Oakland Raiders: Getting older during free agency isn’t a bad idea

Since free agency started, the Oakland Raiders have added several older players, and it’s raised eyebrows. However, it’s what the roster needs in 2018.

At the NFL Scouting Combine, Oakland Raiders head coach Jon Gruden stepped to the microphone and fed the media a gem that provided the fuel to criticize the team’s moves during free agency, saying that he wanted to get the game “back to 1998.”

It’s a partial troll job. Gruden hears what the skeptics say about his absence from the sideline. He talked about it with S.L. Price of Sports Illustrated:

"“I’m going to come back and put it all on me. Everybody’s going to want to kick my ass, step on me. They can’t wait to talk about what a dumbass I am, and how s—– I was to start with. How ‘overrated’ I am. I hear it all. I know it’s going to happen.”"

He stood in front of media members hanging on his every word then told everyone about a plan to take the game back 20 years. And you ate it up. Don’t buy into the narrative.

Gruden hired Greg Olson as an offensive coordinator. He just spent a year with an innovative offensive mind in head coach Sean McVay, Gruden’s former protégé, and the Los Angeles Rams No. 1-ranked offense in 2017. Does anyone honestly believe the Raiders will run “Spider 2 Y Banana” 25 times with a prehistoric playsheet? Don’t kid yourself.

Now, let’s take a look at the Raiders’ free-agent signings in an age breakdown:

First off, many took immediate offense to the factual tweet. It’s a product of groupthink conditioning. Simply pointing out a pattern in signing older players automatically led to questions about why is it a bad thing?

It’s not. Why?

It’s well-documented the Raiders went through locker room issues without strong voices to pull the scattered pieces together during the past season, per The Athletic’s Vic Tafur:

"There was no personal investment … Del Rio had lost the locker room. Or more to the point, the players in the locker room had lost their way.And that comes down on the Raiders leaders. Or lack thereof.There weren’t any leaders this season."

“We had a good bunch of guys in the locker room,” one player said, “but I think it was more about having a good time than doing everything it took to win.”

More from NFL Spin Zone

• Dallas Cowboys made the trade everyone else should have made
• Pittsburgh Steelers rookie sleeper everyone should be talking about
• Anthony Richardson putting jaw-dropping talent on display immediately
• Denver Broncos’ stud wide receiver might be out for a while
• Washington Commanders: Three takeaways from win over Ravens

We saw wideout Michael Crabtree engage in an on-field fistfight with cornerback Aqib Talib, which likely factored into the Raiders’ decision to release him. He fell out of favor with head coach Jack Del Rio’s staff, playing just 46 snaps in the last two games and seeing just one pass target.

Despite the coaching turnover, general manager Reggie McKenzie still remains. Between the on-field skirmish and a sour ending, the front office felt the need to go in another direction at wide receiver.

As far as signing players closer to 30 (and older) than 25 years old, understand the Raiders didn’t come into free agency with a lot of cap space, and Gruden clearly wants to remodel the roster in a hurry.

As a result, the team signed several veterans to one-year deals for a trial period to see what will and won’t work in Gruden’s first year. For the most part, the acquisitions play with composure like wideout Jordy Nelson or have something to prove, not just there for a good time, like running back Doug Martin, who’s coming off season-lows in rushing yardage (406) and yards from scrimmage (490).

There’s a balance that’s overlooked as well. The Raiders have 11 draft picks —meaning their young players will join in April. Don’t forget the 16 draft picks on the roster from the past two classes — all whom 26 years or younger. You can argue the depth chart needed more veterans.

Next: Oakland Raiders: 7-Round 2018 mock draft in mid-March

Finally, it’s March. All the “old” players signed won’t necessarily make it through final cuts in September. As Macho Man Randy Savage once said, “the cream will rise to the top.” Training camp battles and preseason will weed out the veterans who don’t have it anymore and the young players who need to sit and watch how experienced players get the job done.