The Las Vegas Raiders were once considered a dark-horse Super Bowl candidate in the 2022 preseason. Obviously, they failed to live up to those lofty expectations. Recall that the squad started 2-6. That was their worst start since 2018. They also eventually missed the playoffs. After that terrible 2022 season, head coach Josh McDaniels and general manager Dave Ziegler are expected to be highly active in the summer. The Raiders have a lot of work to do before next season, from re-signing influential stalwarts to pursuing fresh players in free agency. Here we'll look at the one free agent who can help fill the Las Vegas Raiders' biggest offseason need in 2023 NFL free agency.

As we already said, the Raiders had a disappointing season. They finished their 2022 campaign with a 6-11 record, which was the fourth-worst in the AFC. Keep in mind also that they have not made it to the playoffs in consecutive years since their Super Bowl defeat in 2002. As such, coach McDaniels has emphasized the importance of having explosive players on the defensive roster to improve the team's performance. Remember that in 2022, Las Vegas struggled to tally takeaways, indicating a lack of such explosive defenders on their team.

Looking ahead, the team's front office is now focused on revamping the defense under the guidance of coordinator Patrick Graham. They will be actively participating in bringing in new unrestricted free agents. Like other teams, of course, the Raiders general manager, Dave Ziegler, and his staff will be busy scouting and evaluating new talent to improve the team's performance.

Let's look at the one free agent who can help fill the Las Vegas Raiders' biggest offseason need.

CB Jonathan Jones

The Raiders currently have Nate Hobbs, Amik Robertson, Tyler Hall, Sam Webb, and Isaiah Brown as their cornerbacks. However, they need more talented players to add depth and increase their level of competitiveness.

This is where Jonathan Jones comes in. He is a potential solution to the Raiders' woes on defense. Take note that Jones was not drafted in 2016 but became the primary slot/nickel cornerback for the New England Patriots. He also later assumed the role of their No. 1 outside corner.

Since joining the Patriots as an undrafted free agent in 2016, the veteran cornerback has proven to be a dependable and versatile member of their secondary. Over his seven seasons with the team, he has accumulated 11 interceptions and 44 pass breakups total. He seamlessly transitioned from playing in the slot to an outside cornerback position last year, maintaining his high level of performance.

Despite his relatively small size of 5'10 and 190 pounds, the 29-year-old was highly productive in the 16 games he started last season. In fact, he played 894 snaps (which was 84 percent of the Patriots' total defensive snaps) and made four interceptions (one of which was a pick-six). He also had 11 passes defensed. Additionally, Jones' ability to force three fumbles demonstrates his capability to make plays beyond interceptions.

Jones also demonstrated impressive coverage skills last season. He allowed only a 52.7 percent completion rate on 91 targets. Jones also allowed only 588 yards and five touchdowns. Quarterbacks who targeted him had a 73.0 passer rating.

While not known for his tackling, Jones recorded 69 tackles (56 of them solo) this past season. He also has an impressive speed of 4.33 seconds in the 40-yard dash to play as an outside cornerback. Again, he has shown that he can adapt to challenging situations, transitioning to a perimeter defender from a slot cornerback role. The Raiders can follow the Patriots' example by developing young players such as Hobbs, but they need to increase competition to enhance their starting lineup and depth. They really need to consider adding Jones as soon as possible.

Jones entered free agency this year. As of this writing, the Patriots did not use their franchise tag on him. As a result, the two-time Super Bowl winner will be free to sign with any team once the new league year starts. He is excited about this unusual but thrilling phase of his NFL career.

Of course, he has also said that it's hard for him to say no to the Patriots. Still, he may find it harder to refuse bigger offers elsewhere.

Remember that the Raiders currently lack a top-notch No. 1 cornerback. That's a role that Jones could fill now that he becomes a free agent. While Jones has stated that he has found a home in New England and could potentially re-sign with the Patriots, he has the talent to earn a starting role with the Raiders.

Jones is projected to earn a considerable amount on the open market. According to Spotrac, he could command a two-year deal worth $24.928 million. That would have an annual average value of $12.4 million. This would put him among the top 20 highest-paid cornerbacks in the league.

In comparison, Spotrac lists the Raiders' current in-house free agent, Rock Ya-Sin, as having an annual average value of $10.8 million. That's on a predicted four-year, $43.518-plus million deal. That's based on his age and previous production. Ya-Sin was the Raiders' top cornerback until an injury limited him to just 11 games last season.

Therefore, the Raiders will need to spend a significant amount of money to upgrade their cornerback position. That's whether they decide to re-sign Ya-Sin or pursue a free agent like Jones. We'd rather go for the latter.