With training camp in full swing, the Las Vegas Raiders and their general manager, Dave Ziegler, should still do their due diligence and pick up some additional help right now.
Ziegler’s squad finds itself entering a somewhat confusing season from a roster construction standpoint. While no one will argue the stature of top talents like Josh Jacobs, Davante Adams, and Maxx Crosby, things become dicey from then on. How will the offensive line gel? Can an unproven linebacker core make an impact? Most importantly, how will second-year head coach Josh McDaniels deal with the eventual adversity that awaits?
We’re getting ahead of ourselves. The Raiders may still have some roster questions, but free agency actually contains some viable options that could help ease those worries for the fan base. The following aren’t blockbuster acquisitions: Quite the opposite. These are lottery tickets that could prove valuable in a single season.
2023 Las Vegas Raiders Fantasy Football Draft Guide
Taylor Lewan Helps Bolster The Trenches
Taylor Lewan, T
Las Vegas has had issues keeping a healthy, consistent tackle on the opposite side of stalwart Kolton Miller. Sure, Lewan is far from the picture of health, but his skill set would give the Raiders the chance to have their best tackle duo in nearly a decade.
Yes, we know that Lewan is coming off an extremely abbreviated 2022 season that was cut short due to injury. However, if Lewan is healthy, very few proven tackles fit the size profile that head coach Josh McDaniels has traditionally looked for at the position. At the very least, adding the former Tennessee Titan breeds competition for the young group the Raiders are currently deploying. If there’s one thing Dave Ziegler and Co. relish, it’s competition within the team.
Landon Collins Reunites With Patrick Graham
Landon Collins, S
During his first season as Raiders defensive coordinator, Patrick Graham had to test the limits of certain players; namely, second-year safety Tre’von Moehrig. After a quality rookie season playing centerfield for Vegas, Moehrig was often out of position in the box. While new signee Marcus Epps should help with that issue, some added insurance couldn’t hurt. Landon Collins saw a career resurgence while coached by Graham in New York. Who’s to say a repeat can’t take place in Sin City?
On paper, Collins is the Yin to Moehrig’s Yang. Then again, maybe I just want to see his cool facemask on a Raider helmet.
Jarvis Landry Completes The Raiders Receiving Corps
Jarvis Landry, WR
This seems strange at first when you consider the resources the Raiders have poured into the pass catchers on this roster. Let last season be a lesson for us all. For much of the 2022 season, Las Vegas had to rely on Mack Hollins to alleviate pressure from Davante Adams. Injuries don’t play favorites, and when the bug decides to bite, it can be vicious. Dave Ziegler adding Jarvis Landry to a small prove-it deal could pay off as the long season wears on.
New quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo isn’t looking to take the roof off on a regular basis on throws, so Landry’s sure-handed play style would complement the system perfectly. Much like the options presented above, Landry is coming off a lackluster season and will be eager to show what’s left in the tank. A slot role in Las Vegas could give the former Saint that chance.
*Top Photo: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
