LaMarr

Woodley

On Tuesday, Raiders GM Reggie McKenzie let his best offensive lineman (Jared Veldheer) walk, overpaid for Rodger Saffold, let reliable Rashad Jennings walk, let his best defender Lamarr Houston walk and re-signed injury-prone Darren McFadden. So how will he spend the rest of his money? Perhaps on two aging, declining edge rushers in search of a payday. Tuck, who will turn 31 later this month, looked done prior to his 9.5-sack outburst over the final six games of last year. Woodley, 29, has missed 14 games over the last three seasons.

This has been the expected landing spot for Woodley all along. New Titans defensive coordinator Ray Horton was in Pittsburgh during Woodley’s first four NFL seasons and he’s now installing a 3-4 in Tennessee. The only question is if the Oakland -- where Woodley visited Wednesday -- will blow him away with an offer he can’t refuse. Reggie McKenzie has cap space to burn.

Coming off a lost age-30 season where a torn biceps limited him to just six games, Woodley was released by the Raiders nine days ago. He’ll be reuniting with ex-Steelers assistant Bruce Arians in Arizona, and should kick back out to outside linebacker in Arizona’s 3-4 scheme. Woodley will have the inside track on a 53-man roster spot, but will have to prove he’s not out of gas after last year’s sack-less debacle.

Beleaguered Raiders GM Reggie McKenzie made some decent draft picks last year, but his free agent class was a disaster. Among his pickups was Woodley, whom Oakland signed to a two-year, $12 million deal. At age 30, Woodley looked all out of gas early in the season before landing on I.R. with a torn biceps tendon. He should be available for the minimum salary this offseason.

The deal is worth a maximum of $12 million. Oakland was the only visit Woodley, 30, made; he was scheduled to visit Tennessee next. With 2013 starting DEs Lamarr Houston and Justin Hunter free agents and Houston already signing with Chicago, the Raiders replace them with Woodley and Justin Tuck on Thursday. Woodley has exclusively been a 3-4 outside linebacker. The Raiders run a 4-3. In today’s NFL, pass rushers are pass rushers.

He’ll likely play right end with Justin Tuck at his natural left end spot. With Sio Moore in the Von Miller role at strong-side linebacker and left end on pass-rushing downs -- with Tuck kicking to three technique in those scenarios -- the Raiders do have the potential to bring some pressure. They also fielded a respectable front seven in 2013, however, and finished 4-12.

Anyone notice he was playing? Although Woodley has appeared in all six Raiders games this year, starting five, he has zero sacks and five tackles, and has graded out negatively as both a pass rusher and run defender according to Pro Football Focus. He’s just another whiff by GM Reggie McKenzie.

He won’t be missed. Woodley was a complete non-factor in six games for the Raiders, managing five tackles and zero sacks. Dating back to the 2009 season, Woodley’s sack totals in chronological order are 13.5, 10, 9, 4, 5, and 0. GM Reggie McKenzie signed Woodley to a two-year, $12 million deal this past March. Only the Titans and Raiders -- two of the worst-run organizations in pro sports -- had interest after the Steelers cut him this past spring. Woodley figures to be released by Oakland in the offseason.

Woodley appeared in all six games (five starts) prior to going down, grading out negatively as a pass rusher and against the run. His signing is another failed move by GM Reggie McKenzie, who gave Woodley a two-year deal in March. The Raiders will move forward with Benson Mayowa. Woodley is a candidate for offseason release.

Signed to a $12 million deal last March, Woodley was limited to six games before suffering a season-ending biceps injury. He was playing at a backup-caliber level prior to going down, and won’t be back at his $3.85 million salary. The Raiders can save $5.19M by releasing Woodley.