The Las Vegas Raiders The Las Vegas Raiders are making significant changes to their roster this offseason under Antonio Pierce, especially on offense. While most of the defense is staying the same, the team has lost a few players in free agency.
The latest player to leave is a cornerback Tyler Hall. The Philadelphia Eagles announced on March 21 that the 25-year-old cornerback is joining their team.
Hall originally signed as an undrafted free agent with the Atlanta Falcons in 2020 before joining the Raiders in 2022. He appeared in 18 games for the team over two seasons, including six starts. He mainly played as a nickel cornerback, and the Raiders used him in that position when they would move Nate Hobbs to the outside.
Hall performed well for the team and provided good depth at cornerback. His strong performance in the slot gave Las Vegas more options on how they used Hobbs, and now that he's moving on, they'll need to find another cornerback who can thrive in that position.
Las Vegas Raiders Have Lost 7 Free Agents so Far
With Tyler Hall heading to the Eagles, the Raiders have now lost seven unrestricted free agents that the team didn't directly release. The team also lost offensive lineman Jermaine Eluemunor to the New York Giants, defensive tackle Bilal Nichols to the Arizona Cardinals, running back Josh Jacobs to the Green Bay Packers, cornerback Amik Robertson to the Detroit Lions, offensive tackle Brandon Parker to the San Francisco 49ers and Austin Hooper to the New England Patriots.
Jacobs, Eluemunor, Nichols, and Robertson all started more than 10 games each for the Raiders last season, so they are significant losses. However, the team hired a new general manager, Tom Telesco, this offseason, and he will shape the roster according to his preferences. The team has also re-signed a couple of key free agents, such as defensive tackles Adam Butler and John Jenkins.
Las Vegas Raiders Praised for Christian Wilkins Signing
The Raiders have lost several key players this offseason, but they have also added a few. The most notable signing is former Miami Dolphins defensive tackle Christian Wilkins. Bleacher Report’s Maurice Moton praised the signing as the wisest decision the Raiders have made this offseason.
“Wilkins comes to Las Vegas following a successful year as a pass-rusher, achieving career highs in sacks (nine) and pressures (30). The 28-year-old may still have room for improvement as a pass-rusher,” Moton wrote in a March 21 column.
“In 2019, Wilkins played under Patrick Graham, who is now the Raiders’ defensive coordinator. Perhaps his familiarity with the system will help him build on his impressive 2023 performance.”
Wilkins addresses a significant need for the Raiders and enhances the interior of the defensive line. He has established himself as one of the top players in the position. With major uncertainties on offense, the Raiders need to build a strong defense, and Wilkins will contribute to achieving that.
The team still has many roster positions to fill, so the roster is still evolving. Currently, the defense seems poised to improve in 2024, but there are still some areas that the Raiders need to address before they focus on training camp.
