Wide Receiver Cordarrelle Patterson, Tight End Jared Cook, and Offensive Lineman Marshall Newhouse
After lying in wait for the first few days of free agency, you didn't really think the Oakland Raiders would stand pat and not add some playmakers to the roster, did you?
Well, if you did, General Manager Reggie McKenzie pulled his best Lee Corso impersonation this week and said, "Not so fast my friend," signing a trio of offensive players in the second week of the 2017 NFL league year.
In addition to adding some depth along the offensive line with veteran lineman Marshall Newhouse, McKenzie and his staff also got Derek Carr a pair of new weapons to play with, wide receiver Cordarrelle Patterson and tight end Jared Cook.
Let's take a quick look at the newest Raiders, and what each of them specifically brings to the table.
Offensive lineman Marshall Newhouse(Signed March 13)
A veteran lineman with a Super Bowl ring and 50 starts to his name, Newhouse joins the Silver and Black after spending the past two seasons with the New York Giants.
Newhouse has the ability to play a variety of positions along the line – something Head Coach Jack Del Rio and offensive line coach Mike Tice have repeatedly said they like in their linemen – and not only that, he has a history with Reggie McKenzie who worked in the Green Bay Packers front office when they selected Newhouse in the fifth round (No. 169 overall) in the 2010 NFL Draft.
"It's fun to see both of us kind of come full circle," said Newhouse about McKenzie. "He's got his new gig here, and having success with it, and at this leg of my career it's kind of fun to reconnect. The whole point is to go win games. He trusts in what I can do, and I think that's a big reason why I signed here."
Wide receiver Cordarrelle Patterson(Signed March 13)
Yes, Patterson adds another weapon on the outside for offensive coordinator Todd Downing and Derek Carr to play with, but where the explosive wide out has really made his hay since entering the league is as a kickoff and punt returner; in fact, he's been one of the best in the league since his rookie season in 2013.
Patterson is an electric playmaker, there's no doubt about that, and he's ready to line up wherever he's asked to for the Silver and Black.
"I want to win, [there's] just something in me," Patterson said. "I know what I bring to the table. I'm a playmaker. You get the ball in my hands, I'm going to do the rest. Wherever I line up on the field, I want to make a play, if it's at running back, [wide] receiver, halfback, quarterback, I just want to make a play."
Tight end Jared Cook(Signed March 16)
After the Raiders locked up the dynamic tight end, defenses around the AFC West have to be thinking, enough is enough already.
Combined with Amari Cooper, Michael Crabtree, and a pair of young, exciting running backs, adding Cook to the mix makes an already potent Raiders offense all the more dangerous headed into 2017.
"They're building something special here, and you always want to be a part of something special," Cook explained. "They did a great job of making a pretty impressive record last year, and turning the season into a pretty great one, so having those guys as complimentary receivers next to me, as well as having a great o-line, great running backs to be able to add a different element to this offense, it was huge [in my] decision to come here."
