Josh McDaniels’ first year with the Las Vegas Raiders wasn’t what he had hoped, but it also certainly wasn’t as bad as it could have been after a 2-7 start.
Now in Year 2, McDaniels and general manager Dave Ziegler will have the opportunity to truly make the roster in the way they want it to be — beginning at quarterback. We’ll get into it all — including a look at Raiders free agents, cut candidates, and team needs — as we preview Vegas’ offseason.
Las Vegas Raiders Offseason Preview: Quarterback Change Coming
The clock has struck midnight for Derek Carr. Benching him with two games left in the season — for Jarrett Stidham, no less — tells you all you need to know about his job status going forward.
Carr has been the Raiders’ starter since 2014. The Raiders have won zero playoff games during that time.
The question for any team considering a quarterback change is usually pretty straightforward: Can we get someone better than the guy we currently have? That’s not entirely clear for Vegas.
But Carr has hit his ceiling, and at some point, change for change’s sake is all the rationale that’s needed.
The Raiders are not winning the Super Bowl with Derek Carr. Cutting him would free up enough cap space — around $30 million — to sign someone else in a free agent class that is expected to include Geno Smith and Tom Brady.
Brady, you might have heard, had some moderate success with McDaniels calling the plays in New England.
Raiders’ 2023 Salary Cap Space
According to Spotrac, the Raiders, as of early January, were under the 2023 salary cap by $33.1 million, giving them the ninth-most space in the NFL.
That figure includes $23.8 million in dead cap and $8.2 million in rollover space. It’s based on an estimated $225 million NFL salary cap in 2023.
The exact cap figure will not be known until the NFL announces it in early March.
Raiders Free Agents 2023
The following Raiders players are set to hit free agency. (Restricted free agents are noted with the abbreviation RFA; exclusive rights free agents by ERFA.)
- RB Ameer Abdullah
- CB Anthony Averett
- DT Andrew Billings
- LB Curtis Bolton (RFA)
- DE Tashawn Bower
- ILB Jayon Brown
- WR Keelan Cole
- RT Jermaine Eluemunor
- SS Matthias Farley
- DE Clelin Ferrell
- SS Duron Harmon
- WR Mack Hollins
- TE Jesper Horsted (RFA)
- RB Josh Jacobs
- OLB Jordan Jenkins
- FB Jakob Johnson
- CB Sidney Jones
- ILB Micah Kiser
- TE Foster Moreau
- OT Brandon Parker
- ILB Denzel Perryman
- DE Isaac Rochell
- QB Jarrett Stidham
- S Roderic Teamer (RFA)
- DT Jerry Tillery
- CB Rock Ya-Sin
Running Back Josh Jacobs
Spotrac’s calculated market value: Four years, $48.6 million ($12.1 million AAV)
Overview: Talk about an unforced error. By declining to exercise Josh Jacob’s fifth-year option last spring, the Raiders either cost themselves some coin, or they cost themselves the NFL’s most productive running back in 2023. The franchise tag number for running backs is expected to be $12.6 million — over $4 million more than the fifth-year option would have cost.
Cornerback Rock Ya-Sin
Spotrac’s calculated market value: Four years, $43.5 million ($10.8 million AAV)
Overview: Ya-Sin has strung together two really solid years in coverage and should be a player in demand in free agency. Cover men that fit his profile — soon-to-be 27, strong body of work, relatively clean medical history — are coveted in the modern NFL, and it’s not a stretch to think some team will make him a top-20 corner in yearly salary.
Potential Cut Candidates
- QB Derek Carr ($29.3 million in savings)
- C Andre James ($3.6 million)
- DT Bilal Nichols ($3.1 million)
Raiders’ Team Needs Heading Into 2023 Offseason
- Offensive tackle
- Cornerback
- Safety
- Center
- Defensive tackle