Getty Las Vegas Raiders general manager Dave Ziegler.
This year’s offseason for the Las Vegas Raiders hasn’t been nearly as exciting as last year. In 2022, the team traded for Davante Adams, signed Chandler Jones and gave contract extensions to multiple fan-favorite players. This offseason, the team has cut Derek Carr, traded Darren Waller and hasn’t made any splash signings.
The Raiders have decided to bring in more players who have familiarity with head coach Josh McDaniels like quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo. It’s a strategy that many new coaches implement but it’s possible Las Vegas isn’t going about it the right way. Obviously, it’s good for teams to add players familiar with the coaches when they provide an upgrade. However, Garoppolo isn’t an upgrade over Carr and Austin Hooper isn’t an upgrade over Waller. The Athletic’s Mike Sando spoke to executives around the NFL to see what they think of the Raiders’ offseason so far. They have not been impressed and one executive believes the team is considerably worse.
“They want familiarity, but they have downgraded in every way,” an exec told Sando.
The only position group that is looking better compared to last season is wide receiver with the addition of Jakobi Meyers. Outside of that, it’s difficult to see how the team has upgraded anywhere else.
Raiders Keep Rebuilding With Every Coach
McDaniels is clearly trying to rebuild the team in his image. It’s something that many coaches try to do. There are also coaches who just try to win with the players available to them. When the Raiders hired Jon Gruden in 2018, he tore the roster down and built it from scratch. That didn’t end up working out as he didn’t take the team to the playoffs a single time before he resigned.
McDaniels is doing the same thing and hoping to have more success. However, one executive believes that the Raiders need to change their approach and find a coach who can work with anybody.
“The Raiders have been building for so long, tearing it down with each new regime,” another exec told Sando. “This is a team that had Derek Carr and Khalil Mack and Amari Cooper. Jon Gruden came in and wanted his guys. Josh McDaniels came in and wants his guys. Maybe they should have a coach who can work with the guys they’ve got. Now, Darren Waller is gone, too.”
Raiders Have 12 Former Patriots on Roster
With the recent signing of quarterback Brian Hoyer, many started to call the team the “Las Vegas Patriots.” While there are certainly some former Patriots on the team, there are only 12. The Raiders are allowed 90 players on the roster at this point in the offseason and 53 when the season is around. 12 players isn’t a huge portion of the roster.
Former Patriot Coaches/Players on Raiders roster:
Bolden, Adam Butler, Dorsett, Eleumunor, Jimmy G, Herron, Hoyer, Jenkins, Jakob, Jones, Meyers, Zuber.
McDaniels, Ziegler, Lombardi, Amendola, Bricillo, Hardegree, Schuplinski.
That’s It. 12 players, not a big deal
Now, it’s fair to question the decisions to move on from Carr and Waller but the team isn’t overwhelmingly filled with former Patriots. The Raiders’ offseason certainly hasn’t been very exciting but the draft is still on the way. If general manager Dave Ziegler nails the draft, then a lackluster free agency doesn’t matter. It has been almost a decade since a Raiders general manager nailed a draft so there’s a lot of pressure on Ziegler.