In Week 12 the Kansas City Chiefs close out the month of November with a trip to Las Vegas to take on the Raiders.
After making the playoffs in 2021, the Raiders took a step backward in 2022 under first-year head coach Josh McDaniels, finishing with a 6-11 record. Vegas was solid offensively last season, finishing 12th in total offense and 11th in passing. It boasted a strong running attack as well and saw Josh Jacobs lead the NFL with 1,653 rushing yards.
This season, however, the Raiders’ offense will look very different. They decided to move on from longtime starting quarterback Derek Carr and brought in veteran Jimmy Garoppolo. The Raiders are also without Jacobs, who has not signed his franchise tag and appears to have no plans to report back to the team unless a deal on a long-term contract can be struck.
Vegas also moved on from Pro Bowl tight end Darren Waller, trading him to the New York Giants for a third-round pick. His replacement will be second-round pick Michael Mayer, who will have high expectations as a rookie. Third-round pick Tre Tucker is also expected to contribute both as a receiver and a kick returner.
The Raiders were really held back by poor defense in 2023, ranking 29th against the pass and 28th overall. They were also dead last in forced turnovers with just 13.
Defense was the major focus of the Raiders’ draft as they spent six of their nine picks on that side of the ball. First-round pick defensive end Tyree Wilson has yet to practice with the team as he continues to recover from a Lisfranc injury, but the team is optimistic that he’ll be available soon.
Now, let’s take a look at some of the Raiders’ top players and their outlooks heading into the 2023 NFL season:
Quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo
The Raiders made a sizable commitment to Garoppolo, signing him for three years and $72.75 million. Familiarity was a factor for both sides as Garoppolo played under McDaniels with the New England Patriots from 2014-2017. Garoppolo spent the previous six seasons with the San Fransisco 49ers, where he experienced numerous highs and lows.
Chiefs fans of course remember the Garoppolo-led 49ers in Super Bowl LIV, which was the highlight of Garoppolo’s time in San Fransisco. It was the only year he played a full schedule in his nine-year career. Injuries ultimately cost Garoppolo his gig in S.F., but he still has a solid 87-43 career touchdown-to-interception ratio and a quarterback rating just shy of 100.
Wide receiver Davante Adams
Joining a new team and going from Aaron Rodgers to Derek Carr at quarterback didn’t faze Adams in 2022. He put up another monster season, finishing first in the NFL in touchdown receptions with 14 and third in receiving yards with 1,516. It was the fourth season of his career he went over 1,000 yards and his sixth time catching double-digit touchdowns.
Adams is a three-time All-Pro and a six-time Pro Bowl selection. His tremendous blend of physicality and speed has helped make him one of the elite receivers in the league. He’ll have a new signal caller for the third year in a row, but it honestly doesn’t matter who’s throwing Adams the ball as long as he’s healthy and on the field.
Defensive end Maxx Crosby
Crosby is one of the most fearsed pass rushers in the league. He has a reputation for his relentless motor and physical power. 2022 was his best season yet, setting career highs in sacks with 12.5 and total tackles with 89. Crosby also led the NFL in tackles for loss with 22.
Despite the highly productive season, Crosby was snubbed from earning his second-straight All-Pro selection. He was selected to his second Pro Bowl, however, and the Raiders rewarded him with a four-year, $98.98 contract extension. Still just 25 years old, Crosby should be a premier defensive player for the foreseeable future.
Cornerback Nate Hobbs
Hobbs had an excellent rookie season in 2021, allowing 384 receiving yards and just one touchdown, landing him on Pro Football Focus’ All-Rookie team with an 80.1 grade. Unfortunately, Hobbs fell into some bad luck in 2022. He missed six games with a broken hand and was switched to an outside corner, despite having success in the slot as a rookie.
Hobbs surrendered 559 yards but had six more solo tackles and one more pass defended despite playing in six fewer games. With the addition of veteran cornerback Marcus Peters, it appears Hobbs will go back to primarily playing in the slot, which should bounce him back from his sophomore slump.
Cornerback Marcus Peters
Peters is back in the AFC West after two-year stints with the Los Angeles Rams and Baltimore Ravens. His career got off to a hot start with the Chiefs, earning All-Pro and NFL Rookie of the Year honors in 2015. He led the NFL in interceptions that same year and collected 19 total in three years as a Chief.
Since his days in Kansas City, Peters’ career has been hit or miss. He again earned All-Pro honors in 2019 but hasn’t been near that level since. Now 30 years old and having battled injuries the last couple of seasons, Peters will try to regain his ballhawk form with the Raiders. The young Vegas secondary will lean on him for leadership and play-making ability.
