It is going to be an exciting offseason for the Las Vegas Raiders, and here are five bold predictions over the next few months.
For the Las Vegas Raiders, the 2022 off-season has already been quite eventful. After a playoff loss to the eventual AFC champion Cincinnati Bengals, the Raiders fired then-GM Mike Mayock and decided to move on from interim head coach Rich Bisaccia. Las Vegas then subsequently hired Dave Ziegler as their new general manager and Josh McDaniels as their new head coach, both coming from the New England Patriots.
With the new regime stepping in, there could be a lot of changes coming in Sin City. The Raiders hold seven draft picks in the 2022 NFL Draft, including the 22nd overall pick. Furthermore, Las Vegas has a little over $18m in cap space at the current moment; a number that could easily grow with different moves by Ziegler and McDaniels. The Raiders absolutely have the assets to build this team in the image of the duo from John Carroll University.
Not only will the Raiders be looking to add to their playoff-ready roster, but Ziegler and McDaniels will also have several decisions to make on the players currently under contract. Derek Carr will be looking for a new contract, as will Hunter Renfrow and Maxx Crosby.
The new power-duo from New England will also have to decide on the fifth-year options for Clelin Ferrell, Jonathan Abram, and Josh Jacobs. Furthermore, there is more than one playmaker from last season whose contracts are up and will either need to be re-signed or will move on elsewhere, such as veteran cornerback Casey Hayward Jr.
The Raiders owner, Mark Davis, has been clear that there are no plans in place for a rebuild, but rather a re-loading to build off the core that is already in place. Davis feels that McDaniels and Ziegler can take a roster that already made the postseason to new heights.
The 2022 Raiders off-season is set to be one of the most interesting in a long while. Las Vegas has plenty of difficult decisions to make and the ability to add important pieces. Before we head into March and the new league year begins, let’s take a look at some bold predictions for the Raiders this off-season.