Las Vegas Raiders: PFF hands out Most Improved player for 2022
By Brad Weiss
The Las Vegas Raiders stumbled to a 6-11 record in 2022, but one player improved in a big way in terms of his personal production.
The 2022 Las Vegas Raiders finished with a 6-11 season, this after making it to the playoffs the year before. In a season that was supposed to push the franchise forward, the Silver and Black were atrocious at times, and there is certain to be a ton of change within the roster this offseason.
Last offseason, first-year general manager David Ziegler did a lot to try and bolster the defensive line, including bringing players in via free agency, as well as picking two defensive tackles in the 2022 NFL Draft. One player who arrived as a free agent was Andrew Billings, who had played in only six games in an injury-ridden season for Cleveland in 2021.
Billings was asked to do a lot more with the Raiders than he was with the Browns and ended up having one of the best seasons of his career.
Recently, Pro Football Focus laid out one most improved players for each NFL team, and the Raiders selection may surprise you.
Raiders DT Andrew Billings named Most Improved by PFF
In 2021, thanks to ineffective play and an injury, Billings held a PFF rating of only 47.5, a number that jumped up once he put on the Silver and Black. Last season, Billings finished with a PFF rating of 76.4, nearly a 30-point difference.
Billings started 14 games for the Raiders in 2022, proving to be an outstanding defender against the run. His 39 tackles were a career-high, and he also had three quarterback hits, giving Las Vegas some kind of stability within a position group that seemed like a revolving door at times.
Going into the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine, and leading up to the 2023 NFL Draft, defensive tackle is still considered a priority to fill. Billings and Jerry Tillery are entering free agency this offseason and based on their play in 2022, I believe both players should be back in Las Vegas for another go-around in 2023.