5 Mistakes the Las Vegas Raiders Have Already Made in 2023

The 2023 season hasn’t started, and the Raiders are already off to a rough start. Here are their five worst mistakes so far.

#5 Franchise tagging Joshua Jacobs 

Joshua Jacobs should be one of the highest-paid running backs in the NFL right now. Instead, he is getting franchise tagged for the 2023 season and will have to wait another year before hitting free agency. The news comes after Jacobs and the organization failed to come to terms on a long-term deal.

This is the same team that had no problem paying Josh McDaniels, Jon Gruden, and Derek Carr big money but gets shy when it comes to their best talent. The same team has no problem throwing money at  Jimmy Garoppolo, which just shows where their priorities are.

Unfortunately, he will be getting $10 millio on a one-year deal in 2023. The franchise tag also means that if Jacobs fields other offers, the Raiders have the right to try to match it. If history is any indicator, however, they’ll just end up overlooking him as they did the last two times.

#4 Keeping Jarrett Stidham as backup

Jarret Stidham did a good job of stepping up when his name got called, but it apparently isn’t enough to get the starting job in Las Vegas. Instead, he is being relegated to the backup role unless something happens to Jimmy Grappallo. The problem with the move is that Stidham doesn’t seem ready for the backup role just yet.

That’s why The Raiders should be investing in another Quarterback with more experience. Otherwise, an injury to Garrapolo will spell the end of The Raider’s season prematurely. Stidham can always grow into a decent weapon in the future but now’s just not the time.

#3 Trading Darren Waller to the Giants for a draft pick

Darren Waller is worth much more than a draft pick and that’s part of what makes him getting traded so ridiculous. The man might have had injury problems the last two seasons, but continues to be a top receiver. In just nine games last season, Waller made 28 catches for 388 yards, 13.9 yards per catch, and three touchdowns. Now one of the Raiders’ biggest weapons is heading to the New York Giants in favor of a draft pick.

There is just no reason to cast that kind of talent aside for a subpar draft pick. Maybe the Raiders are trying to make big moves in the upcoming draft, but at least know the worth of your players. The Raiders didn’t get their money’s worth and have now punted one of their best stars. 

Related: Ranking every Las Vegas sports team by their worst 2022 game

#2 Not getting rid of Josh McDaniels

The Las Vegas Raiders organization has a habit of digging its heels in, and that’s exactly what they are doing with Josh McDaniels. The former Denver Broncos head coach delivered a 6-11 season, getting outcoached at every turn. His worse loss came against Jeff Saturday, whose only other coaching experience is at the high school level.

That alone should be enough for them to get rid of Josh McDaniels. Another reason McDaniels needs to be let go is how opponents always pick up on his playcalling. The Raiders shut down the opposing offense on several occasions in the first half, only to get burned when adjustments get made. McDaniels just doesn’t think long-term.

He has this idea of just sticking to the game plan and hoping it works out. He doesn’t deviate very often, his defensive schemes get decoded easily and his offensive playmaking isn’t that great either. So, why are we wasting time on this guy again?

#1  Signing Jimmy Garappalo as their new Quarterback

The Las Vegas Raiders are going all in on Jimmy Grappalo in 2023, which has to be their worst decision to date. This is the guy that Bill Belichick, one of the greatest minds in modern-day football, passed on. The New England Patriots coach did this for a reason, and fans found this out quickly.

In fact, Garappolo has missed time due to injury in his last three seasons as a quarterback. Not only is that a horrible sign for the future of this team, but it also shows McDaniels’ hypocrisy on injuries. Grappolo does have some pretty good stats when healthy, including a 103.2 passer rating. He’s just not the right guy to build around.

The Raiders had options like Aaron Rodgers or Lamar Jackson but settled on a quarterback who can’t stay healthy. He also can be glaringly inconsistent at times, which should fit in very well with the current Raiders culture. The only silver lining to this whole fiasco is that this will probably be McDaniels last chance.

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