How Each Position on Raiders' Offense Improved

The Las Vegas Raiders made changes to every position group on the offensive side of the ball.

The Las Vegas Raiders made significant changes to their offense after year one under Coach Josh McDaniels and General Manager Dave Ziegler.

As they look to put their stamp on the team, they were notably active during free agency and made several selections during the 2023 NFL Draft.

As the Raiders are looking to return to the playoffs in 2023, every position group on the offensive side of the ball was addressed in some way, some more significantly than others.

Heading into the 2023 season, let’s take a closer look at each position group on offense and see how the Raiders improved in that area.

Quarterback: Probably the biggest move of the offseason for the Raiders was letting longtime franchise quarterback Derek Carr walk, signaling the end of an era in Raiders football.

They then brought in quarterbacks who McDaniels is familiar with, including Jimmy Garoppolo, who they signed to a three-year, $72.75-million contract. Garoppolo will be the starter this season after several successful years with the San Francisco 49ers.

The Raiders also brought in journeyman Brian Hoyer and selected Purdue’s Aidan O’Connell in the fourth round of the NFL Draft. Hoyer also has spent time with McDaniels and the Raiders were very high on O’Connell.

Finding signal callers who can replicate the offensive system in place was a goal for McDaniels and Ziegler, and they did so with all three of their quarterback acquisitions.

Running Back: The Raiders and star Josh Jacobs still have not come to an agreement on a long-term contract, and his status for week one of the NFL season is up in the air.

However, they brought back Ameer Abdullah and expect to see a second-year leap from 2022 draftee Zamir White. McDaniels is familiar with a running back-by-committee approach, and might implement it if Jacobs misses any time.

Jacobs is one of the best running backs in the NFL, and it’s hard to say the running back position has improved if he is not back in the fold.

Wide Receiver: The Raiders brought in several new wide receivers, including Jakobi Meyers, who signed a three-year, $33-million contract and looks to be an important piece in the offense.

They also brought in lots of depth at the position, including Phillip Dorsett, Cam Sims, and DeAndre Carter. Having as many sets of hands for Garoppolo will be beneficial to the offense.

While they lost Mack Hollins, the Raiders added new players and depth that should keep the position group strong.

Tight End: In another surprising move of the offseason, the Raiders traded Darren Waller to the New York Giants.

Foster Moreau signed with the New Orleans Saints as well, so the tight end room was almost completely overhauled.

The Raiders brought in journeymen tight ends Austin Hooper and O.J. Howard, and selected Notre Dame star Michael Mayer in the second round of the NFL Draft. Mayer has the best chance to become a long-term fixture in the offense, as he was viewed as an elite tight end prospect.

Losing Waller might hurt, but if Mayer reaches his ceiling, the Raiders may not feel the effects of the loss as severely.

Offensive Line: After an impressive finish to the season, the Raiders made an effort to keep their offensive line group together. They re-signed guard Alex Bars and tackle Jermaine Eluemunor to solidify the right side of the line.

Good offensive line play has always been key for McDaniels’ offenses, and maintaining stability with the same five players will pay dividends for the entire offense going forward. 

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