Raiders' Top Players to Consider for Franchise Tag, RFA Contract Tenders
Josh McDaniels and Dave Ziegler might have taken over the Las Vegas Raiders in 2022, but it's 2023 that is really going to start telling the story of their tenure.
Things got off to a rocky start in their first season. They couldn't capitalize on the momentum from the team's 10-7 record in 2021 and went 6-11 with the head coach struggling to get results from a roster that was partly constructed by Ziegler.
In 2023, though, the tandem will get to put their stamp on a roster that still has quite a few holdovers from the Mike Mayock era.
The first big order of business is going to be decide what to do with this class of free agents. They already made a big move by releasing Derek Carr, marking a new era at quarterback.
Now they will have to make decisions on other in-house options. Outside of working out new deals, they also have the franchise tag and restricted free-agent tenders that can be deployed to keep some of their talent on the roster.
Here's a look at a the candidates to receive those designations as we head toward free agency.
Franchise Tag: RB Josh Jacobs
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Josh Jacobs makes the most sense for the franchise tag, which allows a team to sign one player to a one-year contract based on their position.
The deal gives the team extra time to work out a long-term agreement or gives them one more year of the player before deciding to give him another contract.
That's a perfect situation for where the team is with their lead back.
On one hand, McDaniels' background with the New England Patriots would point toward the coach preferring a backfield-by-committee approach. The Pats have famously used a team of RBs rather than one featured back in their offenses.
However, Jacobs was the lone star in the backfield last year. He led the league in opportunity share last year which factors in all the touches and targets for all running backs on the team. He accounted for 83.7 percent.
He rewarded them with more than 2,000 scrimmage yards and 12 touchdowns.
So, while the Raiders might not be all that excited about handing a 25-year-old back a deal that's going to take him into his late 20s, they are going to have a hard time replacing his production.
That makes the franchise tag, which will cost around $10.1 million, an appealing option for Las Vegas. It gets another year out of Jacobs before deciding if its younger backs are ready to take on the work in his absence, while the Alabama product gets a reasonable one-year payday with the opportunity to secure a long-term deal next year.
Restricted Free Agent Tender: S Roderic Teamer
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The Raiders have a handful of players who are eligible for a restricted free agent tender, but Roderic Teamer has the most experience of the bunch by far.
The 25-year-old has flashed some ability to play safety over the last two seasons. He has appeared in 27 games with five starts in 2021 and 2022, and he started six games for the Los Angeles Chargers as a rookie in 2020.
Teamer is also valuable on special teams, logging 44 percent of the special teams action in 2021 and 59 percent in 2022.
Those are valuable reps, and not everyone who can play special teams also has the ability to contribute on defense. He ended the year with 40 tackles, only missing 4.8 percent of his attempts.
All things considered, the Tulane product might not quite warrant the restricted free agent tender. The lowest one is the Right to First Refusal, which essentially guarantees the team the opportunity to match any contract the player negotiates with another team.
The one-year tender is worth $2.6 million. If the Raiders get the sense that someone else could be interested in paying Teamer that much, they would do well to use the tag.
Otherwise, they can probably just re-sign him at a lower number.
Restricted Free Agent Tender: TE Jesper Horsted
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The first order of business at the tight end position for the Raiders is figuring out what they are going to do with Foster Moreau.
The 25-year-old is heading for free agency after a season in which he caught a career-high 33 passes for 420 yards and two touchdowns.
Moreau has served as a good second tight end to Darren Waller. With Waller playing just 20 games over the last two seasons, Moreau has made 25 starts in that time span and proved himself as a big receiver.
However, Waller's contract calls for a $12 million cap hit in 2023. They could save $4 million by releasing the 30-year-old, which could then be put toward a new contract for Moreau.
However, if the Raiders decide to stick with Waller, it would seem less likely they come to a new agreement with Moreau.
That could open the door for Jesper Horsted. The former Princeton wide receiver has shown strong hands and the ability to get open in the end zone in his brief time on the field. Three of his 13 career catches have been for touchdowns.
Much like Teamer, the Right to First Refusal tender might be a bit too much money. But if the Raiders view the 25-year-old as the heir apparent to Moreau's spot, he could be worth it.
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