Silver Minings: AFC teams are big spenders in free agency

Through the early stages of free agency, the Las Vegas Raiders have been among the most busy and biggest spenders on the open market.

They are a part of an interesting trend. As of Thursday, the Raiders were among 11 AFC teams that were in the top 15 in free-agency spending. So, several teams in the AFC are all in on trying to improve in 2021.

This is a season that the Raiders need to make the playoffs after winning a total of 19 games in the past three years under Jon Gruden. The Raiders often talk about the playoffs, so the moves they are making are designed for a post-season push.

But it won’t be easy as several teams in the AFC are being aggressive as well. Even with a seven-team playoff format, it was difficult to get into the playoffs in the AFC in 2020. This free-agent spending trend shows it may not get any easier in 2021.

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