Raiders free agency 2023: Ranking needs

The legal tampering period in free agency starts in three days. The Las Vegas Raiders are flush with salary-cap room, and they have a ton of needs on both sides of the ball as they try to bounce back from a bitterly disappointing 6-11 season in 2022.

Let’s rank their offseason needs entering free agency:

Quarterback:

There’s not a lot of suspense here. The Raiders badly need a quarterback and we’ve been talking about it since December. This is the top need and the focal point of the offseason. Whether it’s through a trade, free agency or the draft, the quarterback position rules Las Vegas’ offseason.

Offensive line:

There are actually two needs here so that’s why it’s so high on the list. The Raiders need both a tackle and a guard. The unit must improve from last season. They could try to re-sign right tackle Jermaine Eluemunor, who had a solid season. But an upgrade at the open slot is pretty major.

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Defensive tackle:

The Raiders tried to upgrade with Bilal Nichols last year in free agency, but he didn’t provide much spark. The interior defensive line couldn’t get much pass-rush going at all. The Raiders could really use a horse inside and someone like Washington’s Daron Payne (who is not going to be cheap) would be perfect.

Linebacker;

You can easily argue this is the Raiders’ biggest defensive need (and there’s a ton of them). Denzel Perryman is a free agent, the Raiders would like to retain. But they need, at least, one new linebacker and it needs to be an impact player.

Cornerback:

This is another big need spot. And, yes, we say that every year. Rock Ya-Sin, acquired for Yannick Ngakoue last year, is a free agent. The Raiders, who have young corners Nate Hobbs and Amik Robertson, could use two new corners and like, at linebacker, they need an impact player here.

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Safety:

Duron Harmon was good last season, but he was signed to a one-year contract. He could be brought back. Tre’von Moehrig was one of the Raiders’ biggest disappointments last season after a strong rookie season in 2021. He may not be a great fit for Patrick Graham’s defense. While there are greater needs, this is also a big one and perhaps Las Vegas will spend in free agency. Someone like Buffalo’s Jordan Poyer could be an interesting fit.

Conclusion:

There are other needs, including depth at wide receiver, right end and at pass-rusher. But the above-mentioned needs are pretty pressing. Remember, yes, Las Vegas has a lot of salary-cap room, but with all of these needs, there will be some challenges this offseason.