Dave Ziegler has had the Las Vegas Raiders as active as any team during this year’s free agency. Monday was no different, as the Silver and Black welcomed the likes of tight end O.J Howard, safety Jaquan Johnson, edge rusher Jordan Willis and wideout Cam Sims.
In addition to the four new faces, Keelan Cole agreed to return on a one-year deal. Tight end Austin Hooper is also visiting the Raiders on Wednesday, potentially helping seal the hole Darren Waller left at the position.
A day chock-full of moves by second-year general manager Dave Ziegler.
Parts of the team’s roster is starting to shape up, while other areas remain as eyesores. Cornerback and linebacker stand out as two position groups that need immediate improvement, with both Rock Ya-Sin and Denzel Perryman potentially returning to Las Vegas. These are two positions Raider Nation can expect their team to target in the draft as well, likely in the earlier portion.
Monday bore fruit, but there’s still plenty of work to be done.
Meet: Your newest Las Vegas Raiders
A first-round draft pick in 2017, O.J. Howard has totaled 1,882 receiving yards and 17 touchdowns in 72 contests. This past season, with the Houston Texans, Howard hauled in 10 receptions for 145 yards.
Jaquan Johnson totaled three starts at safety with the Bills in 2022, getting opportunity with secondary injuries piling up in Buffalo. Johnson finished his first start with an atrocious grade of 26.7 via Pro Football Focus, but finished strong with grades of 71.2 and 66.3 in his second and third starts. He becomes the Raiders newest defensive back.
Rotational edge rushers who thrive in limited snaps are invaluable, and Jordan Willis is certainly one of those guys. Although Willis hasn’t played more than 39% of defensive snaps in any season since 2020, he’s posted 7.5 total sacks, logging at least two per season in this timeframe. PFF gave the 27-year-old an overall grade of 70.6 for his ’22 campaign.
At 6’5, Cam Sims is a towering receiver out-wide. After five years in Washington, the two sides agreed to part ways, and the Raiders took advantage. In his three most recent seasons, Sims has totaled 777 receiving yards on 55 receptions with three touchdowns. Will head coach Josh McDaniels help him reach a new level?
*Top Photo: Ethan Miller – Getty Images
