Raiders' Biggest Keys To Having Successful NFL Offseason

The Las Vegas Raiders were one of the "winners" of the 2022 NFL offseason. Las Vegas was coming off of a playoff campaign, found a new head coach in Josh McDaniels and added a pair of marquee veterans in Davante Adams and Chandler Jones.

In retrospect, however, the Raiders' 2022 offseason wasn't as successful as it originally appeared. Adams failed to reestablish the sort of chemistry he had with quarterback Derek Carr in college—though he was statistically still very good—Jones struggled to make an impact early in the season, and Las Vegas stumbled to a 6-11 record.

The Raiders, who jettisoned Carr last week, will need to take a different approach in the coming months in order to have a truly successful offseason. With Carr out, the team's focus must be on building for the long term and not simply loading up for a 2023 run.

The good news is that Las Vegas has plenty of offseason capital, including $46.3 million in projected cap space and the seventh overall pick in April's draft. With all of this in mind, let's examine three keys to a successful Raiders offseason in 2023.

While the Raiders are moving on at quarterback, they need to maintain the status quo at running back. This means bringing back reigning rushing leader Josh Jacobs.

Jacobs, who had the first-year option on his rookie contract declined, picked a great time to have a career year. He rushed for 1,653 yards and 12 touchdowns while adding 400 receiving yards. He was Las Vegas' most consistent offensive player, and while he'd like to return, he isn't coming back on a bargain-basement deal.

"For me, it's got to make sense," Jacobs said, per ESPN's Paul Gutierrez. "But this is obviously where I want to be."

Jacobs has a projected market value of $12.8 million annually. That's a lot for a running back, but Jacobs has shown that he's more than just an above-average starter. He can carry an offense, and with the Raiders starting over at quarterback, he might have to in 2023.

The Raiders' challenge will be finding a deal that makes sense for them too. Running backs tend to have shorter careers, and Jacobs has already logged 1,072 carries as a pro. A high-dollar, short-term deal—like the three-year, $36.6 million extension Nick Chubb got from the Cleveland Browns—would likely make the most sense for Las Vegas.

With Carr gone, the Raiders need to find a starting quarterback for the 2023 season. That could mean trading for a veteran like Aaron Rodgers of the Green Bay Packers. Rodgers would make some sense, as he'd reunite with Adams and wouldn't cut heavily into Las Vegas' cap space.

If Green Bay trades Rodgers after June 1, his incoming cap hit will be a mere $15.8 million.

However, Rodgers is 39 years old and wouldn't solve Las Vegas' quarterback situation long-term. Using the seventh overall pick on a quarterback prospect like Ohio State's C.J. Stroud, Alabama's Bryce Young or Florida's Anthony Richardson would potentially yield more sustained success.

Richardson, the third-rated quarterback on the Bleacher Report Scouting Department's big board, has a ton of physical upside but could take time to develop.

"Speeding up his process a bit and ironing out his accuracy will be necessary, but Richardson is a young player with plenty of room to grow, and hopefully, the right environment can foster that growth," Derrik Klassen of the B/R Scouting Department wrote.

This is why adding a veteran like Jimmy Garoppolo or Jacoby Brissett—or bringing back impending free agent Jarrett Stidham—would also be advisable. Doing so would give the Raiders someone to run the offense next season and a young quarterback for McDaniels to develop for the future.

Once Las Vegas has its quarterback situation settled, it must shift focus to the defense and an atrocious secondary.

The Raiders ranked 29th in passing yards allowed, 27th in yards per attempt allowed (7.0) and a dismal 31st in interceptions (six). Las Vegas could also lose cornerback Rock Ya-Sin in free agency.

Simply put, the Raiders need to add a playmaker in the secondary—and ideally, more than one. Double-dipping at cornerback would make a lot of sense. Impending free agents like James Bradberry and Jamel Dean would be logical targets for the Raiders, and Las Vegas could afford to sign one and grab another corner in the draft.

If the Raiders don't use their initial pick on a quarterback, they could target a top cornerback prospect like Penn State's Joey Porter Jr. However, Las Vegas should still be able to land a quality corner, like Illinois' Devon Witherspoon, on Day 2.

"A smart defender, Witherspoon shows great vision and route recognition. There aren't many times where he looks to be confused on the field," Cory Giddings of the B/R Scouting Department wrote. "...Also when playing the pass game, he has the ball skills necessary to get his head around and locate the ball."

No matter who the Raiders have under center in 2023, returning to playoff contention will be difficult if Las Vegas struggled to stop the pass as much as it did this past season.

*Cap, contract and market information via Spotrac.