The Las Vegas Raiders will look to surprise in 2024, but these three weaknesses could stop the team in its tracks.
There are many reasons for Las Vegas Raiders fans to be positive in 2024. The team arguably has the best defensive line in the league, with ‘Madd’ Maxx Crosby and offseason addition Christian Wilkins, embodying what it means to be a Raider. However, just because Las Vegas has the best defense many Raiders fans can remember, does not mean that there aren’t holes that need filling.
The QB Room
The obvious one. On paper, the Raiders have one of the worst quarterback rooms in the league. Made up of journeyman Gardner Minshew and second-year player Aidan O’ Connell, not many teams will lose sleep preparing to stop the Raiders signal callers. Neither demand a QB Spy, which means opposing defenses can have an extra man in coverage. This was a weakness of O’Connell last year. His lack of mobility and pocket awareness was brutally evident in his rookie year. The Raiders will be hoping that, over the offseason, O’ Connell will have developed this area of his game.
Minshew, on the other hand, mainly struggles with his composure. He loves a big play, which I am sure Raider fans will enjoy, though they can sometimes be overly risky. Minshew threw nine interceptions last season, despite only starting 13 games for the Indianapolis Colts.
Minshew was brought in by the Colts to be a positive role model to the man they hope to be their new franchise quarterback, Anthony Richardson. Yet when Richardson landed on the injured reserve, they had just the man to fill in. The Raiders are likely expecting Minshew to play in a similar role this season, but likely gets the first crack as the starter.
An Inexperienced Head Coach
Antonio Pierce, while a fantastic leader of men, is heading into his first full season as a head coach. The former linebackers coach has never been a full-time NFL play caller. Pierce clearly has a way with the players, particularly the face of the franchise Maxx Crosby. Crosby publicly called for Pierce’s appointment as head coach last year, even alluding to leaving the team if it didn’t happen.
What Pierce lacks as a play caller, he also lacks in game management. This was the most common criticism of his interim tenure. There were a few close games where Pierce’s use of timeouts came into question. Now, as it turned out none of these mishaps would lose the Raiders any games. However, in do or die situations as the team pushes for the playoffs, there will be more scrutiny on these mistakes. This could lead to Pierce losing a grip on job security going forward.
Youthful Cornerback Group
Cornerbacks Jack Jones and Nate Hobbs have shown great upside, and are still on their rookie contract. However, outside of Jones and Hobbs, what other options do the Raiders have in the secondary?
Two young and raw athletes who may have a chance to prove themselves are Jakorian Bennett and Decamerion Richardson both have upside but are unproven. The other option is Brandon Facyson, a slower, bigger player who has bounced from team-to-team. Bennett is a true athlete, with elite speed. However, he showed little to write home about in his debut year. Meanwhile, Richardson seems to be in that same mold. He has unbelievable traits, however the technique needs work.
Hobbs is a great nickel corner, but has struggled when moved outside. This means that the Raiders’ second boundary corner is likely the weakest in the league. Because of that, the Raiders have a severe weakness at the position, and is something worth monitoring as the season begins.
