The Las Vegas Raiders have not been too active in free agency this week, but with the new league year starting, playmakers are still available.
As the new league year kicks off today at 1PM PT, the Las Vegas Raiders still have a lot of work to do in terms of their roster. The Silver and Black seem to be making more problems than solving questions across the first two days of the legal tampering period, trading away star tight end Darren Waller to the New York Giants on Tuesday.
Now, we wait to see what the team plans to do with the salary cap money brought back by that trade, and there are more than enough impact players to target.
Raiders 2023 free agency: Playmakers to target as league year starts
No. 3: Orlando Brown Jr., OT
The Las Vegas Raiders still have a gaping hole at the right tackle position, and they won’t be able to fill it with Jermaine Eluemenor, who is testing the free agency waters. They did bring back Brandon Parker on a one-year deal, but he is more for depth, making Orlando Brown Jr. a big target in free agency.
Eventually, this franchise needs to go out and spend big money at the position, and it may take a monster deal to get Brown under contract. The Silver and Black have the weapons to be an explosive offense this season, but if they continue to neglect the offensive line, it will be a long year for Jimmy Garoppolo, who is already injury-prone.
Raiders 2023 free agency: Impact players to target as league year starts
No. 2: Leonard Floyd, OLB
As we enter the new league year, the Las Vegas Raiders have yet to really address some of the big issues on the defensive side of the ball. Yes, they signed some nice players in Marcus Epps, Brandon Facyson, and linebacker Robert Spillane, but it is time for the team to start putting some elite talent on that side of the ball.
The Los Angeles Rams are revamping their roster in a big way this offseason, and that means some big-name players are hitting free agency. One of those names is Leonard Floyd, who played a big role in the team winning the Super Bowl a few years back, a championship that now seems like a lifetime ago.
Las Vegas currently really only has Spillane and Divine Deablo as legitimate starting contenders at the position group, so Floyd would come in and be a leader both on, and off the field. We also like the team to add Lavonte David in free agency if they can, but in Floyd, they would be getting not only someone who could give them 75-plus tackles but also nearly ten sacks every season.
Raiders 2023 free agency: Impact players to target as league year starts
No. 1: Chauncey Gardner-Johnson, Safety
The Eagles have reportedly already offered CJ Gardner-Johnson a solid deal, one that he did not agree to as he would like to test the free agency waters and see what is out there. Fellow Eagles defensive back James Bradberry was one of the more sought-after cornerbacks available this free agency season, but he returned to Philadelphia, so maybe Gardner-Johnson decides to in the end as well.
However, if the playmaking defensive back is really making himself available, the Silver and Black have to go after him hard. Sure, they signed Marcus Epps, and the hope is that Trevon Moehrig will be better in Year 3, but the Raiders have to stop hoping things to happen and go out and get a player who can downright make plays happen.
2023 NFL Mock Draft: Las Vegas Raiders pick twice in full first-round mock
The Las Vegas Raiders have plenty of holes to fill this offseason, and in our latest full first-round mock, they pick twice on Day 1.
The Silver and Black made a very questionable move with the trade of Waller, and with the release of Derek Carr, and Maxx Crosby restructuring his deal, they have the money to be a real player across the next few days. The problem is, David Ziegler has not seemed like he is in a rush to do anything big in free agency just yet, something that needs to change starting now.