With the Raiders undoubtedly trying to find ways to accumulate more draft picks, this mock draft explores the possibilities in the event they can trade down from the #3 overall spot. In this situation, I have the Dolphins trading up from #12 in order to get offensive tackle Eric Fisher. In return, I have the Raiders receiving a 2013 1st, 2nd, and 4th round pick.

Recently the Dolphins began exploring trade options for Chiefs left tackle Branden Albert - but it remains to be seen if they would be willing to trade a high pick for a player who is on a one-year deal at the Franchise Tag rate. The assumption here is that they pass on Albert in favor of building through the draft with younger, less expensive talent with more upside.

1. Sheldon Richardson, DL, Missouri

Sheldon Richardson is talented enough to be in the conversation for the #3 pick if the Raiders stayed put. But there’s a definite chance that with the top offensive tackles, pass rushers, and his fellow defensive tackles Sharrif Floyd and Star Lotulelei creating a logjam at the top, Richardson will fall out of the top ten.

Richardson is as explosive as any player in the draft. He lives in the backfield, creating disruption on almost every play. He leaves a bit to be desired against the run, but he’ll help give the Raiders’ pass rush a much-needed boost.

Alternate pick: Bjoern Werner, DE, Florida State

For this mock I've not included any trades to these are my picks if the Raiders stay where they are.  Of course, Reggie McKenzie is likely to make some trades, possibly starting with their first round pick.  If they do not, here are the players I think would best fit the Silver and Black:

1. Ezekiel Ansah, DE, BYU

The Raiders finished the 2012 season second to last in the league in sacks. They desperately need playmakers on the defensive side of the ball. Ziggy Ansah would provide a boost to a pitiful Raiders pass rush and would serve as a versatile piece for Jason Tarver’s hybrid defense. The Raiders can use Ansah much the way the 49ers do Aldon Smith.

Alternate pick: Dion Jordan, OLB, Oregon

The NFL draft is now just 10 days away.  By this time in 10 days the Raiders #3 pick will have come and gone.  Will the Raiders have chosen a young player they will hang their hopes on to revitalize the franchise?

Or, instead, will the team have, as many have reported is their preference, traded down in the first round.

If the Raiders trade down there seem to be really only 4 teams that would be interested in moving up to the #3 overall spot at this point: #5 Detroit Lions, #7 Arizona Cardinals, #8 Buffalo Bills or #12 Miami Dolphins.

Of these, the Lions and Cardinals make the most sense right now.  I’ll start with the scenario I find most often from the media these days: the Kansas Chiefs take Luke Joeckel #1 overall and the Jaguars take their franchise QB in Geno Smith #2.

If this occurs there are a couple of players remaining that most think are elite but only one, LT Eric Fisher, is at a really premium position.

This is important because a couple of the teams, Arizona and Detroit, are really built to win now. Miami would also love a franchise LT to pair with last year’s first round pick, Ryan Tannehill.

The most likely of these is Arizona.  They wouldn’t have to move up far – only 4 spots from #7 to #3.  They are also looking to win now because they have a stifling defense and one of the best WRs in the league in Larry Fitzgerald.

While I didn’t include any potential trades in my mock draft, there are five teams to watch who could very well try to move up.

Arizona may try to trade up for either an offensive tackle or a quarterback. Buffalo has a dire need at quarterback, and could move up for Geno Smith if he makes it past the Jaguars.

Miami is looking for an offensive tackle, and according to a recent report by Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald, they prefer Luke Joeckel and Eric Fisher over Lane Johnson, meaning a trade into the top five isn’t out of the question.

Minnesota and San Francisco also have a stockpile of draft picks, and could move up for a prospect they feel like they can’t live without.

1. Kansas City - Luke Joeckel, OT, Texas A&M

The Chiefs may have painted themselves into a corner after releasing right tackle Eric Winston, but with Joeckel they get arguably the most talented player in the draft and a long-term solution at the left tackle position.

2. Jacksonville - Geno Smith, QB, West Virginia

The new regime in Jacksonville is understandably less than impressed by Blaine Gabbert. Geno Smith helps give a rebuilding Jaguars franchise an identity. He can immediately improve an offense that already has some talented pieces in place.

In the last few days the Raiders signed a pair of cornerbacks – former first round pick Mike Jenkins formally of the Cowboys and last year’s nickel corner in Silver and Black Joselio Hanson.  The two corners join previous free agent addition Tracy Porter, who signed with Oakland last week.

The Raiders have also added a couple of safeties in former Bengals FS Usama Young and former 49ers SS Reggie Smith.

The team added further competition at QB in former Seahawk and Browns sometime starting QB Seneca Wallace. While it’s unlikely that Wallace wins the starting position, he can provide a veteran option.

The Raiders have also signed a backup RB with some upside in former Jaguars backup Rashad Jennings.  Jennings has 9 career starts with some success.  He’s a decent receiving RB.

Finally, the Raiders further addressed one of their weakest positions, defensive end, by resigning Andre Carter.  Carter came in last year mid-season and wasn’t the force the team was hoping for after suffering an injury in late 2011.

Carter, who will be 34 by the time the season starts, says that he’s completely healed from his injury, now, and hopes to be much improved in 2013.

The most important part of these signings is that essentially ever position the Raiders lacked a viable starter has been addressed.

None of these guys are all Pros but all have upside, have short “prove it” contracts and are coming into a situation where they have the ability to start.

The Raiders' secondary already looks remarkably different from 2012's version and will likely look very different, again, next season.

Reggie McKenzie continued on his trend of signing players that have flashed skills in the NFL in the past but, for a variety of reasons, were no longer wanted by their previous teams.

Per ESPN's Adam Schefter, the Raiders signed former Cowboys CB Mike Jenkins to a 1 year deal.  Terms were not yet released.

Last week I posted a piece about the Raiders options with Carson Palmer. Since then, the Raiders have traded for a new QB, former Packer and Seahawk Matt Flynn. They also traded Palmer to Arizona, effective yesterday.

Since the trade, I’ve received a lot of questions about why Palmer counts against the cap and how the “dead money” works.

Here is text from last week’s piece on his contract:

“When a player is cut, their guaranteed money accelerates into the current season. Therefore, if the Raiders cut Carson Palmer this year, all of the remaining guaranteed money from the $11,675,000 signing bonus signed last year would come into 2013’s cap.

The Raiders paid 1/5 of that money last season as part of the prorated amount so four years’ payments of $2,335,000 remain, or $9,340,000.”

In the case of trades, the same accleration of the previously prorated signing bonus occurs . Because Palmer’s signing bonus was spread out over 5 years and only the first fifth was paid last year, the remaining $9.34M accelerates into 2013’s cap.