THREE NEEDS

1. Cornerback. The Raiders released veterans Stanford Routt and Chris Johnson. In turn, they signed veterans Ron Bartell and Shawntae Spencer. However, both players signed didn’t play much last season and are question marks. The Raiders have the numbers at this position, yet they lack proven players. This remains a huge priority.

2. Linebacker. The Raiders released veteran Kamerion Wimbley. They signed Philip Wheeler to take his place. Even so, general manager Reggie McKenzie views linebacker as an area on his defense that needs bolstering. He has enough players that are projected starters. Now he is in the market to find one or two players who can provide upgrades, in the short term or down the road.

3. Wide receiver. Four of the six receivers from last year’s team are under contract, including the top three playmakers. Again, the Raiders have enough bodies to fill the roster spots. What’s needed is an infusion of reliable playmakers on a team that hasn’t had a 1,000-yard receiver since Randy Moss in 2005.

TARGETING

The Raiders lack depth and have several positions occupied by players who likely wouldn’t be starting if the team had better options. With that in mind, McKenzie intends to target positions at which he might be able to find players who can help right away or in the near future. His hands are somewhat tied, given that he is without first- and second-round picks and isn’t slated to select until the final pick of the third round. With that in mind, he intends to stick to his philosophy of drafting the best player available with each selection.

In a perfect world, the Raiders would love to fall into a player such as California linebacker Mychal Kendricks, who might last until the end of the third round. West Virginia linebacker Bruce Irvin is another potential fit.

With cornerback being a huge question mark, McKenzie has his eyes fixed on adding a youngster to the mix. Georgia’s Brandon Boykin and Coastal Carolina’s Josh Norman would be nice fits, perhaps in the third or fourth round.

Wide receiver is another position that McKenzie would like to add another potential playmaker to the fold. He should be in position to get a solid prospect in the mid rounds, with the likes of Georgia’s Tavarres King and LSU’s Rueben Randle on their radar.

THE TAKE

“We need some depth, regardless. To compete and hopefully win jobs. And that’s what we’re targeting. When we say best player, whether it’s D-line, linebacker, O-line, tight end, it doesn’t matter. We want to get a good player. We’ve got five picks, we need to make 'em all count.” — General manager Reggie McKenzie