Official Las Vegas Raiders Thread

Out: Whitehead
In: Kwiatkoski

Gotta be an upgrade. Right?

 

Only 26...replaces Burfict? Lacking in coverage. Lateral move?

 

The Bears thread on reddit seemed really high on him. Let’s see.

 

Mariotta for backup to DC4...?

 

Poor man's Blake Martinez? Where's Will Compton?

 

Not really a position of need, but okay. Let's shore up this defense!

 

Kwiatkoski was graded 72.6 on PFF last year, 8 points higher than the Raiders' best LB. In fact, it would have been their highest grade on D.

Mic'd up last year:
Highlights from 2016:

He may slip a bit moving into the starting lineup, but he looks good against the run and was solid last year in coverage.

 

From PFF on Mariota:
LAS VEGAS RAIDERS AGREE TO TERMS WITH FORMER TENNESSEE TITANS QUARTERBACK MARCUS MARIOTA
Last season, we saw the Tennessee Titans sign Ryan Tannehill as Marcus Mariota insurance, and after Tannehill took Mariota's starting job and spun it into an AFC Championship and a new contract, it seemed inevitable that Mariota would find himself trying to do the same thing somewhere else. He heads to Las Vegas to back up Derek Carr who has been solid as a starter, but Jon Gruden has never shied away from competition in his quarterback room. Mariota's 64.3 overall grade last season was the worst of his career, but he has two 76.0-plus grades as a starter and he can produce if given another opportunity. It's a strong hedge by the Raiders who instantly have the best backup quarterback in the league.

 

IN: Cory Littleton, LB
3 years, $36m. His 78.9 PFF Grade would top Kwiatkoski for best on the defense. Only Jacobs and Carr were better on O.

 

In: Jeff Heath S
In: Maliek Collins DI
In: Jason Witten TE

 

QB
Carr was already a solid NFL starter. The Raiders add arguably the best backup that will be on any 2020 roster in Marcus Mariota. He's also a fit for Gruden's vision of a running QB. Peterman and Kizer may duke it out for QB3, but it likely won't matter. Unless, of course, the Raiders still mastermind a move to get rid of Carr.
Position Grade: B+

LB
LV have gotten younger and better at LB. With Whitehead and Burfict out, the Raiders insert two 26 y/o linebackers who both graded out at 72+ at PFF last season. Littleton was named one of their 101 best players (#90). This is an immediate and massive upgrade for a position of need.
Grade: B (up from F)

DI
Adding another young player to the mix isn't a bad idea. Maliek Collins (24) has averaged 10 QB hits per season, and was credited with 30+ QB pressures last season. Those would have led the Raiders or tied for second. Mix him in with Mo Hurst, PJ Hall, and Johnathan Hankins, and the Raiders have an impressive front.
Grade: C+

Safety
If Karl Joseph is out, this is at best a lateral move. But Jeff Heath is a solid SS. He graded out at 68.0 last season, which would have been within 2 points of the top spot on LV. With Harris, Heath, and Joyner under contract, the Raiders have some good things going at Safety. Hopefully, the improved coverage ability at LB will take some pressure off the DBs.
Grade: C

EDGE
Raiders add Carl Nassib to the likes of Maxx Crosby and Clelin Ferrell. It's unclear whether Mayowa will be back, but if he is, the Raiders have an impressive rotation at the endges. In limited snaps, Nassib has generated 12.5 sacks and 25 QB Hits over the last two seasons. He is the cleanup man the Raiders have been looking to pair with one of their other solid young edges.
Grade: D- (without any improvement from young guys.

 

Draft needs are a bit clearer now. WR. CB. Then the Raiders will have the relative luxury of choosing best available at any position. I could still see them taking WR and LB with their first two picks and loading up on promising players down the line.

 

Joseph is gone. Eli Apple in.

 

CB
Trayvon Mullen (64.4) is the only currently rostered CB to outgrade Eli Apple (63.8) last season. Nevin Lawson and Nick Nelson were also respectable, but it's not clear that LV has any top flight cover man. This position is going to remain an F for the time being.

TE
This is an A. Waller is one of the best receiving TEs in the league, Moreau was arguably the top all-around rookie TE, and WItten is a vet and future HoF player.

 

^I liked Nixon who was feisty and sound from what I saw during the pre-season. Saw snaps during regular games and did alright.

 

His overall grade was terrible, but he played so few snaps that one bad play would burn his grade. I think he's promising, with good speed but questionable agility. So he just has to be in the right spots to succeed.

 

IN: Nelson Agholor WR
His hands make him a massive question mark, and any team counting on Agholor to be their WR1 is making a mistake. But once we get past that, he's a solid addition. He's better than Marcell Ateman, Ryan Grant, and JJ Nelson. He's shown more than Keelan Doss, too. So, he slots in as a second or third WR for the time being. He has a great physical profile, other than his hands, and his 2017-18 seasons saw him grab 126 passes for 1500 yards and 12 TDs. He was a solid WR2. Ideally, the Raiders draft a WR1, and Agholor moves to WR4 while Renfrow plays the slot.

IN: Nick O'Leary TE
Maybe the Raiders don't need more TEs, but they've added two things that can't hurt teams. In Witten, they added veteran leadership from a surefire Hall of Famer. And in O'Leary they add a tough blocker with veteran savvy as well. Presumably the terms are favorable to the team, so there's little to complain about here.

Back: Rod Smith RB
A big back who has stuck around because of his size, his ability to get involved in the passing game, and his willingness to play special teams. He played 3 games with the Raiders, and all but 1 of his 33 snaps came on special teams.

IN: Eric Kush OL
Kush graded out at 45.4 as a Guard, which is pretty poor. His physical profile, however, is impressive. He's quick and fast, especially for a 300-pounder. He has totaled 49 games, 19 starts, and 10 AV over six seasons. 18 of his 19 starts have come in the last three seasons. He's a versatile OL who is now 30 years old. Depth signing. Already tweeted a pic of himself with an eye patch, much to fans' delight.

 

WR
CB
LB

Let's go, Raiders.