The Las Vegas Raiders didn't come remotely close to reaching expectations in a very disappointing first season under coach Josh McDaniels, but there were still a handful of bright spots.
Josh Jacobs was the NFL's leading rusher, though he still needs a contract extension. Kolton Miller solidified himself as a rock-solid run blocker, outstanding pass protector, and all-around elite left tackle.
Maxx Crosby racked up the third-most total pressures (81) and a career-high 12.5 sacks, tied for eighth-most in the NFL. Davante Adams also didn't miss a beat after leaving Aaron Rodgers to reunite with Derek Carr, finishing third in the NFL with 1,516 receiving yards and a league-leading 14 receiving touchdowns.
The run-blocking was arguably the best in the league, and the offensive line far exceeded expectations in pass protection, as the Raiders tied for the ninth-fewest sacks allowed (35).
But the rest of the numbers told a different story. Las Vegas consistently kept games close but often couldn't close them out, finishing 3-9 in games decided by one score, with a whopping four overtime games.
The Vegas defense was the bigger issue. It started up front in the trenches, as the Raiders generated the third-fewest sacks (27) in the NFL. As a result, the Raiders were shredded across the board, giving up the seventh-most rushing touchdowns (20) and third-highest completion rate (67.6), while tying the Giants for a league-low six picks.
They came away with a promising draft class of players that can produce, but there's still some holes on the Raiders' roster. If Las Vegas is going to bounce back in 2023 under quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, the team is going to have to remain healthy, efficient, and balanced on offense, while making more plays on defense- especially on the back end- with a young and relatively unproven secondary.
A valid argument can be made for overhauling the defensive tackle position—the Jerry Tillery and Bilal Nichols duo doesn't inspire any confidence and there's no proven depth behind them. But the time to sign quality interior defensive linemen is long gone. Nevertheless, all of the top remaining NFL free agents can provide an immediate impact.
After breaking down the Raiders' game-by-game predictions, let's examine the perfect move the team can make to fill out the Raiders' roster before training camp kicks off in a few weeks.
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Perfect move: Raiders sign CB Marcus Peters
The Raiders have already made a few moves to improve the defense, including taking Tyree Wilson with the No. 7 overall pick to mold as the No. 3 edge rusher behind Maxx Crosby and Chandler Jones, as well as signing former Steelers linebacker Robert Spillane and ex-Eagles safety Marcus Epps. While they both excel as run defenders, they struggle in coverage.
Free safety Travis Moehrig took a massive step back in his second season, allowing a 132.7 passer rating with a 49.0 coverage grade (54.1 overall) in 2023, per PFF. The 2022 second-round pick allowed a 99.2 passer rating and received a 77.7 coverage grade (72.5 overall) in his rookie campaign, when he played more snaps.
Likewise, standout cornerback Nate Hobbs also regressed last year, as his coverage grade dropped 19.6 points (76.7 to 57.1) and his overall grade slid 18.2 points (79.1 to 60.9). Part of their struggles can be attributed to less pressure being generated up front, giving opposing quarterbacks more time in the pocket to let plays develop.
Moving on from former interim coach Rich Bisaccia and DC Gus Bradley hasn't helped matters, either.
Needless to say, the secondary remains a glaring weakness on the Raiders' depth chart. Signing a veteran corner like Marcus Peters would be a savvy move for a team that would likely prefer to patiently develop young corners in Tyler Hall and fourth-round rookie Jakorian Bennett than rush them onto the field.
Marcus Peters, 30, may be past his prime, but he's still a valuable asset for any team looking to inject some leadership and infectious confidence into the back end of its defense. The ball hawking All-Pro corner missed 2021 with an ACL tear, but he still had a solid season, grading out as the 49th-best corner in the league.
In seven seasons with the Chiefs, Rams, and Ravens, Marcus Peters has racked up 346 total tackles with 12 forced fumbles, 10 fumble recoveries, and 32 interceptions.
One of the true ballhawks of the NFL, Peters is known for the aggressive, calculated risks he takes to try to make a play on the ball. It doesn't always work out for the veteran corner, but his high-risk, high-reward style should appeal to a Raiders roster that's devoid of proven playmakers on the defensive side of the ball.
To that end, it should come as no surprise that Peters has remained in contact with the Raiders after meeting with the team last month, and the Oakland native “could very likely” sign with the team he grew up cheering for, according to The Athletic.
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