The Las Vegas Raiders took a step back in 2023, and they head into their second season under coach Josh McDaniels with a new look and hoping that additions to one of the league's worst defenses pay off. Las Vegas went 6-11 in 2022 after earning a wild-card playoff berth the previous season. Now, Caesars Sportsbook lists the over/under for Raiders victories at 7 in its latest 2023 NFL futures odds.
The most notable offseason move came at quarterback, where longtime starter Derek Carr will be replaced by Jimmy Garoppolo. The former 49ers starter signed as a free agent, and while he is coming off foot surgery, Garoppolo is familiar with McDaniels' offense. He spent three seasons alongside the coach in New England before being traded to San Francisco.
Garoppolo led the 49ers to the NFC Championship Game after the 2021 season but lost his job to Trey Lance before last season. The 30-year-old ended up starting 11 games after Lance broke his ankle. Garoppolo threw for 2,437 yards with 16 touchdowns and four interceptions in 2022.
The new quarterback isn't known for his arm strength, so the Raiders offense will be more conservative and balanced. And there are plenty of weapons for Garoppolo to work with. Josh Jacobs led the NFL in rushing with 1,653 yards and scored 12 touchdowns, while receiver Davante Adams caught 100 passes for 1,516 yards and 16 TDs.
Jakobi Meyers was brought in to play opposite Adams, and he also has experience with McDaniels from his time with the Patriots. The 26-year-old played his first four seasons with New England, posting 235 receptions for 2,758 yards over that span. The Raiders also selected tight end Michael Mayer out of Notre Dame in the second round of this year's draft, so Garoppolo should be in position to succeed.
Aside from Mayer, receiver Tre Tucker and Purdue quarterback Aidan O'Connell, expected to be No. 3 behind Brian Hoyer, the Raiders focused on shoring up the defense in the draft. And for good reason, as Las Vegas ranked 28th in the league overall (365.6 yards per game) and 29th against the pass (242.9).
Pass rusher Tyree Wilson was selected with the seventh overall pick to provide help for Maxx Crosby, the only star on the defensive side of the ball for Las Vegas. Crosby had 12.5 sacks, almost half of the Raiders' season total, as they had the third-fewest in the league with 27. The Raiders also will be looking for a rebound from Chandler Jones, who had just 4.5 sacks after joining the team last offseason. He has double-digit sacks in seven of his nine full seasons and had never had fewer than six before last year.
The rest of the Las Vegas defense looks like a work in progress, with seven new faces joining the secondary and only two linebackers older than 25. Marcus Peters brings veteran leadership to a cornerback group that includes newcomers David Long, Duke Shelley and fourth-round pick Jakorian Bennett out of Maryland. Fellow new addition Marcus Epps at safety will help bring along fifth-round pick Christopher Smith out of Georgia. Robert Spillane, 27, was brought over from the Steelers and will be the veteran of the linebacker group.
The defense will have to come together quickly, as the Raiders have a tough start to a challenging schedule. They have two division games and a trip to Buffalo in the first four weeks. The Bills are the first of four AFC East opponents in 2023, and Las Vegas also faces the NFC North. They will need to find success in those non-division matchups, as they close with three AFC West matchups in their final four games.
2023 NFL Futures betting guide: Win totals, prop picks and more
Below, you'll find the 2023 Las Vegas Raiders schedule, win total and more futures odds from Caesars Sportsbook, followed by picks from top SportsLine NFL analysts, including:
Week 1: at Denver
Week 2: at Buffalo
Week 3: vs. Pittsburgh
Week 4: at Los Angeles
Week 5: vs. Green Bay (MNF)
Week 6: vs. New England
Week 7: at Chicago
Week 8: at Detroit (MNF)
Week 9: vs. N.Y. Giants
Week 10: vs. N.Y. Jets (SNF)
Week 11: at Miami
Week 12: vs. Kansas City
Week 13: Bye
Week 14: vs. Minnesota
Week 15: vs. L.A. Chargers (TNF)
Week 16: at Kansas City (Christmas Day)
Week 17: at Indianapolis
Week 18: vs. Denver
Win Total Over: 7 (+165)
Win Total Under: 7 (-185)
Make Playoffs: +375
Miss Playoffs: -500
Win Division: +1500
Win Conference: +2800
Win Super Bowl: +4500
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