5 Things the Las Vegas Raiders Should Worry About During the Offseason

#5 Stopping their division rivals

Let's be honest here. The Raiders are usually very good in division play. In fact, the team went 4-2 in their division last year, and while one of the losses cost the team a chance at the playoffs, it was still an impressive record.

How do they dominate, though? That is, unfortunately, one of the biggest things the Raiders need to learn during the offseason.  The domination of the Chiefs in the last two years is absolute proof that mowing through their division is the only way to the playoffs. That means they have to beat the Chiefs, the Los Angeles Rams twice, and the Denver Broncos twice. No excuses, just a solid 60 minutes of football that results in a victory. How do they get there, though?

#4 What's going to change?

It's no secret that the Las Vegas Raiders will have to do something different if they want to make the playoffs in 2021. But you have to wonder, what, exactly,  needs to be changed? While the easy answer to that question is to focus on the defense, what specific part of the unit needs to be changed? Do they need to focus on finding more disciplined players who don't rack up penalties for the team? Or should they focus on an effective pass rusher that can get to the quarterback?

Furthermore, what are they going to do differently on offense? Which quarterback will start for the team in 2021, and what weapons will they have available? Those are the questions the team needs to answer during the offseason.

#3 Finding a backup for Joshua Jacobs

Joshua Jacobs is a great running back with a lot of upside going for him, but that doesn't mean he can do this all on his own. Between Jacobs becoming somewhat injury-prone and the offensive line struggling to put together key blocks,  the Raiders might benefit from utilizing a multi-tiered run offense. For example, the team could pick up someone like Chris Carson and use him when Jacobs is absent or not effective. A simple change like this could be the difference between making the playoffs and being on the outside looking in.

#2 Losing Nelson Agholor

Nelson Agholor might not have had the most receptions in 2020, but he was a crucial part of the Las Vegas Raiders offense and should be retained by the organization. Unfortunately, Agholor has voiced his disgust with the team's performance and could test the waters in free agency. Now, it's not known who would really take a chance on him, especially with his drop record in Philadelphia, but his time in Las Vegas could be enough to put him somewhere else.

In all honesty, the Raiders can't afford to lose someone like Agholor, as he is one of only a few decent weapons at Carr's disposal. Sure, Carr also has Darren Wallner, and Henry Ruggs III, but they are far from being the kind of weapon that Agholor currently is.

#1 Keeping their quarterback duo in tact

Believe it or not, keeping Derek Carr and Marcus Mariota together could be one of the biggest concerns throughout the offseason. Not only is this evident by the number of trade rumors, but also the fact that both men deserve to be starters in the NFL. Again, everyone from The Washington Football team to the Indianapolis Colts is interested in Mariota, leaving the Raiders without a suitable backup if Carr comes down with an injury.

With that being said, though, losing Derek Carr would present the same problem. For example, if Carr left Las Vegas, and Mariota was the starter, who would step up to the plate if he gets injured? Keep in mind that Mariota is known for a very aggressive run first defense, and you start to see why the potential for injury is a problem. That's why the organization either needs to retain both men during the offseason or find a way to fill the void left by the departing quarterback.