Tag: 2553

HENDERSON, Nev. — Johnathan Hankins and Bilal Nichols both came off the PUP list last week, and no, that rumble you heard emanating from near the Las Vegas Raiders‘ compound was not the latest monsoon rolling through Sin City.

It was a sigh of relief.

The Raiders getting their two projected starting defensive tackles out of the training room from undisclosed injuries and onto the practice field provided more than a feel-good story.

“Certainly, we now have more depth than what we’ve been practicing with, for sure,” first-year Raiders coach Josh McDaniels said. “I think anytime you add players back, in this case two defensive linemen that we have some hopes for, it kind of reallocates the repetitions. It re-slots everyone into maybe a role that maybe fits them perfectly, or better than what we were doing before. I see those guys as guys that can contribute.”

Better late than never, right?

Consider: the Raiders, under McDaniels and new defensive coordinator Patrick Graham, have reimagined the defensive line, especially its interior. Because while there is no doubt about the roles of star edge rushers Maxx Crosby and Chandler Jones, Hankins was the only pure interior D-lineman brought back by the Raiders’ new regime (Kendal Vickers rotates between the interior and edge).

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And, as noted above, Hankins started training camp on PUP.

Gone are Quinton Jefferson (4.5 sacks in 2021), Solomon Thomas (3.5), Darius Philon (2.0) and Damion Square (0.5), taking 10.5 of the Raiders’ 35 sacks from last season with them. In their place are free agents Nichols, Andrew Billings, Kyle Peko, Tyler Lancaster and Vernon Butler (who was released Aug. 16) and draft picks Neil Farrell Jr. and Matthew Butler.

Keep in mind, while the Raiders’ depth chart shows a 4-3 alignment — Hankins and Peko started at defensive tackle in Las Vegas’ exhibition at the Miami Dolphins last weekend, while Peko and Billings started the first two preseason games — Graham’s scheme has plenty of 3-4 sensibilities.

“Coach Pat got us going through a couple of different formations,” Peko said with a smile. “Up front, the more you can do, the better. So I think for all the interior guys, knowing each end knows the three-tech spot, it’s just beneficial for the whole defense in the long run.”

It’s a simple philosophy, really.

“We know the vision Josh has — he wants us to win the line of scrimmage, so we’ve got to be heavy handed,” Graham said early in camp. “We’ve got to come out of our hips. We’ve got to strike people. Right now, we’re not striking people; we’re hitting sleds. But you see … improvement, you see the pad level.

“I always think about young defensive linemen — when they’re in college, they’re better than everybody. Here, everybody’s good. You better get your pads down, or you’re going to get embarrassed. So that’s been a big focus.”

Farrell, a fourth-round pick from LSU, and Butler, a fifth-rounder from Tennessee, played 27 and 22 snaps, respectively, against the Dolphins, with Farrell finishing with three tackles. A week earlier, each played 15 snaps against the Minnesota Vikings.

“We have the same perspective, we’re both rookies,” Butler said of himself and Farrell. “We just bounce things off of each other after practice and work off with each other during practice.”

As well as lean on the veterans.

“Kendal Vickers has been a friend of mine since my freshman year at Tennessee,” Butler added. “He’s been great. Also, Bilal Nichols. He’s been in this league for five or six years now. But really, I mean, whether it’s Tyler, whether it’s A.B., whether it’s Hank, everybody in the room has been pouring [information] into myself and Neil and the rest of the team. And we try to [absorb it] by just giving our all, day by day.”

The rookies spoke to the media the same day a mini-melee broke out between Crosby and third-round pick Dylan Parham, an interior offensive lineman.

“Everybody is just out there competing, trying to make one another better,” Farrell said. “That’s all we do every day. Try to push each other, go hard and give it the best we’ve got. Every day.

“I feel like everybody gears for improvement. I’ve got to get better at fundamentals and techniques. That’s just coming in, working every day at practice and just doing what I have to do to get better.”

The return of Hankins, though, showed just what an impact he can have for the D-line in particular, and the entire defense in general. Especially since he was playing mostly against Dolphins starters and controlling the line of scrimmage in his 13 snaps.

“A position that I would say, for the most part, has been a little bit thin during the course of camp, has now kind of taken a boost here,” McDaniels said of Hankins returning, while anticipating the debut of Nichols. “Now it feels like we have some more depth up front, some more combinations.

“We bumped Kendal Vickers out to the end a little bit this last week because we have a little bit more depth inside. It allows us to make some moves and some decisions that maybe we didn’t have the flexibility to make earlier, which affects and impacts the entire defense.”

Yes, better late than never.

“The happiest person in the building should be Josh Jacobs. I know that.” — Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Derek Carr on the team’s offensive system under new coach Josh McDaniels

HENDERSON, Nev. — Josh McDaniels landed in Las Vegas with the reputation of an elite playcaller, one who leans heavily on a roster of running backs just as big as it is versatile in skill sets.

Power backs? Check.

Pass-catching backs? Check again.

Pass-blocking backs? Check three times.

Indeed, with seven tailbacks and a fullback on the training camp roster, it might be a good problem for McDaniels to have when it comes to cutting down to an initial 53-man roster.

“It’s pretty interesting,” McDaniels said this week when asked about the depth and diversity of the running backs room. “There are some young guys that are learning but play really hard and give great effort. We have some guys that are kind of multifaceted in terms of what they do and bring. We’ve tried to give them all different opportunities here in the first few games to try to do some of those things.”

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Case in point: the (relatively) heavy workload Jacobs, a Pro Bowler in 2020 and presumptive starter this season, played in the Hall of Fame Game. Jacobs starting and getting seven touches (five carries for 30 yards and two catches for 14 yards) on the first two series raised eyebrows.

Or veteran Kenyan Drake, who is returning from a broken right ankle, seeing significant time in both preseason games.

“I mean, the proof is in the pudding,” said Drake, who has carried the ball nine times for 24 yards while catching two passes for 17 yards combined, after the Raiders beat the Minnesota Vikings in the second preseason game.

“You see everybody on the field being productive, playing in every and any situation — from four-minute with Brittain [Brown] finishing it off to the two-back set that we have, me and Zamir [White] in the first half, and then, obviously, not to mention the [two] other guys that haven’t played that are going to make a big impact on this team, so the sky’s the limit for this room. I feel like we’re going to be the heartbeat of this team and we’re going to, every game, go out there and be the engine.”

Through two exhibitions, Austin Walter has rushed for a team-high 79 yards with a TD and caught a 3-yard pass, while White, a fourth-round draft pick out of Georgia, has rushed for 65 yards on 16 carries and is tied for the team lead with five catches for 27 yards.

Brown, a seventh-round pick from UCLA, has rushed for 54 yards and a score on 14 carries and caught two passes, while Ameer Abdullah has 7 rushing yards and a TD (his low-high roundhouse kicks followed by a twirl kick as an end zone celebration was a nod to the video game “Tekken” while also serving as inspiration to the kids on “Cobra Kai”) and also has two catches for 23 yards.

Interestingly, neither of the two backs who came from McDaniels’ old stomping grounds, the New England Patriots, have played in the preseason — tailback Brandon Bolden and fullback Jakob Johnson.

How much can you truly glean, though, from two games of a preseason for a new regime?

Well, it’s been a fairly balanced offensive attack this far, with the Raiders passing for a combined 322 yards on 59 attempts and rushing for 299 yards on 72 carries.

All eight backs survived the first round of cuts, from 90 players to 85, this week. The Raiders must get down to 80 players by Tuesday, three days after the exhibition at the Miami Dolphins (7 p.m. ET, Saturday).

“You just take it one day at a time,” said Abdullah, who is in his first camp with the Raiders after spending seven seasons with the Detroit Lions, Vikings and Carolina Panthers. “That’s what my father has always told me — you can’t live too much in the future, that breeds anxiety. You can’t live too much in the past, that breeds depression. Just staying present. Keeping everything that’s right in front of you, which is what you can control.”

So how many backs might McDaniels keep on that initial 53-man roster?

He’s had as many as five in New England. So if that’s the case, who might be the odd man out among Jacobs, Drake, Bolden, White, Abdullah and Johnson? Cutting Drake would carry an $8 million dead money cap hit.

As Jacobs said, the competition has been “amazing” in camp.

“I mean, it’s fun, man,” said Jacobs, who is playing for a new contract after not having his fifth-year option picked up. McDaniels downplayed theories that Las Vegas was showcasing Jacobs in Canton for a trade.

“I’m a firm believer of having a group of guys that’s ready to compete. I believe that iron sharpens iron, [so] just to be around them guys that’s willing to work every day, that’s good or better in certain areas, and to be able to compete with them, it’s been fun. Being able to come in, and being a vet now, and being with the rookies and being able to pass that knowledge along, that’s what the game is, that’s what the game is all about.”

And as McDaniels said, he really likes this group of backs, and the way it is coached by Kennedy Polamalu.

“I’ve always been a big believer in having as many good backs as you can have on your team because like I’ve said before, they get the ball more than anybody else … other than the quarterback, and usually they’re taking hits and getting contact when they have it,” McDaniels said. “So, there’s a chance for nicks and bumps and bruises and injuries. You just don’t ever want to get caught short in that area.

“I like what they’re doing. They push one another, they help one another, they work really hard together. We’ve got a lot of maturity in that room that continues to try to pull guys along, especially the young guys.”

HENDERSON, Nev. — Running back Josh Jacobs, author of two 1,000-yard rushing seasons in his three-year career, did not have his fifth-year option picked up this offseason by the Las Vegas Raiders‘ new regime.

Darren Waller, who set a franchise record with 107 catches two years ago, is just the 17^th highest-paid tight end in the NFL in terms of average annual value and is still hoping for a contract extension.

And while two of quarterback Derek Carr‘s most potent threats are entering a season without contracts they would like, both of the Raiders’ 2020 Pro Bowlers insist they are focused on football, rather than the business end of things.

Really.

“I’m a firm believer in the work that you put in is going to pay out for itself, and I had to be here either way,” said Jacobs, one of three Raiders’ first-round picks in 2019. “And this is where I want to be. I didn’t have no problem with it. It just gave me more of a reason to come in every day, gel with the guys and work.”

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Waller echoed President John F. Kennedy’s “Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country” mantra in explaining how he compartmentalizes desiring a new deal on par with his skill level and production with being a professional.

“As a human being, you want to think about things like that, but for me, I feel like adopting the mindset of when I’m here, what can I give to the team? As opposed to, what I can get?” Waller said. “If I give enough, I feel like when my time comes to an end on Earth … people are going to remember me for the impact I had on people or things I was able to do for the world.

“So I try to take that attitude into the smallest details and parts of my day. Because, yeah, we are humans, and we can get distracted, but I feel like taking that approach has definitely helped me to focus in on just what I can do within the day here. And it keeps it simple and keeps it fun.”

The Raiders, with new general manager Dave Ziegler and new coach Josh McDaniels, added All-Pro receiver Davante Adams in a trade with the Green Bay Packers in the spring. Plus, Las Vegas gave slot receiver Hunter Renfrow a two-year, $32 million extension this offseason.

And that’s just on offense. Defensive end Maxx Crosby got a four-year, $99 million extension while Pro Bowl linebacker Denzel Perryman is entering the final year of his contract and is also looking for an extension.

Waller would seem to be next in line, though, at least when it comes to offense, as the Raiders still have more than $24.1 million in salary cap space for 2022, per ESPN Stats & Information.

“I’m focusing on playing right now,” said Waller, who still has two years left on the four-year, $29.8 million extension he signed in 2019. No money is guaranteed, though, for this season or next.

“My agent handles that. Whatever’s going on there is whatever’s going on there. Whatever the outcome is of that, I’m here. I’m playing.”

Jacobs, meanwhile, has rushed for a combined 3,087 yards and 28 TDs while catching 107 passes for 752 yards in his three seasons.

But with the additions of Brandon Bolden in free agency and Zamir White in the draft and the return of Kenyan Drake from a broken right ankle, there is a chance that Jacobs’ production might go down in a potential running-back-by-committee scheme. Thus, potentially hindering future earnings, no?

Same with Waller, considering the addition of Adams and the emergence of Renfrow.

Not that either of them is focusing on those factors now.

Besides, Jacobs looks sleeker and faster than he has in his previous three camps. Even as he sat out OTAs and minicamp dealing with an undisclosed physical issue.

“Offseason, I was just getting my body right,” Jacobs said. “I didn’t have anything that was too crazy. I was just focusing on what I feel like I needed to focus on at that time.”

The focus now, then, is on what happens on the field, rather than at the bargaining table.

HENDERSON, Nev. — The Las Vegas Raiders open 2022 NFL training camp Wednesday at the Intermountain Healthcare Performance Center. Here’s a closer look at a few storylines:

The most compelling position battle: Let’s look at the right side of the offensive line, particularly right tackle. Because if the Raiders are going to run it back with the same O-line that contributed to Derek Carr getting sacked 40 times in 2021, with the right side being the weak link, this is ground zero. Alex Leatherwood, last year’s first-round pick, started the season at RT, moved to right guard in Week 5 but was seeing time on the outside in OTAs and minicamp. If Denzelle Good is healthy enough to reclaim his RG spot after going down with a torn left ACL in the season opener, that should solidify things.

And that’s not counting swing tackle Brandon Parker or Jermaine Eluemunor, who has played both spots and is already familiar with new coach Josh McDaniels’ system from his time with the New England Patriots. Seventh-rounder Thayer Munford and UDFA Bamidele Olaseni could also get looks at right tackle while third-rounder Dylan Parham seems slotted for left guard.

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The player with the most to prove: We should just rename this the Derek Carr Award. Every year Carr endures the slings and arrows of so many rumors and reports of him being on the trade block and yet, he remains. What’s different now, though, is aside from the aforementioned offensive line, Carr has the most dynamic weapons at his disposal, not only in personnel but in scheme and playcalling. Plus, the Raiders went all in by bringing his college bestie, the best receiver in the league in Davante Adams, in a trade with the Green Bay Packers. No more excuses? Yeah, something like that.

But didn’t Carr just sign a three-year, $121.5 million extension? Indeed, but per the terms of the deal, the Raiders are under no obligation to pay him anything after this season and would eat just $5.6 million in dead money should they choose to move on. Plus, Carr’s Total QBR has tumbled every time he’s had a change in playcallers. Stop us if you’ve heard this before, but this is truly a make-of-break season for Carr, who, as noted before, has everything he could ask for … unless that O-line breaks again.

The biggest question: Yeah, staying on the Carr angle here, but so much has been made of the connection he has with Adams from their college days together. And while they have worked out together as pros in the offseason, they were last teammates in (checks notes) 2013. So how fresh, exactly, is the chemistry between the erstwhile Fresno State Bulldogs, and how long will it take to reconnect in a game situation? Adams has definitely benefited from playing with a Hall of Fame quarterback in Aaron Rodgers. But while Carr has had the likes of Amari Cooper, Michael Crabtree, Hunter Renfrow and Darren Waller to throw the ball to with the Raiders, Adams is on another level.

However long, or short, it takes for Adams and Carr to get in sync will go a long way in determining the type of on-field success they have in Las Vegas. Because remember, Carr finds a target and stays with him, from Waller and his 107 receptions in 2020 to Renfrow and his 103 catches last season. Adams has averaged 119 catches the past two seasons.

Most impactful offseason addition: Non-Davante Adams division? Chandler Jones. Sure, the Raiders essentially swapped Yannick Ngakoue, who is five years younger, for Jones, who is polishing a Canton-worthy resume. Jones’ 107.5 sacks and 33 forced fumbles are the most in the NFL over the last 10 years and while five of his 10.5 sacks last year came in the season opener, there is enough left in the 32-year-old’s tank that he will still command respect and double-teams.

And that frees up opportunities for his bookend edge rusher Maxx Crosby, a rising star who was last year’s Pro Bowl Defensive MVP. Now, Jones is not in Las Vegas merely to be a decoy; he was signed to bring veteran leadership as well as wreck shop on his own. And at 6-foot-5, 265 pounds, Jones also has three inches and 19 pounds on Ngakoue, who led the Raiders with 10 sacks in 2021.

Bold prediction: The Raiders will return to the postseason for a second season in a row. Wait, shouldn’t a team that survived last season’s travails, made upgrades all over the roster, as well as in scheme and playcalling, be a lock to return to the Super Bowl tournament? If so, the truly hot take would be to predict Las Vegas would fall short, no? Well … the flip side shows so many unknowns and resulting questions in a division that saw every team make significant upgrades that picking Las Vegas to be in the playoffs for consecutive seasons for the first time since 2000-02 seems to be the bolder way to go. At least, before training camp.

HENDERSON, Nev. — We’ve already gone over the Las Vegas Raiders‘ offensive groups, which should be the primary focus of new coach Josh McDaniels, given his acumen on that side of the ball. Defense, though, might be more intriguing in 2022.

A year after the Raiders had the No. 14 overall team defense under then-defensive coordinator Gus Bradley, McDaniels and new general manager Dave Ziegler revamped the unit with the arrival of new D.C. in Patrick Graham from the New York Giants, who had the, um, 21st-ranked total defense.

The Raiders have basically run a 4-3 base defense since Warren Sapp wore Silver and Black but Graham is more closely aligned with a 3-4. Still, as he and McDaniels say, nickel defenses have become more of the norm as a base defense. Of course, the goal of every team is to improve at every level, so these rankings, as well as those that came with the offense a few weeks back, come with a huge caveat with a new coaching staff and so many new faces.

Defensive line

Additions: Chandler Jones (Arizona Cardinals), Zach VanValkenburg (rookie free agent), Tyler Lancaster (Green Bay Packers), Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa (rookie free agent), Matthew Butler (fifth-round draft pick), Bilal Nichols (Chicago Bears), Kyle Peko (Tennessee Titans), Neil Farrell Jr. (fourth-round draft pick), Vernon Butler (Buffalo Bills), Tashawn Bower (Minnesota Vikings), Andrew Billings (Kansas City Chiefs),

Losses: Yannick Ngakoue (Indianapolis Colts), Solomon Thomas (New York Jets), Quinton Jefferson (Seattle Seahawks), Gerald McCoy (free agent), Carl Nassib (free agent), Darius Philon (free agent), Damion Square (free agent)

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Returners: Maxx Crosby, Clelin Ferrell, Johnathan Hankins, Malcolm Koonce, Gerri Green, Kendal Vickers

Better, worse or the same? Better

For the second time in as many years the Raiders have revamped their defensive line around rising star Crosby, who got paid to the tune of a four-year, $94 million extension in March and then got a new running mate — also for the second year in a row — in potential Hall of Fame edge rusher Jones. The Raiders essentially swapped Ngakoue, who is 27, for Jones, who is 32. Ferrell, a former No. 4 overall draft pick, did not have his fifth-year option picked up, so keep an eye on him during camp as either a trade piece or getting extended looks on the interior of Graham’s 3-4 scheme.

The Raiders’ 35 sacks a year ago were the 20th-most in the league, with all but 1.5 of them coming from the line. But the interior has also been rebuilt, with Nichols the big-ticket free agent signee and Las Vegas drafting Matthew Butler and Farrell. Graham’s scheme and Jones’ resume should make for an upgrade.

Linebackers

Additions: Micah Kiser (Denver Broncos), Jayon Brown (Titans), Kenny Young (Broncos), Kyler Fackrell (Los Angeles Chargers), Darien Butler (rookie free agent), Luke Masterson (rookie free agent)

Losses: Nick Kwiatkoski (Atlanta Falcons), Cory Littleton (Carolina Panthers), K.J. Wright (free agent), Nicholas Morrow (Bears), Marquel Lee (Bills), Kyle Wilber (free agent)

Returners: Divine Deablo, Denzel Perryman

Better, worse or the same? Better

It has to be better, no? Don’t answer that … yet. Look, Las Vegas returns only two linebackers and one of them — Perryman — was a Pro Bowler. The key, then, is bringing in waves of guys to impart Graham’s vision, guys who are already more than familiar with the scheme (Fackrell), as well as the division (Kiser, Young and Fackrell again).

A year ago, Deablo was the only real “addition.” Now, he is one of the two returners. Rebuild, much? The respective playing histories of the unit suggest more of a 3-4 look. What else is new?

Cornerbacks

Additions: Rock Ya-Sin (Colts), Anthony Averett (Baltimore Ravens), Darius Phillips (Cincinnati Bengals), Bryce Cosby (undrafted rookie), Chris Jones (Titans), Cre’Von LeBlanc (Houston Texans), Sam Webb (undrafted rookie)

Losses: Casey Hayward Jr. (Falcons), Keisean Nixon (Packers), Desmond Trufant (free agent), Brandon Facyson (Colts)

Returners: Trayvon Mullen Jr., Nate Hobbs, Amik Robertson

Better, worse or the same? Worse

Too harsh? Stay with me here, because the Raiders essentially let their best cornerback go in Hayward (24 career INTS) and replaced him with a combination of Ya-Sin and Averett (five combined career picks). Advantage, Hayward … for now. Plus, Mullen had a hard time staying on the field last season, appearing in just five games after playing in all 32 over the previous two seasons. This is a prove-it season for him, too, as he recovers from an undisclosed offseason surgical procedure.

All of the Raiders’ league-low six interceptions last season came from the secondary, with six different players getting one apiece, including Hayward, Mullen and Hobbs, who was a revelation in the slot.

Safeties

Additions: Duron Harmon (Falcons), Isaiah Pola-Mao (undrafted rookie), Qwynnterrio Cole (undrafted rookie)

Losses: None

Returners: Tre’von Moehrig, Johnathan Abram, Dallin Leavitt, Tyree Gillespie, Roderic Teamer

Better, worse or the same? Same

Abram, like fellow 2019 first-rounders Ferrell and running back Josh Jacobs, did not have his fifth-year option picked up. That was not unexpected, though an improvement in his pass coverage skills would be a bonus. Abram had one of the Raiders’ interceptions last year but, for the second time in three years, failed to finish a season due to injury. Moehrig also had a pick and the duo was giving a split safety look in OTAs and minicamp. Interesting.

Harmon should push for snaps, as will Gillespie and Teamer. After all, it’s essentially the same unit, right? It’s a young group, one that, like the cornerbacks, would benefit greatly from an improved pass rush. At least, that’s the plan.

HENDERSON, Nev. — It’s not often a team that just played in the postseason undergoes a massive rehaul, from front office philosophy to on-the-field playcalling. Yet, here are the Las Vegas Raiders, implementing a certain Patriot Way via the arrivals of coach Josh McDaniels and general manager Dave Ziegler in January from New England.

As such, McDaniels and Ziegler are trying to put a shine on the outfit that endured the Jon Gruden/Henry Ruggs III/Damon Arnette controversies and a 1-5 midseason stretch to win four straight games at the end of the season to finish 10-7 and force their way into the playoffs for just the second time since 2002. Talent on the offensive side of the ball already exists, so not much finagling had to happen, but the new regime was able to swing a trade for the best receiver in the game to make the No. 11 overall offense a threat to be a top-five unit.

The last time the Raiders brought in a new coach, Gruden took a wrecking ball to the roster. The new regime, at least for now, seems to have taken a polishing rag to the roster. And, as owner Mark Davis said, it’s not a reset so much as taking a next step.

Breaking down the offense and judging whether the units within are better, worse or the same is an exercise in patience — hurrying up to wait and see if McDaniels truly learned from his last painful experience as a head coach with the Denver Broncos in 2009-10. Already with the reputation of an elite playcaller — especially in the red zone, an Achilles’ heel for the Raiders of late — McDaniels has the pieces in place (the No. 6 passing attack in the NFL, the No. 18-ranked scoring team) to, yes, take that next step.

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Additions: Chase Garbers (rookie free agent), Nick Mullens (Cleveland Browns), Jarrett Stidham (New England Patriots)

Losses: Marcus Mariota (Atlanta Falcons), Nathan Peterman (Chicago Bears)

Returners: Derek Carr

Better, worse or the same? Better … with a caveat

Of course, a million times of course, the Raiders’ QB situation should be better with the additions of the best receiver in the game in Davante Adams and an elite playcaller in McDaniels. But keep this in mind — not only is Carr learning an entirely new offense, the QB room is almost also entirely new with Mariota gone.

Plus, Carr’s QBR dropped precipitously the last two times he changed playcallers, going from 56.1 in 2016 under Bill Musgrave to 50.5 in 2017 under Todd Downing to 46.5 in 2018 under Jon Gruden. Carr’s QBR last year with Gruden and then Greg Olson taking over upon Gruden’s resignation? Try 52.4, a year after a career-best 64.3.

Running backs

Additions: Ameer Abdullah (Carolina Panthers), Brandon Bolden (Patriots), Zamir White (fourth-round draft pick), Brittain Brown (seventh-round draft pick), Jakob Johnson (Patriots)

Losses: Peyton Barber (free agent), Jalen Richard (free agent), Alec Ingold (Miami Dolphins), Trey Ragas (free agent), Sutton Smith (free agent)

Returners: Kenyan Drake, Josh Jacobs

Better, worse or the same? Better

Given the amount of front-line talent and depth added to Jacobs, who has averaged more than 1,000 yards rushing a year in his three seasons, and Drake, who was coming into his own in the offense before a broken right ankle ended his season in Week 13, the No. 28-ranked rushing attack in the NFL has to be better, right?

Bolden knows the offense and was not brought in to simply be a mentor. Using a fourth-round pick on White should portend the future at the position, especially since Jacobs did not have his fifth-year option picked up by the new regime. In any event there are power backs (Jacobs and White), pass-catching backs (Bolden and Drake) and short-yardage backs (Johnson) in this group, so McDaniels has a variety from which to pick and play.

Tight Ends

Additions: Cole Fotheringham (undrafted rookie), Jacob Hollister (Jacksonville Jaguars), Jesper Horsted (Bears)

Losses: Derek Carrier (free agent), Daniel Helm (free agent)

Returners: Darren Waller, Foster Moreau, Nick Bowers

Better, worse or the same? Same

While rumors were flying that Waller, who is in line for a contract extension, was in line to be traded, the former Pro Bowler was instead watching old tape of Rob Gronkowski doing his thing in McDaniels’ offense to better prepare himself for a similar role. And if Waller can stay healthy — he missed six games with knee and back issues — he will be the perfect complement to Adams, who will take the top off of defenses, and Pro Bowler Hunter Renfrow, who will work underneath from the slot.

But Waller, who set a franchise record with 107 catches in 2020, had just 55 last season and you have to wonder if his production goes down again with the addition of Adams, the emergence of Renfrow and Carr’s ever-growing trust in Moreau. Especially with said extension in play.

Receivers

Additions: Davante Adams (Green Bay Packers), Keelan Cole (New York Jets), Justin Hall (rookie free agent), Mack Hollins (Dolphins), Demarcus Robinson (Kansas City Chiefs), Jordan Veasy (Houston Texans)

Losses: Bryan Edwards (Falcons), Zay Jones (Jaguars), DeSean Jackson (free agent), Henry Ruggs III (released)

Returners: Hunter Renfrow, Dillon Stoner, DJ Turner, Tyron Johnson

Better, worse or the same? Better

Adding the best receiver in the NFL who, I don’t know if you’ve heard this yet but, also happens to be the college bestie of the QB? Yeah, the Raiders receiver room is the best it has been since Carr entered the NFL in 2014. Adams has averaged 108 catches for 1,328 yards and 12 TDs the last four years. Him joining Waller and Renfrow gives the Raiders one of the most feared pass-catching trios in the league. Period.

The additions of Hollins and Robinson provide some versatility and special teams opportunities, but it all revolves around Adams and how quickly he and Carr can reignite their chemistry without upsetting the vibe already set with Waller and Renfrow. Tim Brown and Jerry Rice 2.0? Pump the brakes a bit there, but this is the best WR room since the two Hall of Famers wore Silver and Black at the turn of the century.

Offensive line

Additions: Dylan Parham (third-round draft pick), Thayer Munford (seventh-round draft pick), Alex Bars (Bears), Bamidele Olaseni (rookie free agent), Tyrone Wheatley Jr. (Bears), Jordan Meredith (no team in 2021)

Losses: Richie Incognito (free agent), Nick Martin (free agent), Jeremiah Poutasi (free agent),

Returners: Kolton Miller, John Simpson, Andre James, Alex Leatherwood, Denzelle Good, Brandon Parker, Lester Cotton Sr., Jermaine Eluemunor, Hroniss Grasu, Jackson Barton

Better, worse or the same? Same

Are the Raiders really going to run it back with the same O-line that contributed to Carr being sacked 40 times in 2021, the second-most of his career? On the surface, it looks like it. But the two keys could be Good, who was lost for the season with a torn ACL in his left knee in the opener last year, regaining his form and, thus, his position at right guard, and Leatherwood, last year’s first-round pick, regaining his right tackle spot after being relegated to right guard in Week 5.

The fact the new regime selected an interior lineman (Parham) with its first pick spoke volumes. A summer O-line prediction, then — LT Miller, LG Parham, C James, RG Good, RT Leatherwood, with Parker the swing tackle. Not sexy, but workable. Unless it collapses — again — and serves as another built-in excuse.

Coming soon: Defense

HENDERSON, Nev. — Hunter Renfrow is coming off a 103-catch season for the Las Vegas Raiders. Darren Waller caught a franchise-record 107 passes two years ago. And Davante Adams, acquired in a blockbuster trade with the Green Bay Packers in March, has at least 111 receptions in three of the past four years.

A good problem for Raiders quarterback Derek Carr to have this season? Perhaps. But are there enough balls to go around to keep everyone happy?

Renfrow nodded, before speaking of Waller and Adams.

“Two very, very unselfish guys that … put the team before themselves,” Renfrow said. “That’s got to be a focus for all of us — that team success is far superior to individual success.

“It doesn’t matter if we have 50 catches this season apiece, as long as we’re winning. That’s the ultimate goal. That’s all that matters. And I think if we have that mentality, then it’s pretty easy to go and do.”

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Easy for Renfrow to say, right? After all, he joined Carr and defensive end Maxx Crosby in signing multi-year contract extensions this offseason, while Adams inked a massive deal with Las Vegas (to be fair, Renfrow did make that statement before being extended).

Conspicuous by his absence from the list, though, is Waller, a top-3 tight end in the league who is paid far below market value and, yes, is also hoping for an extension. It’s just … he’s not about to make a scene yet, or a stink about it.

“I just focus on enjoying while I’m here, whether I’m here 10 years or who knows how long,” Waller said. “My agent’s job is to do that stuff and I just focus on the football part. Because if you don’t focus on football and your mind’s elsewhere …”

Waller wandered a bit.

“You’ve got to be locked in as a professional,” he continued. “So I try to be a professional every day.”

And therein lies the rub.

Because Waller, who turns 30 two days after the Raiders open the season at the Los Angeles Chargers, could potentially see his production dip with the ascent of Renfrow in the slot and the addition of Adams on the outside. And if it does, that could have a negative effect on negotiations, should an extension not be completed before the season.

Especially on the heels of knee and back injuries that limited Waller to 11 games, 55 catches and two TDs last season (he had a combined 197 catches, on 262 targets, for 2,341 yards and 12 TDs in 2019 and 2020, when he was named to the Pro Bowl).

Catch-22, much?

Consider: Waller’s four-year, $29.8 million extension in 2019 makes him just the 17^th-highest paid tight end in the NFL in terms of AAV. And no money is guaranteed for 2022 or 2023.

More salt? The Cleveland Browns recently gave unproven David Njoku a four-year deal worth up to $56.75 million, and the San Francisco 49ers‘ George Kittle, who has a tight end-high AAV of $15 million, has exceeded 85 receptions once in five seasons.

Maybe that’s why, when asked about Adams joining him, Renfrow and Carr in coach Josh McDaniels’ offense, Waller was pragmatic.

He referenced the Miami Heat‘s “Big Three,” when LeBron James and Chris Bosh joined Dwyane Wade in 2010.

“The first year, it may not have clicked like the way they wanted it to because it takes chemistry,” Waller said, referencing the Heat falling to the Dallas Mavericks in the 2011 NBA Finals. “It works great on ‘Madden’ and ‘2K,’ but guys got to accept roles and, ‘OK, this is the situation I do best in,’ and then just bring a certain level of unselfishness to the table. And know that everything we do is about the time.”

Side note: Waller has been represented since last September by James’ agency, Klutch Sports Group.

“As guys, we’ve accomplished individual things on our own,” Waller said, “and now it’s, you know, maybe sacrifice that a little bit to help the collective achieve what they want to achieve.”

All of which sounds good to McDaniels.

“Darren, he’s done everything we’ve asked him to do, and more,” McDaniels said. “He’s obviously a good player. We love having him here. It’s really a pleasure to coach the guy. He comes with a great attitude and mindset every day. Works really hard. Here early, stays late, does extra, takes care of his body. Does a lot of the things that you would want any player to do, and obviously he’s been productive with his opportunity. So, love having him here and looking forward to coaching him.”

Plus, he’s had Waller watching tape of former New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski to show Waller what should be in store for him in McDaniels’ scheme.

As Waller, who endured trade rumors this spring, put it, the tape should be called Gronk Running Wild.

“Up the seams, over routes, short passes and blowing through people, fade passes on the outside,” Waller said. “He’s lining up everywhere and doing everything, really.

“It’s exciting to see a lot of ways I’ll be used. It’s a challenging system, but I love a good challenge. I think it’s bringing the best out of us.”

But will it force the Raiders to bring out the check book, again?

HENDERSON, Nev. — When Matthew Butler‘s cell phone came to life in the fifth round of the NFL draft last month, the former Tennessee defensive lineman did not recognize the number on the screen.

“It just showed ‘Las Vegas, Nevada,'” Butler said. “So, my heart stopped a little bit.”

Indeed, when it comes to the Las Vegas Raiders and defensive linemen, the 702 area code has been getting a lot of work this offseason. Because besides drafting Butler with the No. 175 overall pick, the Raiders also selected LSU’s Neil Farrell Jr. one round earlier. Las Vegas then signed a pair of undrafted rookie D-linemen in Notre Dame’s Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa and Iowa’s Zach VanValkenburg, both of whom are listed as ends.

This after signing a gaggle of veteran defensive tackles in free agency — from Bilal Nichols to Kyle Peko to Vernon Butler to PJ Johnson to Tashawn Bower to Andrew Billings — while re-signing Johnathan Hankins and retaining Kendal Vickers.

Oh yeah, and the Raiders traded away defensive end rusher Yannick Ngakoue and signed edge rusher Chandler Jones to pair with Pro Bowler Maxx Crosby.

The Raiders’ new regime re-shuffled its D-line deck … and then some.

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“We didn’t have many [defensive linemen] on the roster to start with,” said new Raiders coach Josh McDaniels. “There was a lot of opportunity at that position.”

To be fair, McDaniels was speaking specifically of the two interior defensive line positions. To be more general, with the Raiders valuing versatility in all of their players, they will show a variety of new fronts under new defensive coordinator Patrick Graham.

A 4-3 base, as has been the Raiders’ look for a decade-plus? Sure.

What about a 3-4, which more closely resembles Graham’s sensibilities? As McDaniels has said since he was hired in January, a base defense is basically a nickel now. So you need interchangeable pieces, and the more positions one can play, the more playtime said player will get.

Which is why you shouldn’t read too much into Jones being listed as a linebacker on the team’s transactions page, or Farrell as a defensive lineman, or Tagovailoa, who trends as a classic “tweener,” as an end.

“During my career at LSU,” Farrell said, “I played defensive end. I played defensive tackle. I played nose guard. So whatever the team needs, I’m willing to do.”

Keep in mind, Clelin Ferrell, the No. 4 pick of the 2020 draft, is still on the roster and might translate better as an end in a 3-4 scheme. As is Malcolm Koonce, who was drafted in the third round last year, had two sacks in his first two games as a defensive end but also started seeing practice reps at outside linebacker late in the season.

Plus, the AFC West is loaded at quarterback, with Russell Wilson joining the Denver Broncos to add to Patrick Mahomes with the Kansas City Chiefs and Justin Herbert with the Los Angeles Chargers.

Then there’s this: the Raiders have ranked in the bottom half of the NFL in scoring defense in 19 straight seasons, the longest such streak by any team since 1970, according to ESPN Stats & Information.

No wonder Las Vegas has gone so heavy on the D-line this offseason.

In Farrell, the Raiders got a 6-foot-4, 319-pound fifth-year senior who had 45 tackles, 9.5 for a loss, with two sacks for LSU last fall. Pro Football Focus had the two-time SEC Academic Honor Roll member fourth in FBS with 24 run stops, 10 of which were either for no gain or a loss.

Butler, at 6-4, 295 pounds, was also a fifth-year senior who blossomed last season. He played an SEC-high 726 snaps and led Tennessee’s defensive linemen in tackles (47) while being fourth in tackles for loss (8.5) and third in sacks (5) with seven QB hurries and a forced fumble. PFF had him in the top 10 of SEC D-linemen in rush defense.

The 6-2, 270-pound Tagovailoa-Amosa, who played five years at Notre Dame (sensing a trend yet?) and was a team captain, had two sacks last season while the 6-4, 263-pound VanValkenburg played three years at Iowa after transferring from Division II Hillsdale. He had five sacks as a senior.

As McDaniels put it, the Raiders have been taking “a few swings” on the defensive line this offseason, from free agency through the draft and the UDFA signings.

“Like I said, we’re going to need some depth there in camp anyway,” McDaniels said. “We are going to improve the competition at each position that we can, and I think we’ve put a group in there that’ll do that now.”

HENDERSON, Nev. — While we’ve already addressed the Las Vegas Raiders‘ overall draft woes of late — only six of their 68 draft picks from 2012-19 have been signed to second consecutive contracts and just three of their first-round draft picks since 2005 have been signed to extensions — there has been a bright spot.

As in … a silver lining to a decidedly black cloud.

Because for every JaMarcus Russell, Rolando McClain, D.J. Hayden and Gareon Conley as first-round flops, the Raiders have unearthed midround gems such as defensive tackle Justin Ellis, defensive end Maxx Crosby, receiver Hunter Renfrow and cornerback Nate Hobbs.

Call it a certain sweet spot.

And since the Raiders do not have a selection in this year’s draft until the third round at No. 86 overall — the first- and second-round picks went to the Green Bay Packers for receiver Davante Adams — the challenge for the new regime of general manager Dave Ziegler and coach Josh McDaniels is to keep that pluck (luck?) going.

Good thing Ziegler believes this year’s draft has quality depth, then, right?

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“I think when you find players in the midrounds that ultimately develop into core contributors for your team, there’s a level of pride in finding those guys because … there’s always the kind of the players that have risen to the top for one reason or another,” Ziegler said at his recent pre-draft media conference.

“Not that all those players pan out. We know that they don’t.”

As such, Ellis was taken in the fourth round at No. 107 overall in 2014 by the regime of GM Reggie McKenzie and coach Dennis Allen and played five years for the Raiders. Crosby (fourth round, No. 106 in 2019), Renfrow (fifth round, No. 149 in 2019) and Hobbs (fifth round, No. 167 in 2021) were selected by coach Jon Gruden and GM Mike Mayock.

Ellis has continued to produce, having spent the past three seasons with the Baltimore Ravens before signing with the New York Giants this spring. Crosby, the defensive MVP of the most recent Pro Bowl, just inked a four-year, $94 million extension with the Raiders on March 11 after racking up 25 sacks in his first three seasons and leading the NFL with 108 total pressures this past season, per Pro Football Focus.

Renfrow is also in line for a new deal after catching 103 passes in 2021, the second-highest single-season total by a receiver in franchise history behind the 104 receptions Hall of Famer Tim Brown had in 1997. Hobbs was PFF’s highest-graded cornerback when lined up in the slot last season with a grade of 81.5.

Yeah, those are foundation pieces, players the Raiders found on Day 3 of the draft.

The New England Patriots also had success with Day 3 finds during Ziegler’s time in the Patriots’ personnel department. Since he was hired by New England in 2013, the Patriots have found players such as running back James White (fourth round, 2014), defensive end Trey Flowers (fourth round, 2015), guard Shaq Mason (fourth round, 2015), guard Ted Karras (sixth round, 2016), defensive end Deatrich Wise Jr. (fourth round, 2017), guard Mike Onwenu (sixth round, 2020) and running back Rhamondre Stevenson (fourth round, 2021) on the final day of the draft.

Again, unless the Raiders trade up into the first or second round — “Always a chance for a trade,” Ziegler said with a grin — his regime will again have to make its hay late in those middle rounds.

And keep this in mind — Ziegler reiterated McDaniels’ philosophy of drafting the best player available, regardless of position.

“I mean, if we draft three [players] in the same position in a row, because they’re clearly the three best players when it’s our turn to draft, I mean, you make a strength stronger,” McDaniels said at the NFL owners meetings last month.

The Raiders’ biggest strengths are at the offensive skill positions and their pass-rushers, positions that will be the most sought-after in the early rounds. So perhaps quality players at their biggest positional needs of offensive line and cornerback can still be found in those middle rounds.

Plug-and-play guys? It worked for Ellis, Crosby, Renfrow and Hobbs, and remember, Ziegler lauded the depth of this draft.

“You’re judged on the personnel side by the players that you draft and how well they produce and the types of players that they turn into for the organization,” Ziegler said. “And so, there’s a competitive aspect of wanting to draft players. You want every single draft pick and every single player that you sign, you want that player to produce and overproduce in an ideal situation.

“Yeah, we want to have a great draft. Sure, you want to be known as a team that drafts well and that develops talent and all those types of things. Whatever round that is, we want to make sure that we’re able to do that.”

HENDERSON, Nev. — Consider it one of the biggest challenges facing the Las Vegas Raiders‘ new regime. And it’s not merely a single-prong problem.

Because while general manager Dave Ziegler and coach Josh McDaniels have to clean up what can only be considered draft misses (messes?) by previous staffs, they also have to show they have learned from those mistakes and avoid making the same ones going forward.

Consider: The Raiders have given out second consecutive contracts to six of their 68 post-Al Davis draft picks from 2012 to 2019.

Only one was a first-rounder (left tackle Kolton Miller, who was drafted by Jon Gruden and Reggie McKenzie in 2018) and one was taken in the second round (quarterback Derek Carr, who has signed a pair of extensions after being picked by McKenzie and Dennis Allen in 2014).

Two third-round picks (guard Gabe Jackson went 81^st overall in 2014 and offensive tackle Brandon Parker went 65^th in 2018) and a pair of fourth-rounders (defensive tackle Justin Ellis was No. 107 in 2014, while defensive end Maxx Crosby was taken No. 106 overall by Gruden and Mike Mayock in 2019) round out the list.

Only the New York Giants have signed fewer of their draft picks over the same time frame to second contracts (two), while the Jacksonville Jaguars have extended 10 of their 59 picks from 2012 to ’19.

And when you throw in the fact that three of the Raiders’ 15 eligible first-round draft picks since 2005 have signed second deals with the team — Miller, running back Darren McFadden (drafted in 2007) and 2006 first-round defensive back Michael Huff (Las Vegas also re-signed 2016 first-round safety Karl Joseph in 2021 after Joseph spent a year with the Cleveland Browns) — it’s easier to fathom how the team has only been to the playoffs twice, losing both postseason games, since appearing in Super Bowl XXXVII … in January 2003.

Yet, as Carr said last week at the news conference announcing his three-year, $121.5 million extension — he previously signed a five-year, $125 million extension in 2017 — he wanted to make sure money was left on the table to take care of teammates in need of, yes, second contracts.

“Guys like, hopefully, Hunter [Renfrow] and Foster [Moreau],” Carr said of his slot receiver, who was a fifth-round pick in 2019, and his backup tight end, a fourth-rounder that same year. “And [hopefully] those guys can stay here the way we structured [my extension].

“I went through a heartbreak already last time I signed my contract, my best friend [Khalil Mack] left, and I didn’t want that to ever happen again. And so, this was an opportunity for me to prove to the team, to the organization, to our fans, that the way we’re going to structure this is so that we can keep everybody together and really, really have real continuity, really have something to build on. And so, for me, it was like, how do we do that?”

The Raiders will also get roughly $20 million in salary-cap space after June 1, thanks to the releases of defensive end Carl Nassib and linebackers Cory Littleton and Nick Kwiatkoski.

Plus, the Raiders will have to make decisions on whether to apply fifth-year options on their 2019 first-round picks — defensive end Clelin Ferrell, running back Josh Jacobs and safety Johnathan Abram.

“Usually in these negotiations, ‘How much money can we get?'” Carr said. “And then they’re, ‘How much can we save?’ And this was just different. There was a learning curve about it. Like, how do we make that happen to where I feel good and to where the team feels great, like, ‘Man, we can still build a championship team around you.’ And so, that was what was important to us. And hopefully this contract proves that.”

The proof, though, remains in the draft and the regime’s coming selection technique.

It is the lifeblood of any organization, and with Raiders owner Mark Davis bringing in a couple of lifelong New England Patriots in Ziegler and McDaniels to run the football side of things, expect big changes.

Such as the actual, well, draft philosophy. The Raiders do not have first- or second-round picks, thanks to the Davante Adams trade, and are not scheduled to make the first of their five selections until the third round, at No. 86 overall.

“We’re going to try to draft the best players [available],” McDaniels said at the NFL owners meetings. “I mean, if we draft three in the same position in a row, because they’re clearly the three best players when it’s our turn to draft, I mean, you make a strength stronger.

“To me, the best way to improve your team is to continue to take the right guy. Not, ‘Oh, man, we’ve got a hole on the roster, let’s take this guy just because his name says whatever position beside him.'”

And maybe, just maybe, the Raiders will find some guys worthy of second contracts that way.