Raiders' Early Report Card for Most Impactful Offseason Decisions

This past season, the Las Vegas Raiders made the postseason for only the second time since losing Super Bowl XXXVII after the 2002 campaign. Las Vegas is looking to build off of that playoff appearance and contend in an AFC West that might just be the NFL's best ever.

With the Denver Broncos trading for Russell Wilson, the Raiders must now contend with three upper-echelon quarterbacks—Wilson, Patrick Mahomes and Justin Herbert—for divisional supremacy. That's a tough challenge, but Las Vegas hasn't sat idly by while the rest of the division improves.

No, it has been busy putting together a squad that can compete for a Super Bowl. That's not hyperbole. The Raiders are posed to be relevant deep into the postseason.

Below, you'll find a look a three of the biggest decisions Las Vegas has made this offseason and how they grade out based on factors like value and potential impact.

Hiring GM Dave Ziegler and Head Coach Josh McDaniels

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Early in the offseason, the Raiders decided to replace interim coach Rich Bisaccia and general manager Mike Mayock with Josh McDaniels and Dave Ziegler, respectively.

While we've yet to see McDaniels lead the team on game days, the new front office laid out an aggressive game plan right away.

"I don't think in today's NFL there's really any time to do rebuilding anyway," McDaniels said, per Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal. "This certainly isn't that type of situation for us."

The new regime has indeed targeted win-now moves early in free agency. Some of the pickups have been under the radar but valuable, such as the signing of backup quarterback Garrett Gilbert. Others, like the two we're about to examine, have been much more noteworthy. But the proactive approach is exactly what Las Vegas needed to make a run in 2022.

We'll have to wait and see if McDaniels fares better than he did during his head coaching stint in Denver. However, he and Ziegler have done an excellent job thus far.

On paper, the Raiders are better than they were only a week ago, and fans have to be happy with what they've seen.

Grade: A

Signing Chandler Jones, Trading Yannick Ngakoue

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Chandler Jones is a premier pass-rusher and likely a future Hall of Famer. He has 107.5 career sacks on his resume and is coming off yet another strong season. He finished 2021 with 10.5 sacks and 36 quarterback pressures.

The 32-year-old is also now a Raider after signing a three-year, $51 million free-agent deal. He and Maxx Crosby have the potential to be one of the better pass-rushing duos in the conference this season.

Las Vegas subsequently traded pass-rusher Yannick Ngakoue to the Indianapolis Colts for cornerback Rock Ya-Sin.

Now, I'm not as high on replacing Ngakoue with Jones as most seem to be. Ngakoue, who had 10 sacks and 36 pressures this past season, was a fine complement to Crosby. He's also five years younger than Jones.

However, getting Ya-Sin as part of the deal is big. The 25-year-old allowed an opposing passer rating of 88.8 in coverage last season and can be a valuable depth piece this season and perhaps beyond.

Overall, it's a win for the Raiders, which got older on the edge but likely better defensively in the short term.

Grade: B

Trading for Davante Adams

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The Raiders also have a new No. 1 receiver after acquiring Davante Adams from the Green Bay Packers. It cost Las Vegas a 2022 first-round pick, a 2022 second-round pick and a new contract for the All-Pro wideout.

The Raiders immediately handed Adams a new five-year, $140 million deal.

Now, this is a lot for a receiver who will turn 30 before the end of the season, but he is worth it. He's one of the best receivers in the game, and he has a history with quarterback Derek Carr. The duo spent two seasons together at Fresno State and made magic on the field.

Adams set school records in receptions (233) and receiving touchdowns (38). In all, Adams racked up 3,031 yards in his two years playing with Carr.

The addition of Adams should instantly upgrade the Raiders offense, which now features him, Hunter Renfrow, Bryan Edwards, Darren Waller and Josh Jacobs. That's a tremendous collection of skill players and one that makes this pricey acquisition entirely worth it.

Grade: A-

Contract information via Spotrac. Advanced statistics from Pro Football Reference unless otherwise noted.