The Las Vegas Raiders did an excellent job filling holes and adding depth in the 2023 NFL Draft. Now that the draft is over, though, there are still some intriguing NFL free agents available that the team should consider. Here are the three potential Raiders' free agent targets in the NFL offseason.
The Raiders went into the draft with needs at defensive line, offensive line, tight end, secondary, linebacker, and backup quarterback. The Raiders knocked it out of the park with their defensive line, cornerback, and tight end selections, and picked up an interesting developmental QB in Purdue’s Aidan O’Connell as well.
Now, the team just has to make a few more additions around the edges to improve their interior offensive line, linebackers, and safety positions. With that as the goal, the three Raiders free agents that they need to target this NFL offseason are Zach Cunningham, Adrian Amos, and Gabe Jackson.
OG Gabe Jackson
The interior offensive line for the Raiders could still use some help. Reports say the team considered taking Ohio State tackle Paris Johnson Jr. at No. 7, where they ended up taking defensive end Tyree Wilson.
Selecting Johnson there could have pushed either the rookie or projected starting right tackle Jermaine Eluemunor inside to guard, as both have that flexibility. Instead, last year’s starting interior is still intact with left guard Dylan Parham, center Andre James, and right guard Alex Bars.
Parham is in his second season, so despite his deficiencies in pass blocking, he still has a solid upside. As for Bars, he is heading into his fifth season and is definitively not a starting-caliber guard.
Veteran former Seattle Seahawks guard Gabe Jackson is still on the NFL free agent market. Jackson started his career with the Raiders organization as a third-round pick in the 2014 NFL draft. Over the next three-quarters of a decade, Jackson started 99 or 100 games he played in for the Raiders.
Jackson will turn 32 in July and still has good years left in him. A solid veteran presence like Jackson would go a long way to solidifying the Raiders offensive line in front of Jimmy Garoppolo in 2023.
LB Zach Cunningham
The Raiders have a young linebacking corps with some potential. But the group in place right now was average at best in 2022. Divine Deablo, Robert Spillane, and Luke Masterson are the starters right now, and the team added a nice prospect in Florida LB Amari Burney in the sixth round of the 2023 NFL Draft.
What the Raiders' free agent goal this offseason should be is to add a veteran to help lead this group and teach them to reach their potential, especially Deablo, Masterson, and Burney.
Zach Cunningham is an excellent off-ball linebacker who has played six NFL seasons for the Houston Texans and Tennessee Titans.
Cunningham has struggled with injuries the last two seasons, and the Titans cut him after a failed physical. The good news is, that’s why he’s available at a low cost in the 2023 NFL offseason.
At his best, Cunningham is a 100-plus-tackles-a-year machine who led the league in that category with 164 in 2020. Without the responsibility of playing every down for the Raiders defense, he can get healthy and play in high-leverage situations for the team.
This is a low-risk, high-reward move for the Raiders that should pay off in veteran leadership at worst or a top NFL linebacker at best.
S Adrian Amos
The Raiders secondary improved in the 2023 NFL Draft thanks to the fourth-round pick of Maryland cornerback Jakorian Bennett. Now, it’s time for the Raiders to beef up the safety position.
Las Vegas already took one swing at this earlier in the NFL offseason with the Raiders' free-agent signing of former Philadelphia Eagles safety Marcus Epps. However, that still leaves Tre’von Moehrig as the other starting safety. Moehrig was disappointing in 2022, and if the Raiders can make an improvement at his free safety position, the defense will be that much better.
The best free safety on the NFL free agent market right now is former Packers safety Adrian Amos. The iron man has played in and started every game for his teams (Chicago Bears and Packers) for the last five seasons. He also put up career highs in tackles (107) and tackles for a loss (seven) last season.
Rumors are that the Packers are plotting to re-sign Amos for the 2023 campaign after cutting him this NFL offseason. However, if the Raiders can jump in and steal him away, that would be a major coup for the team’s defense.
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