2024 offseason primer: Raiders roster in line for a major facelift

By Michael Gallagher | Last updated 2/16/24

Despite former head coach Josh McDaniels’ best efforts, the Las Vegas Raiders nearly salvaged their 2023 season, winning five of nine games with Antonio Pierce as the interim head coach and making the AFC playoff race interesting during the final few weeks.

Pierce not only won over the players in the locker room but also owner Mark Davis, who rewarded the 45-year-old with the head-coaching gig on a permanent basis earlier this winter.

Among Pierce’s first tasks will be revamping a lackluster roster consisting mostly of players acquired by McDaniels and former head coach Jon Gruden.

Quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo was suspended for the first two games of the 2024 season on Friday for violating the NFL’s performance-enhancing substance policy and he’s expected to be released, meaning Pierce needs to find a new signal-caller.

Additionally, running back Josh Jacobs needs a new contract, but it’s unclear if Vegas will pony up the kind of money he’s likely to command on the open market. Changes could be coming on the defensive side of the ball as well – the Raiders need to beef up their front seven and bolster their secondary.

Here’s what you need to know about Las Vegas’ offseason:

PROJECTED 2024 CAP SPACE: $43.3M (ninth-most in NFL)

FREE AGENTS | Offense: RBs Josh Jacobs, Ameer Abdullah; FB Jacob Johnson; WR Deandre Carter; TEs Austin Hooper, Jesper Horsted; OT Jermain Eluemunor, Brandon Parker; OGs Greg Van Roten, Jordan Meredith; Center Andre James

Defense: DE Bilal Nichols; DTs Adam Butler, John Jenkins; LB Curtis Bolton; CB Amik Robertson; Safety Isaiah Pola-Mao

Outlook: Keeping Jacobs is going to cost the Raiders, but he’s too important to their offense to let just walk. He adds value as both a running back and receiver out of the backfield and Vegas should do what it can to keep him in the fold. James, Van Roten and Eluemunor were three-fifths of the team’s starting offensive line and at least two of the three should be retained. Eluemunor allowed six sacks and 28 pressures on just 779 offensive snaps, so he’s the one that seems most logical to let go.

Defensively, the fact that nobody set to hit the market is crucially important to the Raiders’ 2024 plans, but there's an argument for bringing back Butler (28 tackles, five sacks) and Robertson (six passes defensed, two interceptions, 62.5 completion percentage against) to compete for starting jobs next season.

TOP DRAFT NEEDS (in order): QB, DT, CB, OL, RB — With Garoppolo expected to be released, it all but guarantees the Raiders will either draft a quarterback in Round 1 or explore alternative options like making a push for one in free agency (Kirk Cousins, Ryan Tannehill) or going the trade route for a player like Chicago’s Justin Fields.

It would make much more sense for Pierce to hand pick the passer he wants and Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy or Washington’s Michael Penix Jr. both make sense. If the franchise doesn't feel comfortable with any of the passers left at No. 11, then going with the top-rated defensive tackle isn’t a bad way to go. Illinoi’s Jer’Zahn Newton or Texas’ T’Vondre Sweat would be fine options.

DRAFT PROSPECTS TO WATCH: J.J. McCarthy, QB, Michigan; Bo Nix, Oregon, QB; Michael Penix Jr., QB, Washington; Jer’Zahn Newton, DT, Illinois; Kris Jenkins, DT, Michigan; T’Vondre Sweat, DT, Texas; Cooper DeJean, CB, Iowa; Nate Wiggins, CB, Clemson; Quinyon Mitchell, CB, Toledo; Troy Fautanu, OG, Washington; Taliese Fuaga, OT, Oregon State; J.C. Latham, OT, Alabama; Jonathon Brooks, RB, Texas; Blake Corum, RB, Michigan; Trey Benson, RB, Florida State

THREE 2024 STORYLINES TO WATCH:

Was giving Pierce the full-time head-coaching job the right call?
Will Jacobs be back or will he elect to see what else is out there?
If the season goes south, will Adams demand a trade to a contender?

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