The Silver and Black returned to the playoffs this past season. Now the Las Vegas Raiders look to make even more noise with their newest head coach.
All told, 2021 proved to be a trying but somewhat-successful year for the Silver and Black. The Las Vegas Raiders won their first three games and last four contests. In between the team saw their head coach step down and two of their recent first-round draft choices have issues off the field.
But under the guidance of interim head coach Rich Bisaccia and the leadership of veteran quarterback Derek Carr, the club finished 10-7 and claimed its first playoff berth since 2016.
The Raiders came up short at Cincinnati in the wild card round. And now the team is under the command of new general manager Dave Ziegler and former Patriots’ offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels.
While the franchise still has some salary cap room this year (see Spotrac), it’s not the usual big number we have seen in the past. So what five players could the Raiders be looking at this offseason?
5. DT Larry Ogunjobi (Cincinnati Bengals)
Last offseason, the club revamped both sides of the ball in the trenches. As for the defensive front, young performers such as Arden Key and Maurice Hurst were sent packing. They sighed interior defenders Solomon Thomas and Quinton Jefferson and gave big money to pass-rushing standout Yannick Ngakoue. The latter led the team with 10 sacks and he and Maxx Crosby (8.0) teamed for just over half of Las Vegas’ 35 QB traps.
But Thomas and Jefferson signed one-year deals and are eligible for free agency in mid-March. Likewise massive defensive tackle Johnathan Hankins.
Five-year pro Larry Ogunjobi has been a steady starter for the Bengals each of the past four seasons. He comes off a year in which he totaled a career-best seven sacks. He could be a solid addition to the Raiders’ defensive front.
4. LB Dont’a Hightower (New England Patriots)
The hiring of new head coach Josh McDaniels could mean that the one-time Denver Broncos’ sideline boss and former Rams’ assistant could recruit a few New England Patriots’ veterans to help him with the transition. The Raiders could certainly use all the help they can get on the defensive side of the ball and a former first-round pick with plenty of playoff experience could be a wise addition.
Two-time Pro Bowler and three-time Super Bowl champion Dont’a Hightower was a first-round pick in 2012 for the Pats and has played a total of nine seasons for Bill Belichick’s club. After opting out in 2020 (COVID-19), he played and started 15 games for the playoff-bound team in 2021.
He finished sixth on the club with 64 tackles and 1.5 sacks. Admittedly, the New England defense wilted down the stretch this past year and had their issues late in the season against the run. But the addition of the well-schooled performer could help a unit that finished 19th in the league in rushing defense.
The Raiders’ new defensive coordinator is Patrick Graham, late of the New York Giants. The 31-year-old pro has 72.0 career regular-season sacks and three more quarterback traps in 17 postseason contests.
3. WR James Washington (Pittsburgh Steelers)
Perhaps the franchise would have better luck with this former Steelers’ wide receiver? Back in 2019, the Raiders send third- and fifth-round draft choices to Pittsburgh for star Antonio Brown. But he proved to be a problem and he wound up never playing for the organization.
Back in 2018, the Steelers used a second-round pick on Oklahoma State wideout James Washington. Considering the Black and Gold’s track record at this position, especially in recent years, and it looked like a tremendous addition.
But the talented performer never had a true breakout campaign. His best season came in 2019 when veteran quarterback Ben Roethlisberger missed all but the first two games of the year. Of course, former college teammate Mason Rudolph was the Steelers’ quarterback for much of that year (as was undrafted Devlin Hodges).
Regardless of who threw him the ball that season, Washington finished with career-highs in starts (15), targets (80), catches (44) receiving yards (735) and average yards per reception (16.7). As for his four-year regular-season resume, he’s totaled just 114 grabs for 1,629 yards and 11 touchdowns.
Washington has flashed some big-play ability. And the Raiders, quarterback Derek Carr and new head coach Josh McDaniels could certainly use another downfield threat.
2. OL Germain Ifedi (Chicago Bears)
The Silver and Black have been trying to solve their offensive line issues for several years. Last offseason, then-general manager Mike Mayock and then-head coach Jon Gruden were busy trading away a trio of starters.
The Raiders sent guard Gabe Jackson to the Seattle Seahawks and shipped three-time Pro Bowl center to the Arizona Cardinals. And after two seasons with the team, high-priced tackle Trent Brown returned to the New England Patriots.
The team would go onto to use the 17th overall pick last April on University of Alabama blocker Alex Leatherwood. He began the year at right tackle and was moved inside to right guard.
Via Sam Monson of Pro Football Focus (subscription required), the Raiders’ offensive front ranked 28th in the NFL in 2021. And the former member of the Crimson Tide had his issues regardless of where he lined up during his rookie year.
Speaking of multiple positions, Germain Ifedi was a first-round pick of the Seattle Seahawks in 2016. After four seasons in the Pacific Northwest, the 6’5”, 344-pound performer has suited up for the Chicago Bears these past two seasons. Ifedi has been a starter and both guard and tackle and that versatility will give the Raiders some options up front.
1. RB James White (New England Patriots)
His 2021 season was cut short after three games with a hip injury. In the team’s first two outings, running back James White touched the ball 22 times. He ran 10 times for 38 yards and one score. And he caught a dozen passes for 94 yards.
A fourth-round draft choice from the University of Wisconsin in 2014, his regular-season resume reads 4,556 total yards from scrimmage and 36 touchdowns. But he’s also played a dozen postseason games and totaled 652 yards from scrimmage and eight trips to the end zone.
He was arguably the unsung hero of the New England Patriots’ record-setting come-from-behind overtime win over the Atlanta Falcons in Super Bowl LI. White set a Super Bowl record with 14 receptions – good for 110 yards and one score. He also carried six times for 29 yards and two TDs – the second the game-winner in OT – and also scored on a two-point conversion.
Raiders’ starting running back Josh Jacobs did total a career-best 54 receptions for 348 yards (0 touchdowns) in 2021. He added four catches for 44 yards in the playoff loss to the Bengals. He would remain the team’s workhorse when it came to the ground attack. But new head coach Josh McDaniels knows what a healthy White would do for Derek Carr and the offense.