chekwa, S Michael Huff, S Mike Mitchell

tendered or tagged:

DT Desmond Bryant, DE Mason Brodine, CB Bryan McCann, FB Marcel Reece. SS Tyvon Branch franchise tagged.

Offensive line remains an area of concern, with McKenzie and the Raiders looking to shop FA first before making offers to Khalif Barnes who may also be ultimately cut.

CB and LB both currently need either depth or are lacking personnel at each position. Kamerion Wimbley still a question mark for the former SLB spot, currently remains under contract but time will tell if he's released as well.

The most notable cut belongs to Kevin Boss, now a member of the KC Chiefs giving them a duo at TE that should command respect from the league, leaving in question whether the Raiders will proceed at the position without a top tier starter. It has already been speculated throughout Raider Nation that the Carson Palmer airshow will not need one.

Early indications from workouts scheduled with the team show the Raiders have at least the G and CB positions as potential free agent targets, and many fans anticipate former Hue Jackson acquisition Kyle Boller's name to be replaced on the QB depth charts with an FA not named Rhett Bomar.

The current state of the severely depleted roster also highlights key areas the Raiders clearly need depth, and others that will need upgrading in order to give Allen all the tools the team will need to implement their plans going forward, and to compete in a division that could look very different in 2012, especially if a guy named Peyton is inserted into a certain lineup. Lots of questions remain, with very little by way of answers at the moment, that is, until word of the first signing comes out of Alameda.

So while astronomical dollars float across tables across the country, the purse strings remain tight in Oakland look to stay that way.

The quiet before the storm? The dark before the dawn? Patience is a virtue... not commonly possessed by fans of the silver and black!

Will day 4 produce the first FA acquisition for the Raiders? Will Kamerion Wimbley be released? Check back as events unfold for Raiders' free agency coverage regularly as we approach the draft and paint possible pictures of what draft day scenarios will unfold.