The Las Vegas Raiders are entering a transitional season. Now under the direction of general manager Tom Telesco and head coach Antonio Pierce, ownership simply wants confirmation that they've appointed the right people to usher in a more successful era. Expectations are fairly muted in the first year of a rebuild.
The 2023 season began as a massive disappointment. Following a Week 8 defeat to the Detroit Lions that dropped their record to 3-5, Raiders owner Mark Davis fired head coach Josh McDaniels and GM Dave Ziegler. McDaniels (who signed a six-year contract at the time of his hiring) and Ziegler lasted 25 games, compiling a record of 9-16.
Pierce, the linebackers coach at the time, was named interim head coach. The interim title was removed this offseason after Pierce led the Raiders to a respectable 5-4 finish in their final nine contests. Telesco, a veteran general manager who spent 11 campaigns with the Los Angeles Chargers (2013-23) in the same role, was hired to oversee the roster rebuild.
The biggest question entering this offseason was the future of the quarterback position. Jimmy Garoppolo, who was hand-picked by McDaniels and Ziegler, was expectedly released from his contract. Pierce essentially benched Garoppolo the moment he took the job from McDaniels.
Pierce and Telesco decided against taking a sizable risk at quarterback in the first year of their rebuild. The Raiders entered the 2024 NFL Draft with the No. 13 overall selection. They stayed put and drafted tight end Brock Bowers. In front of them, quarterbacks Michael Penix Jr., J.J. McCarthy, and Bo Nix were drafted with pick Nos. 8, 10, and 12.
#Raiders CB Nate Hobbs says Brock Bowers' speed can make the former Georgia star TE a matchup nightmare.
— Nick Walters (@nickwalt) July 29, 2024
"I had no clue. Usually when I get on a tight end I could let off or jog a little bit. With him, you got to be locked in because he's different." pic.twitter.com/VVq8XUlhv0
Instead of gambling big on a rookie quarterback, the Raiders signed Gardner Minshew to a two-year contract worth $25 million. Minshew completed 62.2% of his passing attempts with the Indianapolis Colts last season, throwing for 3,305 yards, 15 touchdowns, and nine interceptions. He compiled a record of 7-6 in 13 starts.
Minshew will compete with sophomore in-house option Aidan O'Connell to be the Raiders' starting QB this season. It was O'Connell who replaced Garoppolo last season. The fourth-round rookie out of Purdue performed admirably given the circumstances, going 5-5 in 10 starts with a 12:7 TD:INT ratio.
But truthfully, it would be a shock if Minshew or O'Connell proved to be the long-term solution in Las Vegas. Both quarterbacks project as bridge-type solutions until the Raiders are ready to decide with a sense of conviction. The potential outcomes for the Raiders' 2024 season have a capped ceiling due to the quarterback position.
New offensive coordinator Luke Getsy will likely install a run-heavy offense. Third-year running back Zamir White is now in the starting backfield role following Josh Jacobs' departure. White projects as a breakout player due to the sheer volume he should see this season.
Pierce retained Patrick Graham as his defensive coordinator. The biggest offseason acquisition was defensive tackle Christian Wilkins, who was signed to a $110 million contract in free agency. Together, Wilkins and Maxx Crosby give Graham a potentially elite pass-rushing duo to plan around.
The Raiders will attempt to play sound defense and run the football throughout 2024. A similar approach worked for Pierce down the stretch of 2023, but color me skeptical. A successful campaign for the Raiders would be avoiding full-blown disaster, winning 6-9 games, and proving they're moving in the appropriate direction.
