The Las Vegas Raiders free agency additions included a little bit of everything during the early wave – a big splash. misses, and shrewd bargain-bin pickups.
Aside from linebacker, general manager Mike Mayock and head coach Jon Gruden filled needs with rotational players who could blossom into solid contributors. That’s not an issue for a team with two top-20 draft picks.
The Raiders free agency acquisitions add serviceable placeholders at shallow positions to give themselves some flexibility in April.
We’ll break down the Raiders free agency acquisitions that stood out and how those moves changed the roster complexion.
It’s become a yearly offseason routine to hear about the next quarterback set to take Derek Carr’s job. Last year, the Raiders were connected to almost every top rookie signal-caller in the draft. This offseason, the team had eyes on quarterback Tom Brady, but the level of interest remains debatable.
Still, the Raiders upgraded the quarterback room, signing Marcus Mariota who will step into a backup role. Despite losing his job to Ryan Tannehill in Tennessee, the 26-year-old has the tools to run Jon Gruden’s offense. He can be efficient, doesn’t throw a lot of interceptions and shows great mobility.
In an interview with Rob DeMello of KHON2 News in Hawaii, Mariota called the Raiders “Derek’s team,” which is the supportive nature of a backup signal-caller, but he also used the word stability multiple times.
Like Carr, Mariota went through four offensive play-callers in his first five seasons. Coming to Las Vegas, he knows head coach Jon Gruden isn’t going anywhere with his 10-year deal in place.
Even though Mariota says it’s “Derek’s team,” he understands the opportunity to reinvent himself in Silver and Black with a stable coaching staff.
If Carr goes down with an injury or has a poor showing through a long stretch, Gruden could call on the next man up—similar to how the Titans’ situation unfolded between Mariota and Tannehill.
Mariota’s contract comes with performance incentives. NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo laid out the details.
Mariota is one of the best backups in the league. The Raiders paid him what he’s worth at about $8.8 million annually plus some bonuses in the event the five-year veteran sees the field, but the team can also release him without any dead cap next offseason.
So let’s be clear. Gruden didn’t sign Mariota to replace Carr, but the former is capable of running the offense if the incumbent doesn’t perform up to par. Unlike most teams, the Raiders have a No. 2 signal-caller with extensive starting experience, which extends to the playoffs, and upside because of his youth and skill set.
If you’re bored indoors, watch tape of Jerry Jeudy, CeeDee Lamb and Henry Ruggs III because Gruden and Mayock will likely address the wide receiver position in the first round.
The Raiders had wide receiver Robby Anderson on their radar, but the team exercised some restraint, per The Athletic’s Vic Tafur.
Anderson signed a two-year, $20 million deal with the Carolina Panthers Wednesday.
According to Over the Cap, the Raiders have $6.47 million in projected cap space. That number doesn’t include contracts for guard Eric Kush, defensive end Carl Nassib, tight end Nick O’Leary and linebacker Kyle Wilber.
Agholor isn’t a splashy signing, but he can provide much-needed depth and speed at the position.
Because of Las Vegas’ limited cap space, the team stood pat with Nelson Agholor as the only wide receiver Raiders free agency addition on a one-year deal worth a little more than $1 million.
Agholor isn’t a splashy signing, but he can provide much-needed depth and speed at the position. With the Philadelphia Eagles, the 26-year-old had his ups and downs but never reached his full first-round potential because of drop issues early in his career.
According to Pro Football Focus, Agholor only has seven drops since 2018. With his ability to separate, catch and run, he could give the Raiders passing game a boost in some spots.
Nonetheless, the lead wideout who’s going to elevate the offense will likely join the team with the 12th overall pick—say hello to Jeudy, Lamb or Ruggs in April.
The Raiders have gone through the bargain bin, dug deep in drafts and even saw one-year wonders like Perry Riley Jr. and NaVorro Bowman pass through at linebacker.
Oddly enough, team brass took a more aggressive Raiders free agency approach to revamp the linebacker group, signing Nick Kwiatkoski and Cory Littleton. They’re both under contract for three years making top-10 salaries (annually) among players at the position, per Spotrac. Littleton lists at $11.75 million and Kwiatkoski at $7 million per year.
Littleton will provide solid coverage in the middle of the field. Since 2018, he leads all linebackers in pass breakups (22) to go along with five interceptions. The four-year veteran also has the speed to supplement pocket pressure, logging 7.5 sacks over the last two campaigns. In short, he’s a high-impact playmaker.
With Littleton on the field, we’ll see fewer teams gouge the Raiders’ second line of defense on short-to-intermediate passes.
Kwiatkoski should add solid tackling against the run and short-area coverage ability. At 6’2″, 243 pounds, he will be expected to come downhill on tailbacks and continue to disrupt plays in the backfield.
Last year, with the Chicago Bears, Kwiatkoski recorded a team-leading eight tackles for loss—tied with Khalil Mack.
Don’t write off Raiders free agency signings Maliek Collins and Carl Nassib as trivial signings that don’t move the needle. Neither player signed a major contract. That’s ideal for rotational assets on the defensive line. The Raiders’ cumulative talent across the front could crumble some offensive lines in the upcoming season.
At 6’7″, 275 pounds, Nassib is built to share reps with Clelin Ferrell on the strong side. He can seal the edge and power through pass protection to bring down quarterbacks. Since 2018, the 26-year-old has logged 12.5 sacks.
Collins can shoot gaps and tear down the pocket from the interior. In Dallas, he flashed under Rod Marinelli’s tutelage, registering 14.5 sacks and 20 tackles for loss through four seasons.
Mayock didn’t spend big money on a top edge-rusher on the market. Instead, he added capable pass-rushers in two spots at a far less cost.
Those acquisitions don’t grab headlines, but defensive coordinator Paul Guenther and Marinelli can experiment with several combinations up front, featuring Collins, Nassib, Ferrell, Maxx Crosby, Maurice Hurst, Johnathan Hankins, P.J. Hall and Arden Key.
If Key and Hall are unable to take their respective games to the next level, Nassib and Collins are there to absorb additional snaps.
Nassib and Collins aren’t Yannick Ngakoue and Chris Jones from the fans’ wish list, but together, the two new defensive linemen can make a significant impact.
In totality, the Raiders should field a respectable front seven that can take some pressure off an unsettled secondary.
With more penetration up front, opposing quarterbacks will have less time to pick apart the pass defense, which allowed the fourth-most touchdowns (33) in 2019. Guenther should aim to apply relentless heat to the pocket with fresh bodies to mask whatever weakness exists in the secondary.
While Raiders fan hope Johnathan Abram returns to the field as a playmaker, quarterbacks will test him because of his inexperience. The defense also has a question mark opposite Trayvon Mullen on the boundary.
The front office didn’t land its top cornerback during the Raiders free agency spending spree or a coverage safety, but the rotation across the defensive line is good enough to quickly muddy the pocket and keep the quarterbacks’ heads on a swivel.
The Raiders swung and missed on cornerback Byron Jones, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
Chris Harris Jr. saw a better fit with the Los Angeles Chargers. The Raiders brass didn’t feel comfortable with the trade price or extension numbers for Darius Slay, per Jerry McDonald of the Bay Area News Group.
In the midst of a run at the top cornerbacks on the market, Las Vegas agreed to terms on a one-year, $6 million deal with Eli Apple.
Apple won’t claim Daryl Worley’s boundary spot on arrival, but he’ll have an opportunity to earn the role. Like Agholor, he’s a former first-round pick (2016) with career ups, downs and some potential, but the cornerback is two years younger (24).
Apple played his best football in the second half of the 2018 campaign with the New Orleans Saints. In the final 10 games of that term, he performed like a complete player, but a shaky 2019 season puts that theory in doubt.
At 6’1″, 203 pounds, Apple has 4.4-second 40-yard straight-line speed, but at times, he’ll lose his way in coverage, negating that foot quickness. Yet, team brass likely covets his length and ability to close throwing windows with good reach.
Apple played his best football in the second half of the 2018 campaign with the New Orleans Saints. In the final 10 games of that term, he performed like a complete player, but a shaky 2019 season puts that theory in doubt.
Other than wide receiver, cornerback stands out as a major need after the Raiders missed on Jones and Harris and then passed on Slay. Expect a training camp battle between Apple and a rookie. Don’t rule out an incoming safety rotating with Erik Harris and Jeff Heath alongside Abram.
In 2019, Darren Waller racked up 1,145 receiving yards. Foster Moreau hauled in five touchdowns as a rookie. The tight end position seemed like one of the last positions to address during Raiders free agency.
Yet, the Raiders signed long-time Dallas Cowboy Jason Witten and Nick O’Leary. Remember, Moreau suffered a torn ACL in Week 14.
Typically, teams have an optimistic timetable for significant injuries, but Moreau will need time to bounce back. Even if he’s on the field Week 1, the 2019 fourth-rounder may not feel like himself until the second half of the season.
In the meantime, Witten can fill the red-zone pass-catching role that served Moreau well last season. The 37-year-old isn’t “washed up” yet. He caught 63 passes for 529 yards and four touchdowns as the fourth option in the Cowboys offense behind wideouts Amari Cooper, Michael Gallup and Randall Cobb.
With a 75.9 percent catch rate, a connection to Marinelli and leadership qualities needed in a young locker room, Witten has a good chance at making the 53-man roster—contrary to popular belief.
Derek Carrier blocks well, but he’ll have to battle for a spot if Moreau doesn’t go on the physically unable to perform list or injured reserve.
Here’s the downside to the NFL business—more specifically free agency. While some guys are on their way in, others land on the bubble.
The Raiders low remaining salary cap number ($6.47 million), suggests guard Gabe Jackson could be on the way out. The team can release him and save $9.6 million, per Over the Cap.
According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the Raiders have included Jackson’s name in trade talks, which shouldn’t come as a surprise after a quick look at his recent performance in pass protection.
Jackson allowed three sacks in his first four seasons but gave up 10 over the last two terms, per Pro Football Focus. The Raiders may recoup some draft capital and unload an underperforming player on an expensive deal.
If the Raiders trade Jackson, Denzelle Good and Kush would likely battle for the position. Ideally, the team should also look to select a guard in the third or fourth round of the draft.
The Silver and Black didn’t grab a lot of headlines during free agency, but the club checked two boxes that matter. On paper, the defense looks much improved with two more competent pass-rushers and a pair of highly-skilled linebackers.
Even if you have mixed feelings about Apple, he’s at least a placeholder until the Raiders commit to a starter opposite Mullen.
Overall, Mayock addressed most of the roster’s shallow spots, which is the basic objective during free agency. In case the draft doesn’t pan out as expected, there are serviceable veterans in place.
Secondly, Mayock and Gruden have some flexibility in how they target roster needs. If the Raiders don’t feel strongly about a cornerback on Day 1, team brass could circle back to the position in Round 3 knowing Apple can play out the year on the boundary. This train of thought prevents a reach to fill a big void.
Most fans and analysts will project a wide receiver and cornerback at 12 and 19, respectively.
What if defensive lineman Derrick Brown slips or a team calls with a great trade offer, allowing the Mayock to move down a few spots and pick up a second-round pick? The Raiders can go with the flow and not feel handcuffed to a rigid plan. Mayock will be able to maneuver whatever situations arise from the random madness in April.