by 790thSFS » Fri Mar 10, 2017 8:19 am
The Oakland Raiders are not letting any of their exclusive rights free agents (ERFA) escape this offseason.
According to Silver & Black Pride, wide receiver Seth Roberts, tight end Gabe Holmes and offensive lineman Denver Kirkland have all been offered one-year ERFA tenders. These tenders pay out $615,000 for one year of service and prevent players from signing with any other team in free agency.
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Roberts, 26, has operated as Oakland's slot receiver each of the past two seasons, carving out a role in between Amari Cooper and Michael Crabtree on the outsides. He struggled with drops in 2016 and was less explosive than he was as a rookie, but he still scored five touchdowns for the second straight season. One of those touchdowns was a 41-yard game-winner in overtime of a Week 8 matchup with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, illustrating his ability to come through for the Raiders in the clutch.
Holmes still hasn't appeared in a single regular-season game since joining the Raiders as an undrafted free agent in 2015, but there remains some hope for his future. He is only 25 years old and carries a promising frame for his position at 6-foot-5 and 255 pounds. Starting tight end Lee Smith is a blocking specialist coming off a season-ending injury and former third-round draft pick Clive Walford has been largely underwhelming, so there's an opportunity for an all-around tight end to climb the depth chart.
Kirkland joined the Raiders as an undrafted free agent just last year and saw the field as an extra offensive lineman when former second-round draft pick Menelik Watson was injured. At 6-foot-5 and 340 pounds, he's a big body that will provide Oakland's offensive line with some depth moving forward.
Any of these three players are can sign a contract extension with the Raiders instead of playing under the terms of the one-year tender, but Roberts is the only one with a reasonable chance to do so.