The Raiders got plenty of draft capital in return for trading Khalil Mack and Amari Cooper, but it wasn't the benefit to those deals.
Mack was worthy of a market-resetting contract for NFL defensive players either before last season or the next, and he got it after being sent to Chicago last September. Cooper will get serious cash from Dallas as soon as this offseason, following his third Pro Bowl campaign in four seasons.
The Raiders planned to pay both guys in addition to an expensive offensive line and high-priced quarterback Derek Carr.
Those Cooper and Mack deals are no off the books and the Raiders, thanks to some poor drafts, don't have a big-money extension coming up for a long, long time. They don't have any long-term commitments beyond Carr and recent top draft picks still on rookie deals.
That has given the Raiders tremendous salary-cap flexibility heading into a pivotal offseason meant to springboard the Jon Gruden's second Raiders stint.
The Raiders have roughly $71 million in salary-cap space in 2019, according to NFL personnel financing website OverTheCap.com. That ranks No. 5 in the NFL, and will allow the Raiders to pursue most anyone in free agency.
The Raiders can clear even more space should they chose. They could save $10.2 million by cutting elite left guard Kelechi Osemele, and $4.6 million by parting with receiver Seth Roberts. They could save $5.475 million by axing Donald Penn, coming off a season largely spent on injured reserve, and $5 million by cutting backup quarterback AJ McCarron before the NFL league year begins.
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Paying roster bonuses to Jordy Nelson, Tahir Whitehead, Lee Smith and Kyle Wilber essentially locks those guys to the roster.
There was never a danger of Carr being cut, but his $19.9 million base salary next season is now fully guaranteed.
New general manager Mike Mayock has stated his "buyer beware" approach to free agency, and head coach Jon Gruden, who ultimately has final say, has a soft spot for established veterans.
They signed a ton of unrestricted free agents to short-term deals. They might follow a different path this year.
Truly, the Raiders can do most anything they want.
"We've got some money this year, and we've had at least three meetings already about free agency," Mayock said in a sitdown with a few weeks ago at the Senior Bowl. "We're stacking that board right now, as we speak. Between Jon and I and our pro scouting staff, that's as important a board to stack as our draft board. We have some money and we would love to come out of it with a couple of starters. We have an awful lot of holes and we're not going to fill them all. The more you can do in free agency, the more surgical you can be in the draft."
Let's take a look at player the Raiders have on the books, and their soon-to-be free agents. The figures are the 2019 salary-cap numbers for the Raiders' highest-paid players, via OverTheCap.com:
Quarterback
Derek Carr $22.50 million
AJ McCarron $5.0
Nathan Peterman $645,000
Running back
Keith Smith $1.5
DeAndre Washington $787,299
Wide receiver
Jordy Nelson $5.368
Seth Roberts $4.650
Keon Hatcher $570,000
Tight end
Lee Smith $2.616
Derek Carrier $1.7
Darren Waller $720,000
Offensive line
Kelechi Osemele $10.2
Rodney Hudson $10.17
Donald Penn $7.225
Gabe Jackson $7.0
Kolton Miller $3.061
Brandon Parker $930,758
David Sharpe $645,000
Denver Krikland $645,000
Cameron Hunt $570,000
Defensive line
Justin Ellis $4.75
PJ Hall $1.069
Eddie Vanderdoes $869,303
Arden Key $830,844
Maurice Hurst $649,761
Linebacker
Tahir Whitehead $4.291
Kyle Wilber $1.5
Marquel Lee $708,426
Nicholas Morrow $647,500
James Cowser $645,000
Defensive back
Karl Joseph $3.781
Gareon Conley $2.854
Nick Nelson $744,669
Makinton Dorleant $570,000
Montrel Meander $570,000
Specialist
Andrew DePaola $905,000
Drew Kaser $720,000
Johnny Townsend $624,389
(All others under contract but not listed have cap figures of 2019 for $570,000 or less.)
Free agents
CB Rashaan Melvin (UFA)
TE Jared Cook (UFA)
RB Marshawn Lynch (UFA)
S Marcus Gilchrist (UFA)
DT Johnathan Hankins (UFA)
WR Martavis Bryant (UFA)
DT Clinton McDonald (UFA)
WR Brandon LaFell (UFA)
S Reggie Nelson (UFA)
RB Doug Martin (UFA)
CB Leon Hall (UFA)
DE Frostee Rucker (UFA)
DT Ahtyba Rubin (UFA)
K Mike Nugent (UFA)
Dwayne Harris (UFA)
DE Kony Ealy (UFA)
Bene Benwikiere (UFA)
G Denzell Good (UFA)
OL Chaz Green (UFA)
DE Jacquies Smith (UFA)
OT TJ Clemmings (UFA)
G Jon Feliciano (UFA)
S Erik Harris (RFA)
DE Shilique Calhoun (RFA)
CB Daryl Worley (RFA)
CB Dexter McDonald (RFA)
RB Jalen Richard (RFA)
S Tevin Mitchell (ERFA)
K Daniel Carlson (ERFA)
WR Marcell Ateman (ERFA)
LS Trent Sieg (ERFA)
LB Jason Cabinda (ERFA)
OT Justin Murray (ERFA)
