AugustUpdate Camp News |
Staff Rankings
| Config Cheat Sheet
| STOMP
Draft Strategies | Depth Charts | Mock Drafts | SOS | Tools | ADP
Diehards Staff Experts Poll | Draft Simulator | University Videos
Draft Strategies | Depth Charts | Mock Drafts | SOS | Tools | ADP
Diehards Staff Experts Poll | Draft Simulator | University Videos
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 | |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
Go To: FlashUpdate / August Update Main Page
| Las Vegas Raiders | ||||||
|
Go To: Off-season Team Review
| ||||||
| Most Recent News Updates: | ||||||
| LVR -- With Jacobs Back, Raiders Release RB Williams (8/29/12:56 CT) | ||||||
| LVR -- Setting Early-Season Expectations For Jacobs (8/29/01:13 CT) | ||||||
| LVR -- Mayer, Hooper Looking Like A Solid Duo At TE For Raiders (8/27/18:59 CT) | ||||||
| LVR -- Starters Take The Night Off In Exhibition Closing Loss To Cowboys (8/27/00:10 CT) | ||||||
| LVR -- More Details On Josh Jacobs, Raiders Coming To Terms (8/26/12:25 CT) | ||||||
| LVR -- Josh Jacobs, Raider Agree To New Deal; RB Returns (8/26/12:05 CT) | ||||||
| LVR -- GM Zeigler: No Updates On Jacobs, But RB Expected To Report Before Week 1 (8/24/16:33 CT) | ||||||
| LVR -- Raiders Not Looking To Trade Josh Jacobs (8/22/08:26 CT) | ||||||
| LVR -- Report: Jacobs Expected To Report Before Week 1 (8/21/09:10 CT) | ||||||
| LVR -- Garoppolo Efficient, Effective Vs. Rams (8/20/00:11 CT) | ||||||
| LVR -- White Remains The De Facto RB1... Until Jacobs Returns (8/18/15:41 CT) | ||||||
| LVR -- Adams To Return To Practice This Week (8/16/12:29 CT) | ||||||
| LVR -- Will Latest RB Moves Have An Impact On Jacobs' Impasse With Raiders (8/14/21:12 CT) | ||||||
| LVR -- Raiders Sign RB WIlliams (8/11/17:52 CT) | ||||||
| LVR -- McDaniel Doesn't Think Adams' Injury Is Serious (8/11/16:12 CT) | ||||||
| LVR -- Adams (Leg) Exits Practice Early (8/11/12:16 CT) | ||||||
| LVR -- Jimmy G Off To A Slow Start In Camp (8/10/00:02 CT) | ||||||
| LVR -- With Jacobs Absent, Zamir White Listed As RB1 (8/09/11:54 CT) | ||||||
| LVR -- Adams Hopeful About A Positive Resolution For Jacobs (8/08/00:59 CT) | ||||||
| LVR -- Raiders Dealing With Uneven QB Play Early In Camp (8/08/00:17 CT) | ||||||
| LVR -- Initial Issues And Injuries Of Note (8/08/00:00 CT) | ||||||
Current News Updates
8/29 With Josh Jacobs back and signed, the Raiders are releasing RB Damien Williams. ... We'll be posting complete moves as they're reported through today's 4 p.m. ET deadline on our NFL Roster Cuts page.8/29 What's next for Josh Jacobs? According to ESPN.com's Paul Gutierrez, how the Raiders will use the running back now that he has returned to the team after sitting out the entire offseason program, training camp and the exhibition season depends on the shape he's in. On one hand, Jacobs has not taken a hit since Jan. 7, when he rushed for 45 yards on 17 carries in the Raiders' season-ending loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. On the other, is there enough practice time available to get him ready for the season opener in less than two weeks at the Denver Broncos on Sept. 10? "It's going to be hard for me to say that until I have an opportunity to see him," HC Josh McDaniels said after his team's preseason finale at the Cowboys on Saturday. "Obviously, his conditioning and just the way his body feels will play a role in that, too. The goal will be to get him in and get going and we'll do the right thing -- whatever the right thing is. If there needs to be a [set] number of plays early in the season, then that's it. If there's not, then there's not. I don't think any of us will know the answer to that yet. ..." Because as GM Dave Ziegler said on the team's television broadcast during the exhibition at Dallas, two weeks gives both team and player time to "ramp things up" to be ready for the Broncos. In Jacobs' absence, second-year back Zamir White got the bulk of the first-team reps and carries, finishing the preseason with 86 yards and a touchdown while averaging 3.3 yards per carry. This after he had 70 rushing yards on 17 carries as a rookie. Las Vegas also added Damien Williams in training camp, and the eight-year veteran responded with 54 rushing yards on six carries with a 24-yard TD in the exhibition finale at Dallas, perhaps giving the Raiders staff something else to think about as cut-down day looms for a running back room that also includes vets Ameer Abdullah and Brandon Bolden as well as youngsters Sincere McCormick, Brittain Brown and Darwin Thompson. ... Remember: McDaniels has acknowledged that Jacobs' productivity last season was a surprise as he was used to employing a running back-by-committee approach. And earlier this offseason, McDaniels said he did not envision a different scenario if/when Jacobs returned. The tight window to the season opener, tough, will have an effect. ... We'll be watching for more. 8/27 According to ESPN.com's Paul Gutierrez, rookie Michael Mayer and Austin Hooper were impressive enough in camp that the Raiders waived veteran O.J. Howard a few weeks in. And while Mayer continues to work on his blocking, his hands are soft and Hooper has shown an ability to make acrobatic catches giving Vegas a solid duo at tight end. 8/27 Damien Williams had a 24-yard touchdown run for the Raiders, who were playing a few hours after NFL rushing champion Josh Jacobs ended his contract stalemate by agreeing to a one-year deal, in Saturday night's loss to the Dallas Cowboys. The loss ended a six-game preseason winning streak for Las Vegas, which was tied with Pittsburgh for the NFL's longest after Baltimore's record 24-game run ended at Washington last week. The starters sat for both teams, including quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo a week after his Las Vegas debut. The Raiders even rested Zamir White and Ameer Abdullah after they spent all of training camp in the top two spots while Jacobs stayed away. Third-string Las Vegas QB Aidan O'Connell was 17 of 26 for 178 yards, and Kristian Wilkerson had 10 catches for 122 yards. ... The Raiders are set for their fifth full season with Daniel Carlson as their kicker, who has a career accuracy rate of 88%. The 28-year-old made a 62-yarder on the final play of the first half and was 3 of 3. The Raiders open the regular season on the road Sept. 10 in Denver. ... You can access complete stats for Saturday's Week 3 exhibition finale via our exclusive Fantasy BoxScore. 8/26 Following up on the previous item. ... As NFL.com framed it: "An offseason standoff in Las Vegas is nearing its end." The Raiders and RB Josh Jacobs have agreed to terms on a new one-year contract worth up to $12 million, according to multiple reports. The deal replaces the $10.091 million franchise tag and clears the way for Jacobs to return to the Raiders after staying away from the club throughout the offseason and training camp. Jacobs can earn another $200,000 in incentives under the new contract, per NFL Network. ... Jacobs led the NFL in rushing in 2022, which was a contract year for the 2019 first-round pick out of Alabama. Jacobs' deal resembles the adjusted one-year contract signed in July by Giants running back Saquon Barkley, who also received the franchise tag and expressed dismay at a lack of commitment from New York. Barkley ended up signing a deal worth slightly more than the franchise tag rate, thanks to incentives. At this point, it is unknown how the Raiders intend to proceed with Jacobs beyond 2023. Investing in running backs has proven to be a mistake for teams in recent years, even when they're a driving force of a club's offense. If Jacobs is looking for bargaining chips, he can point to his availability in recent years, in which he's played in 15 or more games in each of the last three seasons. At 25 years old, if he's going to cash in, it will be soon. It just likely will not be in a deal that lasts five years. Nick Chubb's three-year, $36.6 million extension signed in 2021 might serve as a model for what the Raiders could offer Jacobs, which would put him in line to remain with the team through his age-28 season. But, as NFL.com's Nick Shook suggests, the Raiders are also a team undergoing change in Year 2 of the Dave Zielger and Josh McDaniels-led regime. They've demonstrated they don't prioritize running backs enough to lock up the NFL's leading rusher, so there's no guarantee they'll be quick to do so even if Jacobs replicates his 2022 performance in 2023. At minimum, though, this agreement means the Raiders will welcome back theirs and the NFL's top rusher, eliminating a concern at the position with two weeks left before the start of the regular season. That's better than the alternative. And for fantasy managers? Anybody drafting in the last few weeks, with Jacobs dipping down into Round 3, are going to be very happy with this outcome. Expect that price to rise if you haven't drafted yet. But Jacobs still might come as more of a value than he otherwise would have. 8/26 The Raiders and star RB Josh Jacobs have agreed to terms on a new one-year contract that can be worth up to $12 million, according to multiple reports. The NFL rushing leader returns on a deal that includes a signing bonus. ... We'll have more shortly. 8/24 The Raiders and Josh Jacobs continue their impasse. The star running back hasn’t signed the franchise tag, and the Raiders reportedly have no interest in trading him. The clock, meanwhile, is ticking with the team’s season opener 17 days away. According to Profootballtalk.com, GM Dave Ziegler did not offer much of an update on Jacobs’ status in a news conference Thursday. “Yeah, nothing new to add right now on that, so we’ll just keep pushing forward,” Ziegler said in video from the team. Jacobs is due to make $10.1 million on the one-year tag, and the Raiders have no plans to rescind the tag. They expect the reigning NFL rushing champion to report before the season opener, Vic Tafur of The Athletic.com reports. As previously noted, the Dolphins, though, reportedly called the Raiders to inquire about Jacobs’ availability. “Any trade speculation and all that stuff, organizationally that’s nothing that we would address on any player,” Ziegler said. “There’s no advantage to doing that. We’re just going to keep pushing forward. We’re focused on our situation here, putting the roster together the best way we can to field a competitive team, and that’s where we’re at.” The Raiders will have second-year player Zamir White as RB1 until Jacobs returns. 8/22 According to NFL Networki's Tom Pelissero, while the Colts let Jonathan Taylor seek a trade, league sources say the Raiders have shown no interest in trading their star RB Josh Jacobs. Jacobs hasn’t signed his tender, and no deal is imminent to get him into camp. The NFL rushing champ’s status for Week 1 remains to be determined although previous local reporting suggests he plans to report by Week 1. 8/21 Josh Jacobs has still not signed his franchise tender, but he is apparently likely to do so sooner than later. According to a report from Vinny Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal, Jacobs is expected to report to the team before the Raiders’ season opener against the Broncos on Sept. 10. Exactly when Jacobs will return to the fold is still unclear. There has not been much movement on the contract front between the Raiders and Jacobs throughout the offseason. Though Las Vegas was reportedly open to re-starting talks with the running back earlier this month after the deadline to reach a long-term deal came and went in mid-July, nothing has materialized to this point.On Sunday, HC Josh McDaniels said he didn’t have any news on Jacobs. But McDaniels did note that practice time “is important for every player. ..." Jacobs led the league last year with 1,653 yards rushing and 2.053 yards from scrimmage with 12 touchdowns. The Raiders and Jacobs can come to an agreement on a renegotiated one-year deal — as the Giants did with Saquon Barkley -- or Jacobs can sign the one-year franchise tender on the table for $10.1 million. Because Jacobs is not currently under contract, he’s not subject to fines for missing training camp and the preseason so far. 8/20 According to NFL.com's Michael Baca, the Raiders' offense was a well-oiled machine the their opening drive Saturday night, cutting through the Rams' defense like a knife through butter with a good blend of run and pass plays that ended with an imminent score. It was a classic Jimmy Garoppolo drive and a suitable preview of what could come for Las Vegas in 2023. Garoppolo completed all four his pass attempts in his first action with the Raiders, finding Ameer Abdullah (10 yards), Phillip Dorsett (eight), Jakobi Meyers (18) and rookie Michael Mayer (three) to set up Brandon Bolden's 7-yard touchdown run. There wasn't anything flashy about it, but Garoppolo was the necessary leader to orchestrate an orderly nine-play, 68-yard scoring drive. It was all HC Josh McDaniels needed to see as he took out the Raiders' new starting quarterback after one series. 8/18 According to The Athletic’s Tashan Reed (via Rotoworld), RB Zamir White “will be acting as the starting running back” as long as Josh Jacobs is away. ... White was listed as the No. 1 back on the Raiders’ first unofficial depth chart for last week’s preseason game against the 49ers. White rushed 13 times for 43 yards and one touchdown in the Raiders’ preseason win while playing with the backups. In 37 career games, White handled 15 or more rush attempts on just six occasions -- a number that could increase drastically as the Raiders’ RB1. The possibility of Jacobs returning still looms, but White is an interesting late-round value as the season draws closer. 8/16 The Raiders are getting a few of their key offensive weapons back as they’re in Southern California to practice with the Rams this week. After Davante Adams suffered a leg injury during last week’s joint session with the 49ers, head coach Josh McDaniels said during his Wednesday press conference that the receiver is “ready to roll.” At the time, Adams’ injury was not believed to be serious. But Las Vegas will also have receiver Hunter Renfrow and rookie tight end Michael Mayer back on the field in some capacity this week. While McDaniels noted that the club left some rehabbing players back in Nevada, Renfrow and Mayer weren’t among that group. “I think you’ll see them a little bit today working back in and doing some things,” McDaniels said via Profootballtalk.com. “Again, we’re just trying to take … the right steps with each guy so that we can get them back healthy and ready to go when they’re ready to go. ...” The Raiders are slated to practice with the Rams on Wednesday and Thursday before Saturday’s preseason game. 8/14 The market has dramatically changed for accomplished running backs. As Profootballtalk.com's Mike Florio wrote Monday night, "That should be enough to get Josh Jacobs to accomplish the acceptance of his franchise tender. ..." Florio went on to note that Jacobs currently can have $10.1 million for 2023 simply by telling the Raiders, “I’ll take it.” With Ezekiel Elliott signing a one-year deal with the Patriots worth up to $6 million and with Dalvin Cook taking a $7 million base on a one-year deal with the Jets (including up to $1.6 million in incentives), Jacobs should realize he’s not going to do any better than what the Raiders are offering. Indeed, the latest shift in the market could make the Raiders even more inclined to rescind the tender. Florio has previously contended Jacobs knows he’d have a hard time getting $10.1 million for 2023 on the open market. "He doesn’t care," Florio added. "He’ll take what he can get, if the Raiders remove the franchise tender." Florio believes Jacobs continues to be upset with the Raiders for not picking up his fifth-year option, and then for not giving him a long-term deal after he stepped up and led the league in rushing. The Raiders, in contrast, are content to employ him one a year-to-year basis, with two years of the franchise tag the extent of the relationship. There have been no meaningful talks. More than four weeks ago, the window closed on a long-term deal. Despite the team leaking to the media the idea that the Raiders would consider enhancing the one-year package, nothing has happened. Will Jacobs show up? He should. Will the Raiders rescind the tender? They could. Teams that would potentially be interested in Jacobs, if the tender is rescinded, would be the Chiefs and the Broncos. 8/11 According to Adam Schefter, the Raiders are signing RB Damian Williams. 8/11 Davante Adams limped off the field during a joint practice with the San Francisco 49ers on Friday with what appeared to be a right leg injury. Head oach Josh McDaniels said immediately after practice that he had yet to receive a report on Adams. "I don't think it was crazy serious," McDaniels said. "It was just kind of a bang-bang play. Totally clean, on both sides." 8/11 According to ProFootballTalk, Raiders WR DaVante Adams exited practice with a leg injury. He was able to walk off under his own power. 8/10 Jimmy Garoppolo had seven interceptions in two Las Vegas Raiders practices over the weekend. As NFL.com's Gregg Rosenthal suggested, it was reminiscent of Jimmy G's infamous 2019 practice with five straight picks, which freaked out Niners fans six months before the team had a fourth-quarter lead in the Super Bowl. Rosenthal added: "It's too early to worry about a veteran taking his first practice reps with a new team, but this Raiders squad has questions throughout the roster." 8/09 As running back Josh Jacobs continues to refuse to accept the franchise tender and report for training camp, the Raiders have to move forward with another plan at tailback. For the first unofficial depth chart of training camp, Zamir White is listed as the starting tailback. A fourth-round pick from Georgia in 2022, White had only 17 carries for 70 yards as a rookie. With or without Jacobs, White will likely get more work this year. As Profootballltalk.com suggests, White could get a lot more. If Jacobs doesn’t show up, or if the Raiders were to rescind the franchise tender, White likely would be the starter. Other options include Ameer Abdullah, Brandon Bolden, Brittain Brown, and Sincere McCormick. And it’s possible that, if the Raiders proceed without Jacobs, the game plan will dictate which running back gets used and how. Regardless, White is the top guy -- unless and until Jacobs shows up. 8/08 The stalemate between Josh Jacobs and the Raiders continues to drag on, extending into training camp and the start of the preseason this week. With no end to the situation in sight, wide receiver Davante Adams spoke to NFL Network's Bridget Condon and Brian Shaw on Sunday (8/6) about his teammates' essential role in the Raiders' offense. "You see the way we like to play the game, we like to run the ball," Adams said. "You've got to have somebody back there who's a dog if you're going to give it to him over 300 times. So not having him right now is obviously something I'm not happy with." Las Vegas was unable to sign Jacobs to a long-term deal ahead of last month's deadline, and the running back has still not signed his franchise tag, setting up a situation in which he could choose not to play during the season as he's stayed away from camp. Adams discussed how hard it is to practice without a key piece, not knowing when he'll be available, but expressed his hope that a resolution can be worked out. "Obviously he's a huge part of this team and this offense, he's a really good leader and obviously he played like the best back in the league last year, which if you ask me, he is the best back in the league," Adams said. "So, it's tough not having him at this part of the training period trying to get ready for the season, but we'll see what happens down the line. ... Hopefully we can figure something out." 8/08 According to ESPN.com's Paul Gutierrez, through 11 training camp practices, quarterback play has been uneven at best for the Raiders. And with starter Jimmy Garoppolo, who underwent surgery on his left foot in March, getting a day off Sunday (8/6), and Las Vegas not practicing Monday or Tuesday, he will have plenty of time to rest for next week's joint practices with the 49ers. Head coach Josh McDaniels insists he harbors no concerns over Garoppolo's recent spate of interceptions as he was picked off four times Friday, three more times Saturday. "We've also seen some really good throws," McDaniels said. "There's some credit to be given to the [defense] when they make a play ... normal ebbs and flows of camp." 8/08 As Profootballtalk.com notes, nearly three weeks after the window closed on a long-term deal and nearly two weeks after the Raiders opened camp without Josh Jacobs, nothing is happening between player and team on a potential one-year deal. The options are limited at this point: (1) Jacobs accepts $10.1 million for one season; (2) Jacobs and the Raiders work out an enhanced deal, with more money and/or a promise that he won’t be tagged in 2024; (3) Jacobs skips all or part of the regular season; (4) the Raiders trade Jacobs and his one-year deal; or (5) the Raiders rescind the franchise tender and he becomes a free agent. According to PFT's Mike Florio, Option 5 could still happen. Whether the goal is to get the fans/media on board or to persuade owner Mark Davis that it’s the right move to pocket $10.1 million and move on, the Raiders quite possibly are setting the table to plausibly say, “Well, we’ve tried everything. Let’s let him go.” Jacobs, Florio is told, is aware of the possibility and unconcerned about it. He knows that $10.1 million won’t be there, if he’s suddenly a free agent in late August or early September. But he would still have a plan. He would be inclined to take the best deal he could get from a contending team, starting with the Chiefs. Citing a source with knowledge of the situation, Florio adds the Chiefs and Broncos are among the teams interested in Jacobs. Regardless, Jacobs’s strategy is driven not by maximizing his pay in 2023 but by standing on principle. He continues to be upset that the Raiders failed to pick up his fifth-year option and then failed to make him a meaningful offer on a long-term deal after applying the franchise tag. The overriding vibe from the Raiders to Jacobs is that they want to go year-to-year under the tag, keeping him up to two more seasons before he’s left to hit the open market with six seasons of NFL wear and tear. ... For the record, multiple beat writers who cover the team on a daily basis have told listeners on recent appearances with the FootballDiehards on SiriusXM Fantasy Sports Radio they full expect Jacobs to be back with the Raiders in advance of Week 1. ... Stay tuned.
| ||||||
 Team Review
Fantasy Grade: B
After making the playoffs in 2021, The Raiders suffered through a 6-11 mess of a season last year that included setting a new NFL record for blown double-digit leads. Someone was going to be held responsible for that mess, and the scapegoat wound up being quarterback Derek Carr — after being extended before the season, Carr was released by the Raiders after it. That left Vegas with a hole under center, and the team filled that hole in the short-term with Jimmy Garoppolo. !lucky Brooks of NFL.com believes that 'Jimmy G' could be a good fit in Sin City. The good news for the Los Angeles Chargers is the team made the postseason in 2022. The bad news for the Bolts is that the team then proceeded to suffer the third-worst post-season meltdown in NFL history, blowing a 27-0 lead against the Jacksonville Jaguars. However, that collapse aside, the Chargers remain a team loaded with fantasy-relevant talent. The leader of the Chargers' offense is quarterback Justin Herbert, and ESPN's Dan GraAano believes that new offen-sive coordinator Kellen Moore could elevate Herbert's game to MVP levels. "Whatever one might say about Jimmy G's shortcom-ings, the veteran wins whenever he steps onto the field, as evidenced by his 40-17 career record as a starter," he said. "Joining a Raiders squad directed by his for-mer Patriots offensive coordinator {Josh McDaniele), Garoppolo should flourish in a system that features a collection of plays that suit his skills as a quick-rhythm passer. With Davante Adams, Hunter Renfrow and Jakobi Meyers forming a formidable tea on the perim-eter. the Raiders could pick apart opponents behind Garoppolo's efficient play from the pocket." Adams was second in targets and third in PPR fantasy points last year in his first season with the Raiders, but the veteran wideout admitted to the Ringer that he's not especially happy with the changes in Las Vegas this year. "[The front office] think this is the best bet for us light now to put us in a position to be urgent. We don't see eye-to-eye on what we think is best for us right now," Adams said. "I'm going to have to buy into this and try to be as optimistic as possible," Adams said. "It's not what I expected to happen, but it's something that's the reality now." Adams isn't the only prominent fantasy option for the Raiders who isn't especially happy. Josh Jacobs led the NFL in rushing last year and made it abundantly clear that he preferred a long-term deal over the franchise tag. However, the latter is what the 25-year-old got. and as of publication he hasn't signed his tender. General manager Dave Ziegler told reporters earlier this year that the team wants Jacobs in Vegas for a while. "I d say the commonality is that we want Josh to be a Raider and that Josh wants to be a Raider, and so that's a really good place to start,' he said. 'Hopefully we'll work to get some common ground here sooner than later." However, the team didn't put their money where their mouth is, and between unhappy stars and a new quar-terback the Raiders are one of the more volatile situa-tions in the NFL in 2023. | ||||||
|
2023 Off-Season News & Views
Click here for Complete set of News & Views
Click here for earlier off-season items |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||