The Las Vegas Raiders are searching for a new head coach after firing Antonio Pierce, and obviously, fans are eager to learn who the replacement will be.
Coaching in the NFL is probably more important than in any other sport, so don’t get it twisted: the Raiders must pick their next coach carefully.
However, just finding the right answer on the sideline won’t solve Las Vegas’ issues overnight.
Plain and simply, the Raiders need more talent.
At the moment, Las Vegas has two elite-level talents on the roster: tight end Brock Bowers and defensive end Maxx Crosby. That’s really it.
Yes, the Raiders have some other good players, but just having good players won’t get you very far in this league. You need top-level guys on both sides of the ball, and Las Vegas is severely lacking in that department.
Here’s the good news: the Raiders will have plenty of cap room heading into the offseason, so they can absolutely afford to sign some significant players in free agency.
Just having cap space isn’t a cure all either, though. Las Vegas needs to spend it in the right places.
We have seen teams spend frivolously before, and the Raiders absolutely need to avoid those pitfalls in the coming months. Las Vegas has experienced financial issues in the past, so the last thing the Raiders need is to saddle themselves with bad contracts.
Making shrewd, smart signings will be key. The Raiders don’t have to swing for the fences right away. It’s a process, and they should be willing to embrace it.
Of course, Las Vegas also has the draft to expand its talent base. The Raiders may not be able to land Shedeur Sanders or Cam Ward after falling to sixth in the order, but they can definitely bring in some impressive talent to bolster the roster.
Las Vegas can also pursue some rather interesting trades utilizing its draft pick, whether that means trading up for a quarterback or trying to move the selection for established NFL talent (or maybe a signal-caller like J.J. McCarthy).
The Raiders have a long way to go. Getting the right coach is just one step. The biggest step, however, will be actually accumulating pieces that the new coach can utilize.
