Devin White A Possible Top-5 Pick?
- While Bush may be a solid first-round bet, White has climbed to the point of potentially becoming the first off-ball linebacker to be drafted in the top five since Aaron Curry in 2009. A consensus of White being as good or better than Roquan Smith as a prospect has formed, Albert Breer of SI.com notes, adding that he could be a fit at No. 4 for the Raiders or No. 5 for the Bucs.
Nick Bosa To Visit 4 Teams
Nick Bosa is not expected to have to wait long to hear his name called during the first round of the upcoming draft, in the event the Cardinals indeed pass on him. Teams with a combination of a high pick and an edge-rushing need are going to bring in the Ohio State standout.
The Cardinals and Giants will bring in Bosa this week, Albert Breer of SI.com reports, adding that Bay Area trips — to meet with both the 49ers and Raiders — are on tap next week.
Bosa has already had dinner with both Cardinals and 49ers representatives, but official visits to the teams holding the top picks in this draft are on tap. Nearly all mock drafts have Bosa going to one of these two NFC West franchises, most now sending him to San Francisco given the Kyler Murray-Cardinals noise.
The Giants are not believed to be interested in packaging their two first-round picks to move up. The team operating this way would almost certainly prevent landing Bosa. The Raiders hold three first-round picks, but with teams ahead of them linked to Bosa, moving up might be difficult. Oakland finishing last season with just 13 sacks — the lowest team total since the 2008 Chiefs — may further drive the franchise toward addressing this need early in Round 1, however.
Nick Bosa did not boast Joey Bosa–caliber stats while with the Buckeyes, registering 17.5 sacks and 29 tackles for loss in his three-season run in Columbus. But he has been universally regarded as a top-tier prospect, as his brother was three years ago.
Daryl Worley Signs Raiders RFA Tender
Daryl Worley will be back in Oakland for the 2019 season. The veteran cornerback signed his RFA tender on Monday, according to Josh Alper of Pro Football Talk.
The Raiders placed a second-round tender on Worley earlier this offseason. Barring an extension, Worley will make $3.095MM this season.
A Raider signing during a turbulent 2018 offseason, Worley played 505 snaps in 10 games last year. The Raiders clearly saw something Pro Football Focus did not in the former Panthers third-round pick; PFF graded Worley as the league’s seventh-worst full-time corner last season.
Worley’s 2018 season began four games late because of a suspension in connection to his offseason arrest and ended early due to a torn shoulder labrum. The 24-year-old defender has since undergone surgery. He is expected to remain the starter opposite Gareon Conley, Scott Bair of NBC Sports Bay Area notes.
Worley joins Conley and Karl Joseph as secondary holdovers. The Raiders have added both Lamarcus Joyner and Nevin Lawson this offseason, with former Giants safety Curtis Riley also signing. The Silver and Black begin their offseason program April 15.
Montez Sweat To Meet With 4 Teams
One of several potential impact front-seven players in this draft, Montez Sweat has his first round of visits lined up.
The Mississippi State product detailed his itinerary to the NFL Network recently (via NBC Sports Bay Area), and that docket includes meetings with the 49ers, Raiders, Bills and Packers. The Dolphins have also shown interest.
Both the Bay Area teams have also set up visits with Kentucky’s Josh Allen, another edge rusher expected to be taken early in the first round. Sweat did not have quite the statistically productive year Allen did as as senior, but he finished his two-year Bulldogs career — after two seasons at Michigan State — with 22.5 sacks and 30 tackles for loss.
Sweat blazed to a 4.41-second 40-yard dash at the Combine, elevating his profile. The 6-foot-6, 245-pound prospect has a pre-existing heart condition, which could scare away some teams, but was cleared to participate in all drills last month in Indianapolis. The Raiders last year showed they did not mind drafting defensive linemen with medical question marks, grabbing Maurice Hurst with a fifth-round pick despite the Michigan product’s heart condition.
The 49ers have been primarily linked to Nick Bosa at No. 2 but are understandably investigating the front-seven talent pool, particularly in case the Cardinals’ Kyler Murray noise ends up being a large-scale smokescreen. The Packers hold two first-round picks — Nos. 12 and 30 — while the Bills have the No. 9 selection.
Raiders Eyeing TCU WR KaVontae Turpin
- TCU wideout KaVontae Turpin‘s Pro Day was attended by the Cowboys, Redskins, Seahawks, and Raiders, reports Wilson (via Twitter). The talented offensive weapon had at least 29 receptions in each of his four collegiate seasons, and he also showed some talent in the return game. Turpin is expected to be a late-round pick or an undrafted free agent.
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Raiders Sign Luke Willson
The Raiders are making another move. Jon Gruden’s squad is signing tight end Luke Willson, the team announced in a release. 
Willson visited with the team earlier today, and they apparently liked what they saw. The Raiders just lost Jared Cook to the Saints, so they had a big need at tight end. Willson comes to Oakland from the Lions, after having a disappointing 2018 season in Detroit. He had spent the previous five years of his career with the Seahawks. Willson had been a solid if not spectacular option behind Jimmy Graham in Seattle, and landed a one-year, $2.5MM deal from the Lions last offseason.
Even though Detroit had very little at tight end after Eric Ebron left in free agency, Willson didn’t have much of a role on offense. He ended up catching just 13 passes for 87 scoreless yards. The Rice product was originally drafted in the fifth round back in 2013. His best season receiving-wise came in 2014, when he had 362 yards and three touchdowns.
Willson’s true impact has usually been as a blocker. He’s received solid marks from Pro Football Focus, grading out as their No. 17 ranked run-blocking tight end last season. The Raiders have been active in the second wave of free agency, signing linebacker Brandon Marshall and running back Isaiah Crowell yesterday, and now adding Willson today.
Raiders To Meet With Luke Willson
The Raiders will meet with tight end Luke Willson on Friday, according to Adam Caplan of SiriusXM (on Twitter). The former Lions and Seahawks receiver could help the Raiders replace Jared Cook, who left in free agency to sign with the Saints.
Willson, 29, hooked on with the Lions last year on a one-year, $2.5MM deal. Unfortunately, the contract was not the platform to free agent riches that he envisioned. Willson finished out with just 13 catches for 87 yards and no touchdowns, a dropoff from his already modest offensive numbers.
Blocking is Willson’s true calling card and he placed as the league’s No. 17 ranked run-blocking tight end last season, according to Pro Football Focus. All in all, he had 424 snaps on offense and 124 on special teams.
Raiders To Sign LB Brandon Marshall
The Raiders have reached an agreement on a deal with linebacker Brandon Marshall, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). Marshall will receive a one-year deal worth up to $4.1MM. 
Marshall met with the Raiders on Thursday and, like Isaiah Crowell, quickly agreed to a deal with the club. There’s no word on his guarantees just yet, but Marshall has some decent upside in his contract with the Raiders.
Marshall, who compiled 102 tackles and three sacks in 2017, would help a linebacker group that recently added Vontaze Burfict on a low-cost deal. And, like Burfict, he could be a solid value for Oakland. Marshall battled through injuries during the 2018 season and appeared in just eleven games.
Marshall finished out 2018 with only 42 tackles, his lowest total since he became a starter during the 2014 season. Still, the former fifth-rounder proved that he can be a difference maker when he’s at full strength – Marshall finished with at least 100 tackles in each of his three healthiest seasons.
Raiders To Sign RB Isaiah Crowell
The Raiders are set to sign former Jets running back Isaiah Crowell, a source tells Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). When finalized, it’ll be a one-year deal worth up to $2.5MM. 
Crowell visited the Raiders on Thursday and it didn’t take long for a deal to come together. Crowell now has an opportunity to take over as the Raiders’ top running back with Marshawn Lynch and Doug Martin both in free agent limbo.
Head coach Jon Gruden has indicated that he would like to retain both Lynch and Martin, but he also said the same of tight end Jared Cook, who has since left to join the Saints. There’s also the draft to consider, so the returns of those two vets are far from guaranteed.
The Jets released Crowell earlier this offseason after his first and only campaign with the club. Crowell did well on a per-carry basis in New York, matching his career high with 4.8 yards per carry. But, the Jets gave the 2018 free agent acquisition a career-low 143 carries. Crowell, 26, finished with 685 yards and the Jets replaced him with Le’Veon Bell.
Crowell has 27 career rushing touchdowns and surpassed 850 ground yards in his final two Browns seasons, doing so despite the team often trailing in a 1-31 stretch. He might not be the sexiest name out there, but he could help to fortify the Raiders’ running game.
Raiders To Meet With LB Brandon Marshall
The Raiders are set to meet with linebacker Brandon Marshall on Thursday, according to Mike Klis of 9News (on Twitter). Marshall has been on the market since being released by the rival Broncos in February. 
Marshall, who compiled 102 tackles and three sacks in 2017, would help a linebacker group that recently added Vontaze Burfict on a low-cost deal. And, like Burfict, he could be a solid value for Oakland. Marshall battled through injuries during the 2018 season and appeared in just eleven games, so his stock is far from its zenith.
Marshall finished out 2018 with only 42 tackles, his lowest total since he became a starter during the 2014 season. Still, the former fifth-rounder proved that he can be a difference maker when he’s at full strength – Marshall finished with at least 100 tackles in each of his three healthiest seasons.
The Ravens have also expressed interest in the ‘backer, who turns 30 in September.