One week into NFL free agency, and the whole league is nearly turned upside down. It's been a busy week for all 32 teams, including the Las Vegas Raiders, who have made nine signings thus far.
The Raiders made their biggest signing with former Miami Dolphins defensive tackle Christian Wilkins, who signed to a four-year, $110 million deal, with $84.75 million of that guaranteed. But there were other needs that Las Vegas has already attended to through free agency that they hope benefit them in what will be head coach Antonio Pierce's first full season at the helm.
Let's look at how the Raiders are shaping up, giving a grade to their current nine free agency signings.
Christian Wilkins, DT
The Raiders made a gigantic leap in their pass rush by signing Christian Wilkins. The defensive tackle is coming off his best season yet, recording nine sacks and 23 quarterback hits. Adding him to the interior next to edge rusher Maxx Crosby, which essentially frees him up a little bit, and the Raiders have something going on their defensive front.
Grade: A+
Gardner Minshew, QB
There's still a ton of uncertainty at the quarterback position with the Raiders heading into next season, which is why adding a veteran like Gardner Minshew seemed like the appropriate move. Minshew has proven to be a valuable backup in the past, including last year for the Colts when Anthony Richardson went down for the year and he had to fill in. He earned himself a Pro Bowl invite by his play.
Aidan O'Connell likely isn't the long-term answer for Las Vegas, and neither is Minshew. The Raiders currently hold the No. 13 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, but they could always try to move their way up to get a top quarterback, or maybe they'll luck up and snag one at their current spot. Whatever the case may be, the Raiders made a smart move here, at least as best they could.
Grade: A
Alexander Mattison, RB
Josh Jacobs is officially out of the building, leaving space in the running back room that will be filled by former Vikings back Alexander Mattison. The former fourth-round pick had his best year yardage-wise with 700 yards but failed to record a single rushing touchdown. He did, however, have three through the air, with 192 yards to go with it. He's not necessarily a replacement for Jacobs, as he is more just a complement to Zamir White.
Grade: C+
Adam Butler, DT
After a strong finish to the season last year, that apparently was good enough for the Raiders to re-sign Adam Butler to a one-year deal. He'll be more used as a backup and for depth, but his five sacks in the final three games of the season were impressive. Also, depending on what the Raiders decide to do with him overall, he could be right next to Wilkins on the interior, like he was back in 2021 when he was a Dolphin.
Grade: B-
Andre James, C
Since moving to center, Andre James has been a pivotal part of the Raiders' offensive line. He started in all but one game last season and was flagged just twice. He also keeps continuity on the Raiders' offensive front with his new two-year deal.
Grade: A
John Jenkins, DT
It seems rather apparent that the Raiders are putting emphasis on having a strong defensive front. Perhaps that's because they reside in such a tough division with the likes of Justin Herbert and Patrick Mahomes at quarterback. Regardless, they re-signed John Jenkins, who started in all 17 games last season. However, he's a tackle that more or less eats up space rather than making his way to the quarterback. The only real issues with Jenkins could be his age and his tenure. The 35-year-old will be entering his 12th season in the league in 2024.
Grade: B
Harrison Bryant, TE
Harrison Bryant's signing looks to be more or less adding depth to the position and a backup to Michael Mayer. The Raiders needed to have at least some sort of replacement for Austin Hooper. But Bryant's numbers are nothing to get excited about. He had just 13 catches for 81 yards but had three touchdowns. Maybe he sees more production in the silver and black.
Grade: D
Ameer Abdullah, RB
Ameer Abdullah, the 30-year-old running back out of Nebraska, isn't what he once was, as he's more of an RB3 on the depth chart. But he does still serve a meaningful purpose on special teams. He had 26 returns for 543 yards last season.
Grade: B-
Kana'i Mauga, LB
Kana'i Mauga only played in five games last season, recording just three combined tackles as a special teams contributor. But he quickly went down with a knee injury and would miss most of the season. He's likely to be used mostly on special teams again.
Grade: F
Follow Us
Subscribe