The Las Vegas Raiders have a ton of free agency decisions to make this offseason, and bringing back these three first-year players should be a priority.
The 2022 NFL season for the Las Vegas Raiders was a disappointing one, as it appeared they would build upon the playoff berth from the season before. Instead, the team was a laughingstock at times, losing big leads, and finishing as one of the worst teams in the AFC, despite being loaded with Pro Bowl talent.
Here, we look at three players who performed well in their first season in the Silver and Black and should be brought back in 2023 via free agency.
3 first-year Las Vegas Raiders the team should bring back in 2023
Rock Ya-Sin
We start on the defensive side of the ball, as the Raiders made a play to bring in some playmakers on defense this past offseason. However, a lot of the new faces did not work out, but one I would like to see brought back for another go-around is cornerback Rock Ya-Sin.
A veteran who came to the Raiders via a trade with the Indianapolis Colts, Ya-Sin would bring stability to a defensive backfield that has to be better in 2023. Ya-Sin is a proven player in this league, and if healthy, as he appeared in only 11 games last season, he could provide great leadership in the cornerback room.
3 first-year Las Vegas Raiders the team should bring back in 2023
Mack Hollins
Much of the wide receiver talk this past season revolved around two men, Davante Adams, and Hunter Renfrow. Adams came in and became a record-setting wideout in Year 1 with Las Vegas, setting the team’s single-season receiving yards record, while Renfrow struggled with injuries in his first season after signing his new deal.
However, it was a third wide receiver that quietly put together an outstanding season, and one that we believe should be back in the Silver and Black next season. Mack Hollins had a career year in Year 1 with Las Vegas, giving the team the kind of No. 2 weapon on the outside that kept defenses honest all season long.
If Hollins returns, the three-headed monster of Adams, Renfrow, and he at the position would make any free-agent quarterback want to come to Las Vegas. He plays the game with passion, can make big plays, and did enough in his first season to warrant at least another one-year deal to return to the Raiders.
3 first-year Las Vegas Raiders the team should bring back in 2023
Jarrett Stidham
Jarrett Stidham took over for Derek Carr down the stretch this past season, as the franchise inserted him into the starting lineup for the final two games of the year. That was a big opportunity for Stidham, and in his first game, absolutely shredded the top defense in the NFL in the San Francisco 49ers.
While he did not have the same kind of success in Week 18 against Kansas City, Stidham showed enough for the team to bring him back to at least be the backup again. He has incredible familiarity with Josh Mcdaniels’ offense, and if the starter goes down in 2023, there is now enough confidence, even within Raider Nation, that he could get the job done.
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Of course, Las Vegas has some other huge decisions to make with players who have been with the team for years, including Josh Jacobs. There is enough cap space, and draft capital for Las Vegas to make a real playoff run, but we still do not know whether the combination of David Ziegler and Josh McDaniels can get it done.