Raiders' Early Report Card for Most Impactful Offseason Decisions
The entire aura surrounding the Las Vegas Raiders feels drastically different than it did this time last year.
In 2023, the Raiders were coming off a disappointing first season under head coach Josh McDaniels. They dumped longtime starting quarterback Derek Carr and signed the oft-injured Jimmy Garoppolo to replace him.
A few months later, Las Vegas was struggling, McDaniels was replaced by interim coach Antonio Pierce and Garoppolo was on the bench. Under Pierce, though, the Raiders went 5-4 to finish the season while undergoing a major defensive turnaround.
The changes have continued coming in the offseason, and Las Vegas legitimately feels like a franchise headed in the right direction. Here, we'll examine the biggest offseason decisions that have led to this point and provide grades based on factors like value, risk, and potential upside.
Hiring Antonio Pierce and Tom Telesco
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Not every fan will be on board with the hiring of Tom Telesco as general manager, seeing as he was just fired by the Los Angeles Chargers. However, Telesco is a very experienced executive who has had multiple draft successes (Justin Herbert, Joey Bosa, Rashawn Slater) who knows the AFC West extremely well.
Removing the interim tag from Pierce is a move that should draw more universal praise from the fanbase. Las Vegas had a more determined and aggressive identity under Pierce, and the players love him.
"There's only 32 [NFL] head coaches in the whole world," pass-rusher Maxx Crosby said in January, per ESPN's Paul Gutierrez, "So you've got to find a leader of men. And when you've got one of them in the building currently, I don't know why you would let them go."
Pierce lacks head coaching experience, and Telesco has had some notable free-agency misses (J.C. Jackson), so the new front office is far from a slam dunk.
However, Pierce certainly feels like the right fit, and Telesco has all the front-office experience that Pierce lacks. Only time will tell if the new regime pans out, but it's a sensible set of hires after a couple of notable mistakes.
Grade: B+
Signing Gardner Minshew, Releasing Jimmy Garoppolo
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The Raiders added Garoppolo because he was familiar with McDaniels' offense and fit what the head coach wanted under center. With McDaniels out, there was little reason to keep Garoppolo, who was outplayed by rookie Aidan O'Connell in 2023.
Cutting Garoppolo also saved $11.3 million in cap space.
While O'Connell flashed promise, he didn't show enough to justify making him the unquestioned starter. For competition, Las Vegas added Gardner Minshew on a two-year, $25 million deal.
Minshew is a career backup but has played well when given the opportunity to start (career 90.2 QB rating). Last season, he had the Indianapolis Colts on the doorstep of the postseason after taking over for an injured Anthony Richardson.
Adding Minshew gives Las Vegas a stable option without costing so much that it might ignore promising prospects in April's draft. If Minshew doesn't work out—or the Raiders land their QB of the future in the draft—Minshew will only have just under $9 million in dead money remaining on his contract after the season.
And with Minshew and O'Connell both in the fold, the Raiders won't forced into reaching for a quarterback they don't love. It's a brilliant approach to the QB position that leaves Las Vegas with flexibility in the draft.
Grade: A+
Signing DT Christian Wilkins
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While signing Minshew certainly created some headlines, Las Vegas' Day 1 acquisition of defensive tackle Christian Wilkins might have created an even bigger splash.
The third-ranked player on the Bleacher Report free-agency big board, Wilkins is an elite defender who has swapped between being a top-tier run defender and a top-notch interior pass rusher.
Wilkins will be a tremendous addition to coordinator Patrick Graham's defensive front. He'll help make pass-rushers like Crosby better while boosting a run defense that ranked 18th in yards per carry allowed last season.
Practically the only thing not to love about the decision to sign Wilkins is the cost. To lure him to Las Vegas, the Raiders handed out a four-year, $110 million contract. His $27.5 million annual salary is now second only to Chris Jones among all defensive tackles.
That's a hefty amount for a player who has never earned a Pro Bowl nod.
Did the Raiders overpay? Yes. Is Wilkins a high-impact player who instantly makes Las Vegas' defense better? Also yes. It was a solid decision overall, and by the time Wilkins' contract is up, it should favorably compare to other top DT contracts.
Grade: B
*Contract information via Spotrac.
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