Here are some thoughts of why it would be beneficial and not beneficial for the Oakland Raiders to sign inside linebacker A.J. Hawk. He was cut Wednesday by the Green Bay Packers after nine seasons.

PROS

Familiarity: Oakland general manager Reggie McKenzie was with the Packers when they took Hawk with the No. 5 overall pick in 2006. McKenzie hasn’t had a heavy reliance on former Packers in his tenure in Oakland, but he isn’t afraid of going to that well, either. McKenzie surely has fond memories of Hawk. They won a Super Bowl together and Hawk is a leader. Because Nick Roach has not been cleared from a concussion he suffered in August that cost him the entire 2014 season and his future is in major doubt, the Raiders need a middle linebacker. It could be worth McKenzie’s while to investigate Hawk, who has been a 3-4 inside linebacker in Green Bay’s scheme. However, he was a 4-3 middle linebacker in his first three NFL seasons, so he’d fit Oakland’s system.

Still productive: Hawk is tough and durable. He has missed just two games in nine NFL seasons. Pairing him with outside linebackers Khalil Mack and Sio Moore would give Oakland a solid group of linebackers, playing for former NFL linebackers in head coach Jack Del Rio and defensive coordinator Ken Norton Jr. Hawk had 89 tackles last season. He could help in 2015.

CONS

Short-term answer: Hawk is 31 and he has lost some speed. The word is he is on the back nine. The Raiders might be better off going for a young player at the position who could grow with Mack and Moore. Some possible free-agent targets include Denver’s Nate Irving, Cincinnati’s Rey Maualuga, Tampa Bay’s Mason Foster and Seattle’s Malcolm Smith. Going that route might be better in the long run.

Would continue bad trend: The Raiders squandered great salary-cap space last year by signing older, declining players to short-term deals. It didn’t help. Oakland needs to sign younger, roster-building players. Signing Hawk would be a sign that McKenzie is not over last year’s poor habits.

Conclusion: While Hawk could help Oakland now, I’d lean on taking a pass. I think the Raiders could find a younger option at middle linebacker who could give the same production as Hawk now and help down the road.

In other free-agent news, the Eagles are cutting guard Todd Herremans. He could be a player to keep an eye for Oakland. He was part of the Eagles’ fast-paced offense that new Oakland offensive coordinator Bill Musgrave, who was Philadelphia’s quarterbacks coach last season, is adopting. Plus, Oakland is looking for a guard. However, Herremans is 32 and has an injury history.