Las Vegas Raiders: David Ziegler has the assets to make a real statement in 2023
By Brad Weiss
The Las Vegas Raiders have the cap space, and the draft capital to revamp this roster in a big way heading into the 2023 season.
Last offseason, new Las Vegas Raiders general manager David Ziegler pulled off one of the biggest trades the franchise has seen in recent memory. His deal for Davante Adams sent both the team’s first and second round picks to Green Bay, but landed them the kind of WR1 that this franchise has been missing.
Now, entering Year 2 at the helm, Ziegler is stocked with draft capital, this after finishing 6-11 this past season, and earning the No. 7 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. Las Vegas holds multiple top-100 selections, has a ton of cap space, and with so many holes on this roster, the time is now for he and his staff to make a real statement going into next season.
This will be an offseason like we have not seen in quite some time, as the franchise will move on from Derek Carr, and be in the market for a new starting quarterback. That could change how the front office attacks the NFL Draft, whether they want to move up or down at No. 7, and how hard they go after some of the available free agent signal-callers over the next few months.
All told, Las Vegas has what they need to turn this 6-11 team into a playoff contender in one calendar year, but the pressure will be on Ziegler to accomplish that.
Raiders must connect with their early 2023 picks
The first draft pick for Ziegler last offseason came in the third round, and while Dylan Parham struggled at times as a rookie, he did finish by being named to the PFWA All-Rookie Team. That is a great get considering he was a third round pick, now, Ziegler has to show he can get it done on Day 1, and in the second round.
During the Mike Mayock-Jon Gruden Era, the Silver and Black struggled in a big way in the first round, ripping through draft capital and yielding nothing but Josh Jacobs.
Ziegler made some solid moves last offseason, but he also had a bunch of misses, so the jury is still out as to whether he is going to be the general manager to finally get this franchise back to being a power in the AFC. He has what he needs to make the Raiders a playoff contender next season, but can he push the right buttons? That will be the biggest question of the 2023 offseason.