Las Vegas Raiders: Free agency grades for every signing thus far

In every sense, signing Jason Witten isn’t a move that the Raiders should have made. Just starting with the player himself, the veteran tight end retired for the 2018 season only to return from a less-than-well-received first year as a broadcaster for 2019 and not look any younger. Witten was serviceable still but his ability as a blocker and already modest athletic profile were far lessened by his age.

On top of that, what need does the Las Vegas offense truly have for Witten other than having him as a mentor? Darren Waller led the Raiders in receiving last year in a breakout campaign while Foster Moreau also showed a ton of potential as a true in-line tight end with the ability to be a red zone threat and block well in the run game. Overall, this move just didn’t need to be made but the mentorship aspect keeps it from getting a failing grade.

There’s a lot to like about the defensive tackle group in Las Vegas even before they made any free agency moves. Maurice Hurst remains a steal in the draft and one of the lesser heralded young defensive players in the league while Johnathan Hankins has been a great addition for them. At the same time, they need to address their pass rush on the interior, even in a rotational role, which makes Maliek Collins a fantastic addition.

On a one-year contract with a modest price tag attached to it, Collins should be a phenomenal addition for the Raiders. While he’s proven in his time with Dallas that the’s not a three-down defender on the line, he’s highly capable at getting penetration to pressure the opposing quarterback. Putting him and Hurst on the field situationally should make for a fearsome duo on the interior.