Raiders free agency: Las Vegas will need to spend big on a top-tier wide receiver in 2022
By Brad Weiss
With Christian Kirk securing the bag during the tampering period of NFL free agency, the Raiders will need to pay top dollar to land a WR.
The Las Vegas Raiders have numerous needs on both sides of the ball, though the roster is in much better shape than it was a year ago. With a new regime in place, the Silver and Black are looking to take the next step forward after making the playoffs last season, so this free agency period is a big one for the franchise.
Looking at the offense, there is a lot of work to do along the offensive line, as the team does not know what it has in 2021 first-round pick Alex Leatherwood yet. On the outside, the wide receiver group is in shambles, as Hunter Renfrow is the only reliable option on the roster right now, so big changes are coming.
Las Vegas could decide to bring back Zay Jones, who had his moments last season, but one thing is for sure, they need to bring in a legitimate WR1 on the outside. They thought they had that in Henry Ruggs III, but with him gone, free agency could be the way to go to fill this void.
If they go in that direction, they can expect to pay top dollar for an elite option.
Raiders linked to top-name free agent wide receivers
Of course, the name Davante Adams has been thrown around Raider Nation for quite some time, as he is a former teammate of Derek Carr in college, and is the best player available at the position group. On Monday, he stated that he would not play under the franchise tag in Green Bay, which means the team may have to trade him or sign him to a long-term extension.
If they sign Adams, the Silver and Black then cross the biggest name off their list, but there are plenty of options still remaining. Allen Robinson has been linked to the Raiders, and he is an elite talent, while Las Vegas could also go after a strong player in Jarvis Landry, who Carr played with in the Pro Bowl a few years back.
Regardless of who they sign, Las Vegas is going to have to pay top dollar, especially with the Jacksonville Jaguars signing Christian Kirk for $84 million. That brings the starting place for a possible free agency deal through the roof, but being a position of need, the Raiders may have to break the bank this offseason.
Las Vegas made some good moves to free up cap space entering the tampering period, so they have the money to get a job done. The problem is, they have multiple needs, and plenty of free agents of their own, so keep an eye on this as we move closer to the new league year.