What Was the Best Move the Las Vegas Raiders Made This Offseason?

The Las Vegas Raiders have made multiple moves this offseason. Which of those moves will turn out the best for the Silver and Black?

Las Vegas Raiders QB Gardner Minshew from OTAs / Darrell Craig Harris, Sports Illustrated

One of the primary reasons the Las Vegas Raiders struggled last season is the flawed roster they put on the field.

While it is debatable why the Raiders’ roster was as flawed as it was, the roster undoubtedly needed to be revamped this offseason if they had any hopes of the 2024-25 season being better than the previous one.

Raiders general manager Tom Telesco came in and almost immediately made sweeping changes to the roster. Telesco did an impressive job of adding talent and depth to the Raiders roster, both of which were lacking last season. Telesco made many quiet but necessary moves to help improve the roster, including quarterback Gardner Minshew, who was signed to compete with second-year quarterback Aidan O’Connell for the team’s starting quarterback position this upcoming season.

While Minshew has a legitimate opportunity to win the starting position, the Raiders have two competent quarterbacks on their roster. 

Although the signings of Minshew and veteran running back Alexander Mattison were solid additions, there is no question which move Telesco made was the best one. After getting rid of Jerry Tillery, a player he drafted in the first round of the NFL Draft, while at his previous spot, Telesco signed former Miami Dolphins defensive lineman Christian Wilkins.

Pro Football Focus’ Trevor Sikkema explains which moves the Raiders made this season were the best and why.

“They established a direction of team building and stuck to the plan after hiring defensive-minded head coach Antonio Pierce,” Sikkema said. “It began with spending a ton of money on Christian Wilkins to get Maxx Crosby some help on the defensive line, and while the team didn’t go defense with its first-round pick, the emphasis on beefing up that unit was still there. The Raiders are in rebuilding mode, and they’re rebuilding through the defense first.

Signing Wilkins has the potential to solidify the Raiders' defense as one of the best in the league. The move also benefits the offense, as either O’Connell or Minshew will have less pressure to score every time they touch the ball because the defense will help keep them in games, if not win a few games next season for the team. The Raiders saw a chance to improve their roster and did just that.

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