4 offseason catastrophes the Las Vegas Raiders must avoid in 2024
By Brad Weiss
Missing on Day 1 of the 2024 NFL Draft
Since 2019, the Raiders franchise has held significant draft capital, especially in the first round. Across the 2019 and 2020 NFL Drafts, the Raiders held five first round picks, this thanks to Jon Gruden and Mike Mayock getting rid of big pieces in terms of the roster.
With that five-player haul, only Josh Jacobs emerged as a legitimate first-round talent, while some of these players are already out of the league. In 2021, the franchise made the most controversial pick of the first round, adding Alabama offensive tackle Alex Leatherwood, who would end up playing only one season in the Silver and Black.
The 2022 NFL Draft brought no first-round picks for the Raiders, as they swung a monster deal to bring in Davante Adams from the Green Bay Packers. That stripped Las Vegas of their Day 1 pick that year, and their 2023 first-round pick, Tyree Wilson, was considered by many as a mistake due to the fact they passed on defensive tackle Jalen Carter.
In 2024, the Las Vegas Raiders hold the No. 13 overall selection, and there are a number of different ways they could go with the pick. Cornerback, Quarterback, Defensive Tackle, and Safety are likely targets, and they could still bolster the offensive tackle spot, with the most important thing being to not miss with this crucial first Day 1 pick for the new regime.