"Around the League" is taking a look at each team's salary-cap situation heading into training camp. Next up: The Oakland Raiders.
Adjusted cap number: $123.659 million
Cap room remaining: $1.347 million
Best bargain: Denarius Moore, a 2011 fifth-round wide receiver, blew past former fourth-round picks Louis Murphy and Jacoby Ford on the Raiders' depth chart, finishing his rookie season with 33 receptions for 618 yards, which ranked second on the team behind Darrius Heyward-Bey's 975 yards. A dangerous vertical threat, Moore's 18.7 yards per catch average tied for third in the league (Moore barely reached the 32-catch mark to qualify) and his five receiving touchdowns led the Raiders last season. Moore will earn $465,000 in base salary this season, or nearly 12 times less than the $5.529 million in total compensation that Heyward-Bey will take home this season.
Potential camp casualty: To clear cap space this offseason, the Raiders re-worked the contracts of Richard Seymour, Michael Huff and Carson Palmer. One player primed for a restructure is defensive tackle Tommy Kelly, whose $6 million base salary and $8.874 million cap numbers are the second-highest on the team. Kelly is still effective -- he led the Raiders in sacks last season with seven -- and Oakland lacks the depth at defensive tackle to part ways with Kelly, but reworking that deal is a move that's long overdue.
The Raiders are also slated to pay safety Tyvon Branch $6.212 million in fully guaranteed base salary on the franchise tag this season. Branch is a pretty good strong safety and the two sides would like a multi-year deal before Monday's deadline. Given the Raiders' lack of cap space, Branch, who already signed the tender, has considerable leverage in those talks.
Contract issue looming in 2013: Running back Darren McFadden is another player whose contract probably should've been restructured this offseason, but wasn't. If it remains the same, the deal will definitely be an issue in 2013. Productive when healthy, McFadden has two years and at least $11.486 million remaining on his rookie contract. McFadden's $9.458 million cap number is the highest on the Raiders this season and his cap number will increase to nearly $10 million in 2013. If McFadden is limited to half a season again in 2012, the Silver & Black won't be paying him nearly $6 million in base salary in 2013.
Defensive end Matt Shaughnessy, who had seven sacks in 2010 before missing most of 2011 with a shoulder injury, will be an unrestricted free agent in 2013.
