Raiders new additions should pave the way for future success

It was a crazy first offseason for new Las Vegas Raiders general manager Tom Telesco. He revamped the quarterback room, replacing Jimmy Garoppolo and Brian Hoyer with Gardner Minshew, and of course, the team said goodbye to star running back Josh Jacobs.

Still, the Raiders made some solid moves to the roster, bringing in a strong rookie class that has really turned some heads this offseason. In addition, the defense was bolstered up front by the addition of Christian Wilkins, a star defensive tackle that is sure to take some of the pressure off of Maxx Crosby and Malcolm Koonce coming off the edge.

The additions were not lost on the national media as well, as Cody Benjamin from CBS Sports named Brock Bowers and Wilkins as two of the top 50 additions in the NFL going into the 2024 NFL season.

Raiders additions will bring short-term and long-term success

Most of the rookie class has been strong this summer, with Delmar Glaze looking to start right away at right tackle to go along with fellow rookie, Jackson Powers-Johnson at offensive guard. The two rookie cornerbacks, MJ Devonshire and Decamerion Richardson should see playing time in Year 1, and Dylan Laube will bring a spark at running back.

Then there is Bowers, who looks like someone who could be a real weapon for the Raiders in the passing game, and possibly even run the football a bit. Even Tommy Eichenberg and Trey Taylor have shown enough where they could be real depth pieces for the defense as rookies, giving this rookie class the potential to be one of the best the Raiders have added in a very long time.

So while most of the narrative will surround the quarterback battle between Aidan O'Connell and Gardner Minshew, the roster as a whole is in much better shape than it was a year ago. Las Vegas may not be a darling of the media right now, but a strong start thanks to some key additions could change the narrative surrounding the team in a hurry.