The Las Vegas Raiders backtracked after a playoff appearance in 2021, finishing with a 6-11 record last season. They made some splashes in free agency, but will that be enough to vault them back into the playoffs?
With the conclusion of preseason and training camp, here’s the Raiders’ ceiling and floor heading into Week 1.
Ceiling: 8-9
Since the Raiders are rebuilding, they probably won’t make the playoffs this season, but they could be fun to watch. Their offense has Pro Bowlers in wide receiver Davante Adams and running back Josh Jacobs. Adams led the NFL in receiving TDs last season (14 in 17 games), while Jacobs led the league in rushing yards (1,653 in 17 games).
They added more playmakers in free agency, including wideout Jakobi Meyers and quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo. Each should excel under head coach Josh McDaniels. Both former Patriots know his system after he served as New England offensive coordinator for 13 seasons.
Last season, Las Vegas finished 12th in points scored and 11th in total yards. If the unit stays healthy, it could elevate into the top 10 in both categories.
Floor: 5-12
Jimmy G is injury-prone, missing 30 games over the past five seasons. If he suffers another, the Raiders will flounder without him. Backup Brian Hoyer has a 16-24 starting record in 15 seasons. Rookie Aidan O’Connell flashed upside in the preseason, but it might not translate in the regular season.
Aside from selecting defensive end Tyree Wilson with the seventh overall pick in the draft, the Raiders didn’t make any significant defensive upgrades. The franchise will regret this after it finished 26th in points allowed last season and will likely rank near the bottom of the league again.
Plus, Las Vegas has the 10th most difficult schedule in the league, via NFL Research (complete analysis here). It faces six teams who made the playoffs last season: Kansas City (twice), Los Angeles (twice), Miami, Buffalo, Minnesota and New York.
