Raiders' Position Battles to Watch Ahead of 2023 NFL Season

While general manager Dave Ziegler and head coach Josh McDaniels were hired last year, their rebuild of the Las Vegas Raiders begins in earnest this season.

Familiar faces such as quarterback Derek Carr, tight end Darren Waller, tight end Foster Moreau and pass-rusher Clelin Ferrell are gone, and the front office added a host of new players during free agency and the draft.

While the roster is much different than it was a few months ago, that doesn't necessarily mean it's better. Instead of angling for a playoff bid, Las Vegas is likely to use this season to determine which players have the potential to be long-term centerpieces.

With new veterans at multiple key positions and several promising rookie prospects entering the equation, the Raiders will have several critical position battles during the remainder of organized team activities (OTAs), minicamps and training camp. Below, we'll examine three of the most important competitions for fans to follow in the coming months.

Defensive Line

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Raiders DT Tyree Wilson

The defensive line was an issue for the Raiders last season. Las Vegas struggled both against the run (23rd in yards per carry) and in its effort to pressure opposing quarterbacks (27 sacks).

The starting defensive end spots should be settled with Maxx Crosby and Chandler Jones returning. However, there will be competition to fill roles on the interior.

Andrew Billings, a 14-game starter last year, departed in free agency, but both Bilal Nichols and midseason addition Jerry Tillery will be back. The Raiders also added Tyree Wilson and Byron Young during the draft.

Wilson is an intriguing first-round prospect because of his positional versatility. He can rotate with Crosby and Jones on the edge, but he can also kick inside to serve as an interior pass-rusher.

"He'd be a good fit as a 5- to 4i-technique in even or odd fronts and can even slide a little further inside to a 3-tech on occasion with his impressive strength," Matt Holder of the Bleacher Report Scouting Department wrote.

Tillery can also generate pressure from the interior, though he isn't a consistent anchor against the run. Ideally, a player such as Young or Adam Butler will push Tillery for the starting role, allowing Tillery to thrive as a rotational pass-rusher.

There's quite a bit of new talent along the defensive line, and coordinator Patrick Graham's ability to find the right combination of starters and situational players will play a vital role in the defense's evolution.

Cornerback

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Raiders CB Nate Hobbs

While the Raiders defensive front was problematic last season, the cornerback position wasn't much better. Las Vegas ranked 28th in yards allowed per pass attempt and, unsurprisingly, remade its cornerback room in the offseason.

Veteran additions include Brandon Facyson, David Long Jr. and Duke Shelley—who headed over from the Indianapolis Colts, Tennessee Titans and Minnesota Vikings, respectively. The Raiders also used a fourth-round pick on Maryland cornerback Jakorian Bennett.

Versatile inside-outside cornerback Nate Hobbs is the most important returning player. He should play a prominent role once again while Facyson, Long, Shelley, Bennett, Ike Brown, Amik Robertson and Tyler Hall compete for starting spots and rotational parts.

Ideally, Bennett will rise up the depth chart quickly and position himself as a fixture in the secondary. The potential is certainly there.

"Ultimately, Bennett has a lot of skills and traits that could make him successful in the NFL," Cory Giddings of the B/R Scouting Department wrote. "He needs to continue working on his ball skills downfield and his tackling. He's a potential role player who might find himself in a starting role a few years into his career."

Having Bennett emerge would be valuable because Long, Shelly, Robertson and Hall are all scheduled to become free agents in 2024 and could be out as part of Las Vegas' ongoing reconstruction.

Backup Quarterback

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QB Brian Hoyer

Jimmy Garoppolo—who once played under McDaniels with the New England Patriots—was signed to replace Carr as the starting quarterback. However, It was recently revealed that the foot injury Garoppolo suffered with the San Francisco 49ers in 2022 was significant enough to require surgery and remains a concern.

ProFootballTalk's Mike Florio wrote the following on May 27:

"PFT has obtained Garoppolo's contract. It contains a critical final clause—Addendum G—that addresses the foot injury Garoppolo suffered during the 2022 season. ... Addendum G is a waiver and release. In the first paragraph, the waiver acknowledges that, without it, Garoppolo would not pass the team’s physical."

Florio also reported that Garoppolo's initial signing bonus was converted into non-guaranteed base-salary money. In short, the Raiders can release Garoppolo without taking a financial hit until/unless he passes a physical. The team protection Las Vegas added to the contract is substantial enough to suggest that it may not happen.

This makes an already important competition for QB2—Garoppolo has a lengthy injury history—extremely critical. The battle between Brian Hoyer, Chase Garbers and rookie Aidan O'Connell could ultimately be for the starting job.

Hoyer should have the edge, given his starting experience (40 games) and his eight years in the New England offense. However, O'Connell, a fourth-round pick out of Purdue, has the best chance of establishing himself as a part of the Raiders' future.

Of course, if Garoppolo doesn't fully recover and this competition doesn't yield a quality starter, Las Vegas could easily be targeting a new quarterback at the top of the 2024 draft.