5 teams to watch during 2023 NFL free agency period

4. Las Vegas Raiders

It is almost an offseason tradition to see the Silver and Black on such a list. The Las Vegas Raiders were big players a year ago when it came to improving their team via free agency and trade. They added wide receiver Davante Adams via the Green Bay Packers and he responded with a monster year, catching 100 passes for 1,516 yards and 14 touchdowns.

New general manager Dave Ziegler gave standout pass-rusher Chandler Jones big money a year ago. He proved to be a big disappointment with a mere 4.5 sacks. However, he did come up with one of the biggest plays in the NFL in 2022 when he turned a misguided pitch from Patriots’ wideout Jakobi Meyers into a game-winning 48-yard fumble return in a 30-24 win over New England in Week 15.

All told, there was a new regime running the show, but these Raiders proved to be a major disappointment with a 6-11 finish after reaching the playoffs the previous year.

A big positive was running back Josh Jacobs, who received the franchise tag this month after leading the NFL in rushing yards. The bigger news was the end of the Derek Carr Era with the club. As usual, this team has plenty of salary-cap room. Will the Silver and Black make the most of that “Gold?”