New Las Vegas Raiders general manager Tom Telesco had a tall task ahead of him during his first free agency period at the helm of the franchise. With big decisions to make on both sides of the ball, Telesco did the best he could to stack talent, but the loss of Josh Jacobs in free agency could end up being a massive one when all is said and done.
Las Vegas went into the offseason with needs on both sides of the ball, as well as a huge question mark at the quarterback position. Aidan O'Connell returns in 2024, and the addition of Gardner Minshew brings competition, but many feel the Raiders are still in play to move up and draft a quarterback on Day 1 of the 2024 NFL Draft.
Looking at what Telesco has done in free agency, one move stands above all else in terms of talent brought into the organization.
Christian Wilkins named Raiders most positive free agency takeaway
Over at Pro Football Focus, Dalton Wasserman put together a list of one positive free agency takeaway for each NFL franchise. For the Silver and Black, the choice was an easy one, as the Raiders were able to sign the best defensive tackle available in this year's free agency class.
The addition of Christian Wilkins should not be minimized, as the Raiders have been trying to bolster this position group for many years now. Wilkins was the best player available at the position this offseason, and his arrival will help free Maxx Crosby and Malcolm Koonce coming off the edge.
Las Vegas has bolstered the defensive line even more since adding Wilkins, as they brought back John Jenkins and Adam Butler in free agency as well. Overall, this has the potential to be one of the best units in the NFL this season, and if Wilkins lives up to his contract, they are set for a very long time.