Las Vegas Raiders cannot afford to miss in free agency again in 2021

Nov 15, 2020; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Las Vegas Raiders coach Jon Gruden (left) and general manager Mike Mayock walk off the field after the game against the Denver Broncos at Allegiant Stadium. The Raiders defeated the Broncos 37-12. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 15, 2020; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Las Vegas Raiders coach Jon Gruden (left) and general manager Mike Mayock walk off the field after the game against the Denver Broncos at Allegiant Stadium. The Raiders defeated the Broncos 37-12. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports /
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Raiders Cory Littleton. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports /

Raiders have struggled mightily in free agency in recent years: 2020

This past offseason, coming off a seven-win campaign, it was seen that the Raiders only needed to bring in a few pieces to get over the hump and be a playoff team in their first season in Las Vegas. There was a lot of excitement entering the offseason, and then the pandemic hit, making this one of the more complicated seasons of all-time.

The free agency haul was a bad one once again for the Raiders, as outside of guys like Nelson Agholor and Nick Kwiatkoski, the team got nothing from this group. Yes, Devontae Booker had a few nice moments, and Marcus Mariota played well for a few quarters against Los Angeles, but can we really sit back and be excited about what this group brought to the table.

Carl Nassib, Maliek Collins, and Cory Littleton were all supposed to take this defense to the next level, and all three severely disappointed. Collins was viewed as an anchor in the preseason, but watching games, you would never even know he was on the team. Littleton came over as an elite player and was nowhere to be found either.

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Entering the 2021 offseason, the Raiders do not have the kind of draft capital they have had the previous two years, holding five first-round picks, so Mayock and Gruden cannot afford to miss once again in free agency. If they do, and the Raiders finish outside of the playoffs once again, you have to think Mayock is going to be very much on the hot seat in 2022.