What “aggressive changes” could look like for the Raiders’ roster
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported Wednesday that the Raiders are “looking to make aggressive changes to their roster,” and with the state of the franchise following a disappointing 6-11 season, these aggressive changes seem likely to come this spring. With the team’s vacancy at the quarterback position and question marks on both sides of the football, the Silver and Black could look very different come Week 1 of 2023.
To state the obvious, the Raiders already boast strong cornerstone pieces in First Team All-Pro WR Davante Adams and Pro Bowl DE Maxx Crosby. Adams and Crosby both have strong claims as top five players at their respective positions and will be crucial to the team’s success in 2023.
The Raiders hold the seventh overall pick in April’s NFL Draft, and with their glaring need at quarterback, any speculation about the position needs to start with what general manager Dave Ziegler and head coach Josh McDaniels think of the incoming rookie quarterbacks. Most analysts are projecting roughly three quarterbacks to come off the board in the first ten picks, them most often being Alabama’s Bryce Young, Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud and Kentucky’s Will Levis.
With rookie quarterback demand back in 2023 after a down year in 2022, the Raiders are in a tricky spot with the seventh pick of the draft. They are unlikely to control their own destiny without a trade up to secure the rookie quarterback of their choice. With the first overall pick likely on the trade block and its projected price tag skyrocketing, a trade may not be attractive for Ziegler and company, who need to replenish the roster with a significant amount of talent.
Future Hall of Fame quarterbacks Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers have been linked to the Raiders for obvious reasons. Brady and McDaniels worked together in New England as they built the greatest dynasty in NFL history, and Rodgers recently won back-to-back MVP awards by hyper-targeting Davante Adams in Green Bay.
Other than the pressing need at quarterback, the Raiders have an extremely tall task at hand if they want to reshape the roster into an AFC contender. The team needs to add talent on the offensive line, and frankly, needs a defensive overhaul.
The offensive skill positions are where the Raiders should feel most comfortable, but per reports, WR Hunter Renfrow and TE Darren Waller may be on the trade block after a disappointing 2022. With a weak wide receiver free agent class in 2023, the team could be looking to draft a premier receiver in the top 10 while addressing their quarterback need via trade or free agency. That being said, all positions should be in consideration with the seventh overall pick due to the state of the roster overall.
The Raiders are currently projected to be under the cap this offseason, which will help them compete for much-needed free agent additions without making tough roster cuts. When all is said and done, Ziegler and McDaniels’ “aggressive changes” could usher in a new era of Raiders football starting in 2023.
