Las Vegas Raiders: Biggest Strengths Entering 2024

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Las Vegas Raiders, Jakobi Meyers, Davante Adams, The League Winners

The Las Vegas Raiders will rely heavily on their strengths for the 2024 season. 

The Las Vegas Raiders have their work cut out for them heading into the 2024 season. With their tough schedule and a first-year head coach, the Raiders must rely on their strengths instead of letting succumbing to their weaknesses. Las Vegas has a glaring question mark regarding their quarterback position, but this roster has good players. I detail the team’s biggest strengths heading into this season below.

Pressuring the Quarterback

One of the biggest challenges entering the 2024 season for the Raiders is if the defense can take that next step. Sure, they had a great season on that side of the ball last year. However, nothing is given in the NFL.

The AFC has great quarterbacks everywhere, and teams will have a better sense of the Raiders’ defensive scheme this season. That’s why first-year head coach Antonio Pierce will depend on his pass rushers’ abilities to get to the quarterback. It doesn’t matter what scheme the offense is running if the quarterback is being moved off his spot consistently. That disruption is key for the secondary and the overall defense success.

Maxx Crosby is the team’s best player and it just so happens he plays the defensive end position. He is the leader of the defense and one of the top players in the NFL overall. The Raiders have themselves a superstar who can elevate the whole defense based on his play. His relentless motor allows him to consistently put pressure on the quarterback. He finished last season with 94 pressures and 14.5 sacks. Crosby did all of this while battling a knee injury he sustained during the season. If he can stay healthy this season, the Raiders will undoubtedly pressure on the quarterback.

Crosby is just one piece on a defensive line that has a ton of potential. Defensive end Malcolm Koonce emerged late last season after the team fired Josh McDaniels. For years, the Raiders have been trying to find someone who can rush the quarterback opposite of Crosby.

Koonce impressed when he finally got playing time and his most noticeable performance came against Kansas City on Christmas where he had three sacks. With experience under his belt and having earned the starting position, he can be that force opposite of Crosby that many Raiders fans have been asking for.

Davante Adams & Jakobi Meyers

The media usually never has anything nice to say about the Raiders. It’s been like that for years, and isn’t any different now. That’s okay, as it’s usually warranted. The Las Vegas offense has received a lot of criticism this offseason, but they have playmakers. The hard part is getting them the ball due to the team’s quarterback position. However, if they can figure it out, there’s no reason they shouldn’t be ranked in the top half of the league. The Raiders have good wide receivers on this team and young tight ends who are eager to make plays.

Davante Adams is obviously the first player that comes to mind. Adams, one of the best wide receivers of all time, returns for his third season with the team. That’s huge for whoever starts under center for Las Vegas. He brings that veteran leadership to the Raiders offense and can still produce at a high level.

Adams’ frustrations were noticeable last season, but he remains committed to the team and winning. He’s a true competitor and wants this team to win more games consistently. Expect Adams to get more targets this season due to his familiarity with Luke Getsy. Hopefully, the team can find a way to get him the ball while winning more games.

There are other players on this offense that opposing defenses will need to gameplan for besides Adams. Jakobi Meyers was one of my favorite players to watch last season. He could certainly do it all whether it was receiving, rushing, or even throwing for touchdowns.

Even with the team struggling to throw the ball for the majority of the season, the veteran finished with 807 yards and eight touchdowns on 71 receptions. Meyers worked as a great complement to Adams and established himself as a legitimate weapon.

The Young Guns

Tre Tucker, Brock Bowers, Michael Mayer, Jalen Guyton, and Michael Gallup round out the rest of the pass catchers who pose as threats. There’s a lot of uncertainty with this group, but it has a ton of potential.

The tight ends are high draft picks who will get a lot of playing time. Tucker and Guyton provide the team with vertical speed that should help open things underneath. And while Gallup had a down season last year after sustaining an injury in 2022, he provides veteran leadership and good depth.

It will be interesting to see how the Raiders plan to use these players, but I’m excited about where it stands right now. It’s a nice mixture of youth, speed, and leadership that provides the offense additional firepower.

Special Teams, Special Players

Special teams are always an underrated part of the game. Most fans don’t pay attention to kickers until they miss or have terrible punts. Whether it’s the punter or placekicker, these players have a major impact on football games. Luckily for the Raiders, Las Vegas has two of the best at their positions.

AJ Cole is a top-five punter in the league. His impressive season led to him breaking the NFL’s highest punt average in a game against the Giants and the Raiders franchise record for longest punt in a game with 83 against the Vikings.

Cole can flip the field with a single punt, easing the mind of coach Pierce, knowing he has a good defense. The Raiders have a rich history at the punter position with hall of famer Ray Guy, should-be hall of famer Shane Lechler, and now Cole. He’s in line for another big season and I wouldn’t expect anything different.

Daniel Carlson established himself as one of the best placekickers in the league here in Las Vegas. Carlson was cut by Minnesota after the infamous tie with Green Bay where he missed three field goals two games into his career. That game was certainly a one-off, and he has never looked back since signing with the Raiders in 2018.

Since joining the Raiders, Carlson ranks third in made field goals and second in field goal percentage. He dealt with an injury last season causing him to have a down year by his standards, but a healthy Daniel Carlson is a top-three kicker in the league.

Playing To Your Strengths

It’s a big year for the Raiders, plain and simple. This fanbase is passionate and badly wants to win. Coach Pierce lacks experience, but if he succeeds, relying on his teams’ strengths is going to be a major part of it. The Raiders have bought in on the culture Pierce brings, and it’s up to him to turn that into victories for Las Vegas. Hopefully, the team finds their identity quickly and sticks with it.

I root for teams that only let me down. Talking all things Las Vegas Raiders and Cal Bears football. Follow me on X where I post my dramatic takes.

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