It’s Quit apparent the Las Vegas Raiders are rebuilding, and it seems as if Josh McDaniels and Dave Ziegler want all the former New England Patriots they can get their hands on.
After signing former Patriots backup and San Francisco 49ers starting quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo in his free agency, the Raiders are signing a former Patriots wide receiver who quite literally handed a game to them in Jakobi Meyers. No one remembers that more than, you guessed it, another former Patriots star in edge rusher Chandler Jones. $33 million and $21 million guaranteed for three years is not a bad get for a solid Patriots receiver.
Ultimately, Meyers is not going to move the needle in terms of a free-agent acquisition for the Raiders, but it will be more in line with the type of team McDaniels hopes to build. While I understand that he has very strong ties to the Patriots, he is not going to get another shot at being a head coach if this thing bombs.
The Raiders have also reached an agreement with free-agent wideout Phillip Dorsett. The former first-round pick was paired with McDaniels in New England for three seasons. Despite receiving passes from Tom Brady, Dorsett still wasn’t able to show his first-round pedigree during his time with the Patriots. In 45 games (eight starts) with the organization, Dorsett had 73 receptions for 881 yards and eight touchdowns.
Dorsett will be joining a new-look Raiders offense in 2023. So let’s do the math…McDaniels has brought in a pair of Patriots players already, signing quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo and wideout Jakobi Meyers. The Raiders are also rostering running back/special teamer Brandon Bolden and fullback Jakob Johnson, both former Patriots.
The ties to the Las Vegas Raiders extend beyond general manager Dave Ziegler and head coach Josh McDaniels. They extend beyond a staff that ranges from Mick Lombardi, Carmen Bricillo, Bo Hardegree and Jerry Schuplinski on offense to Patrick Graham and Rob Ryan on defense.
A total of nine former New England Patriots stand on the roster. And that is after the NFL’s 80-man deadline saw wide receiver Chris Lacy waived and cornerback Cre’Von LeBlanc removed from injured reserve with a settlement.
According to raiders.com The Silver and Black currently possess 12 picks – the most of any team – and enter April with a huge emphasis on building a young, talented unit for years to come in Las Vegas.
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