It’s a new city for the Silver and Black as the Las Vegas Raiders Era begins. What potential free agents could the franchise focus on come March 18?
It’s a brand new start for the Silver and Black in Las Vegas as the Raiders prepare for Season Three of the second installment of the Jon Gruden Era. A 4-12 finish in 2018 was followed by a three-win improvement this past year. But a closer look also shows that the club won only one of its final six outings after a promising 6-4 start.
Gruden’s team finished third in the AFC West, a division that now houses the reigning Super Bowl-champion Kansas City Chiefs. It’s a team that the Raiders have struggled to beat in recent seasons and that alone brings a lot of incentive to this club.
So it’s another offseason for this franchise, which now calls Sin City home. The franchise has two first-round draft choices and three third-round picks (their second-rounder belongs to the Bears) and as usual, adequate salary cap room (via Spotrac). So who could be on Gruden and Mike Mayock’s shopping list?
5. T Halapoulivaati Vaitai (Philadelphia Eagles)
Although the offensive front of the Raiders was certainly an improved unit last year, there still some work to be done.
Last offseason, the Raiders nearly broke the bank to add Super Bowl-winner Trent Brown. The talented performer took over at right tackle for Jon Gruden’s club, made 11 starts and earned a Pro Bowl invitation. But he missed the final four games with a pectoral injury and closed 2019 on injured reserve. Enter David Sharpe (2) and second-year pro Brandon Parker (3), who combined to start the other five games on the right side.
So could the team add a little insurance in four-year veteran Halapoulivaati Vaitai, who has seen starting duty at both left and right tackle and spent last spring learning the guard position. He’s a playoff-proven performer and offers a lot to a team that is making strides in these trenches.