Hot Takes, Predictions for Raiders' Most Impactful Free Agent Signings (2024)

The Las Vegas Raiders are set to begin mandatory minicamp on Tuesday, which means their offseason is nearly complete. The preseason is less than two months away, and when it begins, so will Las Vegas' push to make the postseason.

The Raiders haven't won the AFC West since 2002, but they did notch victories against all three divisional opponents over the final month of 2023.

Las Vegas will be looking to build on the momentum it built over the second half of last season. Several new players, though, will be along for the 2024 ride.

We've already made some predictions for the Raiders' top rookies. Here, we'll switch gears and focus on the veteran additions that new general manager Tom Telesco added in free agency.

Below, you'll find some hot takes and predictions for the Raiders' incoming free agents who are most likely to make an impact in 2024.

The Raiders took a big swing in early free agency, signing former Miami Dolphins defensive tackle Christian Wilkins to a four-year, $110 million contract. It was a hefty sum for a player who has never appeared in a Pro Bowl.

However, it would be a slight against Wilkins to suggest that Las Vegas overpaid. The 28-year-old has consistently been among the league's top interior defenders, even if he doesn't have the accolades to prove it.

Wilkins has racked up an absurd (for an interior defender) 355 tackles in five seasons and has shown that he can moonlight as an interior pass rusher. He had nine sacks and 30 quarterback pressures in 2023.

At 6'4" and 310 pounds, Wilkins has the size of a throwback space-eating defensive tackle. Yet, he has a quick first step and is remarkably athletic.

"He's so athletic and he plays with so much passion he's like a linebacker in so many ways," linebackers coach Mike Caldwell said, per Levi Damien of Raiders Wire.

Sandwiched between pass-rushers Maxx Crosby and Malcolm Koonce, Wilkins should continue to thrive with his new team. He should also garner more attention as the NFL seeks its next "best defensive tackle" in the wake of Aaron Donald's retirement. Wilkins can and should earn his first Pro Bowl nod as a Raider.

The Raiders have found three solid starters in left tackle Kolton Miller, center Andre James and guard Dylan Parham. They're likely to hold open competitions at the other guard spot and at right tackle—and rookies Jackson Powers-Johnson and Delmar Glaze should be heavily involved.

Powers-Johnson, a second-round pick out of Oregon, may seem like the front-runner to start opposite Parham because of his draft status. However, the prediction here is that veteran Cody Whitehair gets the nod, at least to start the season.

Whitehair, who was signed in mid-April, wasn't exactly a heralded addition. However, he was a tremendously consistent and mostly durable starter for the Chicago Bears. The 31-year-old fell out of the starting lineup last season but started 118 of his 124 games in Chicago.

Experience will give Whitehair a big advantage, as will his familiarity with new offensive coordinator Luke Getsy. Whitehair played in Getsy's system over the past two years, and he should have a pivotal role in helping to install it this offseason.

Whitehair only signed a one-year contract and may not hold off Powers-Johnson all season. Don't be shocked, though, if he's in the starting lineup in Week 1.

Like Wilkins, quarterback Gardner Minshew signed with the Raiders at the onset of free agency. He's set to compete with incumbent quarterback Aidan O'Connell, who has the edge in experience with Las Vegas' personnel.

However, with Getsy bringing in a new offense, both quarterbacks will be adjusting this offseason. That should level the proverbial playing field and allow Minshew to secure the starting job.

There is a boom-or-bust element to Minshew's game. He can push the ball down the field and make plays with his legs, but he can also turn the ball over in bunches. However, he has a solid career passer rating of 90.2 and made the Pro Bowl as an alternate last season.

Minshew probably isn't the long-term answer in Las Vegas, but he could still be in store for a career year. He'll have a strong receiving corps—led by Davante Adams, Jakobi Meyers and rookie tight end Brock Bowers—and his skill set fits the offense Getsy ran with Justin Fields in Chicago.

Will the Raiders occasionally be frustrated with Minshew's risk-reward style of play? Probably. However, the 28-year-old should provide enough highs to remain in the starting lineup and give Las Vegas a legitimate shot at a wild-card berth.