Raiders future hinges on Antonio Pierce and Tom Telesco's relationship

So here we are, two months away from the 2024 NFL Draft and the Las Vegas Raiders have plenty of question marks on their roster. There are needs on both sides of the ball, but for the first time in a long time, their franchise is set up to make some serious noise in both free agency and the NFL Draft.

This offseason has already been loaded with Raiders news, as they brought in Tom Telesco as general manager, and named Antonio Pierce their full-time head coach. Telesco comes to the Raiders from the Los Angeles Chargers, where he spent the last 11 seasons in the same role that he will undertake in Las Vegas, while Pierce is a lifelong Raiders fan who got the job done on an interim basis last season.

Looking at the two men, they are very different, as Pierce is loud and brash, a true Raider, and Telesco is your typical NFL executive. They come from different backgrounds, and have different histories in the league, but they have both been in NFL circles for years, and will attempt to bring the Raider Way back to the Silver and Black.

They seem to be on the same page, and Telesco was vetted by Pierce before landing as the team's general manager. However, in order for the Raiders to do anything in 2024 and beyond, they have to work hand-in-hand to get the job done.

Rookie HC and Veteran GM must gel with the Raiders

According to The Athletic, a poll of NFL executives was not high on the Raiders adding Pierce as their head coach. In fact, he did not get a single vote as in terms of the best hire of the offseason, which is shocking considering how Pierce was able to rally this Raiders team across the last nine weeks of the season.

Pierce can prove the haters wrong in Year 1, but he needs a strong offseason from Telesco to build up this roster. The Raiders are in play for a new quarterback this offseason, they need help along the defensive and offensive line, while the secondary could also use more depth and talent at cornerback and safety.

To their credit, they are building a strong coaching staff around Pierce, and having Patrick Graham return as defensive coordinator was key. The Raiders also brought back Champ Kelly as assistant general manager, and he made some nice moves down the stretch in 2023, particularly bringing in cornerback Jack Jones.

If the combination of Telesco and Pierce can get it done this offseason, it will set the foundation for the future, and that has to have Raider Nation excited.