Veteran free agent contracts Raiders need to consider ahead of training camp

Only time will tell if the Las Vegas Raiders have improved enough to win the AFC West crown in 2024. However, the Raiders have added enough pieces to a promising 2023 team to at least be relevant.

Defensive tackle Christian Wilkins promises to be a game-changer on Las Vegas’ defensive front, while quarterback Gardner Minshew can help add more explosiveness to the offense. Rookie tight end Brock Bowers should combine with Davante Adams and Jakobi Meyers to form one of the most dynamic receiving corps in the league.

Winning a division that includes the defending champion Kansas City Chiefs won’t be easy, however. Adding a piece or two to the equation before training camp opens on July 21 would make perfect sense. The good players are still there and Las Vegas has $34.1 million in cap space remaining.

Here, you’ll find a look at three free agents the Raiders should consider, based on skills, team needs and projected roles. You’ll also find contract projections based on factors like past production, player health, and market position.

The Raiders defense showed a lot of promise this past season, and with Antonio Pierce now the full-time head coach, it has a chance to be great.

The Raiders could use some help on defense, however. Cornerback was pretty solid last season – the Raiders ranked 12th in passing yards allowed – but he lacked a true coverage corner.

Even at 33, Stephon Gilmore remains a quality starter. He started all 17 games for the Dallas Cowboys in 2023 and allowed an opposing passer rating of just 82.7 in coverage. The five-time Pro Bowler would immediately improve Las Vegas’ starting lineup while giving the Raiders another defensive leader.

The big question is whether the rebuilding Raiders can interest Gilmore.

“Year 13, I’ve been playing for a long time,” Gilmore said, according to MassLive’s Nick O’Malley. “So I’m just being patient and waiting for the right opportunity.”

While the Raiders aren’t widely considered title contenders, they could offer Gilmore the opportunity to play with an ascending defense and a team that could make a push for the playoffs. Las Vegas also has the cap space to make a competitive contract offer.

Gilmore has an estimated market value of $9 million per year, and the Raiders could afford to go a bit higher. A two-year, $18 million deal with additional incentives would likely attract Gilmore’s attention.

With Wilkins joining Maxx Crosby and Malcolm Koonce up front, the pass rush should be a team strength for Las Vegas. However, it wouldn’t hurt to add another rotational sack artist as the team continues to develop 2023 first-round pick Tyree Wilson.

The Raiders recorded 46 sacks as a team last season, but Crosby and Koonce were the only defenders among the top five quarterbacks taken down.

The addition of Emmanuel Ogbah could potentially make a great unit an elite one. The 6’4″, 275 pound Ogbah is a versatile defender who can play multiple roles on the defensive front and attack opposing quarterbacks. He recorded 5.5 sacks and 15 quarterback pressures with the Miami Dolphins last season.

Ogbah’s experience working alongside Wilkins over the past four seasons would be a bonus.

With Ogbah making just under $16.4 million per year on his last contract, the Raiders might be able to get him at a relatively bargain price. The market was high on assists this offseason, which led to team-friendly contracts.

Leonard Floyd, for example, signed a two-year, $20 million contract with the San Francisco 49ers. A one-year, $10 million offer would likely be enough to secure Ogbah’s services for the 2024 season.

Offensively, the Raiders should be in a pretty good spot, assuming the competition between Minshew and Aidan O’Connell yields a reliable starting quarterback. The offensive line will also see some camp competition, but Las Vegas has no shortage of receiving options.

Davante Adams, Jakobi Meyers, Tre Tucker and rookie Brock Bowers could form one of the best receivers in the league this season.

However, the Raiders could use a little more depth in the backfield. Zamir White showed his potential in the final month of the 2023 season, but he has yet to prove that he can outright replace Josh Jacobs as the team’s permanent guard.

White hasn’t been used much in the passing game (15 career catches), and the depth behind him is marginal: Ameer Abdullah, Alexander Mattison and rookie Dylan Laube round out the running back room.

Adding an experienced receiver like Jerick McKinnon would make a lot of sense. McKinnon has caught 94 passes in the regular season over the last three years. Additionally, McKinnon would bring experience in the AFC West and a little insight from the rival Chiefs.

McKinnon’s Super Bowl experience could also help Pierce change the culture in Las Vegas.

Adding McKinnon would also be a low-risk economic move. He played on a one-year deal worth $1.3 million in 2023 and could likely be had at a similar rate.

*Cap and contract information via Spotrac. Advanced statistics Professional football reference.