The Las Vegas Raiders made some big changes this offseason. They have a new regime in place as they raided the New England Patriots. Dave Ziegler spent the last nine seasons in New England before taking over as the general manager in Las Vegas. He brought offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels along with him, as McDaniels is taking over as head coach of the team.
There is a strong foundation in place in Las Vegas, as they earned a Wild Card spot last season despite so many hurdles having to be jumped. Head coach Jon Gruden resigning, both 2020 first-round picks in Henry Ruggs III and Damon Arnette being released and Darren Waller getting hurt were some of the biggest hurdles to overcome.
Despite all of that, Derek Carr remained cool, calm and collected while leading the team. They will be looking to improve upon that position this season, as they made some major additions to the roster.
Arguably the biggest need entering the offseason was wide receiver. They filled that need as well as possible, landing arguably the best wide receiver in the NFL in Davante Adams. Las Vegas traded their first and second-round picks in the 2022 NFL Draft to reunite the Fresno State duo of Carr and Adams.
With Adams in the fold, the passing offense should be able to reach that next level. He will assume the No. 1 role in the offense, pushing Hunter Renfrow and Waller down the pecking order and making them that much tougher of an offense to contain. With Adams garnering so much attention on the perimeter, Renfrow and Waller are going to be able to take advantage in the middle of the field in shallow and medium-depth routes.
But, could Las Vegas look to kick things up even another notch? Odell Beckham Jr. remains a free agent and the Raiders could make for an intriguing landing spot.
Beckham’s free-agent market has been ice cold. He did an excellent job rehabbing his value following his release from the Cleveland Browns, taking over the No. 2 wide receiver spot for the Los Angeles Rams. He helped them win the Super Bowl but tore his ACL in the game.
That is the second major knee injury that Beckham has suffered in recent years. Turning 30 in November, the once elite athleticism that he possessed may be no longer. But, as he showed with the Rams, there is still plenty left in the tank to help a team win games.
Landing on a roster that he isn’t asked to be the savior would be ideal. Just like with the Rams, the Raiders have an established pecking order that he can slot into as a complementary player. Not having to be relied upon as the No. 1 go-to option would be best.
McDaniels is one of the brightest offensive minds in the NFL. He would find a way to maximize Beckham’s strengths within the offense, scheming him touches to get in space and use his agility and shiftiness that he hopefully still possesses.
Putting him in a formation opposite of Adams with Renfrow lined up in the slot and Waller at tight end would give defenses nightmares. Add in a strong ground game with Josh Jacobs and Kenyan Drake, the Raiders would be in business. If they go all-in on Beckham, there is a chance that they would have the best offense in the NFL.
