Raiders unlikely to be big players in free agency

While the NFL's new league year commences at 1 p.m. PT today, it's hard to imagine the Raiders being big players when it comes to free agency. At least, right away.Rather, expect the Raiders to play a game of sit-and-wait, instead of trying to snare the bigger names on the market.And it's not just a matter of economics; it's about the wait-and-see patience mantra of the new regime at 1220 Harbor Bay Parkway.General manager Reggie McKenzie has been slammed with getting "out of whack" contracts in order and getting Oakland salary cap compliant while giving the Raiders some breathing room to operate under the cap.In fact, factoring in the ESPN-reported cut of tight end Kevin Boss (a 2.5 million savings against the cap) and Scout.com's breakdown of linebacker Aaron Curry's contract extensionrestructuring (a 4.76 million savings), the Raiders should be 6.063.766 million under the cap. But that's before factoring in the monetarily undisclosed tenders placed upon defensive linemen Desmond Bryant and Mason Brodine, cornerbackkick returner Bryan McCann and fullback Marcel Reece on Monday.RELATED: Report -- Raiders to release Kevin BossRaiders free-agents
The Raiders might clear more room by releasing defensive tackle John Henderson (4.75 million cap number) andor linebacker Kamerion Wimbley (11.85 million cap number).RELATED: Wimbley's agent -- "He has a contract and he'll honor it."
But being under the cap by today's deadline gives the Raiders a few days to decide what to do with Wimbley, who will have 17.5 million through 2014 guaranteed if he is on the roster on Saturday."He has a contract and he'll honor it," Wimbley's agent Joe Linta told CSNCalifornia.com in an email on Monday.