The start of the new NFL season is here and teams like the Las Vegas Raiders were allowed to begin negotiating with free agents.
Free agency is always a whirlwind as numerous names fly off the board and reporters are tasked with keeping track of where players went and for how much. This year, however, felt like a completely different beast as several high-profile free agents signed for record numbers that’ll carry ramifications for the 2024 NFL season.
Meanwhile, Las Vegas lost a key part of its offense when Josh Jacobs left for the Green Bay Packers. The Raiders were interested in re-signing Jacobs, but they will now turn to Zamir White as their lead back for next year unless they decide to address their running back needs in the 2024 NFL Draft.
However, Las Vegas did manage to keep one of their own free agents in-house as they agreed to terms with center Andre James via Ian Rapoport of NFL Network:
The #Raiders and C Andre James have a 3-year deal for him to remain in Las Vegas, sources tell me and @TomPelissero.
James gets $24M over 3 years with $16M guaranteed in a contract done by @gsefootball agents @davidcanter, @NessMugrabi, and @IanGrutman. Roughly $10M in year 1. pic.twitter.com/QRdwZb0Kq8
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 10, 2024
It’s quite the payday for James who went undrafted in 2019 but has turned himself into a reliable member of the interior of the offensive line. James started 16 games for the Raiders in 2023 and was solid as both a run and pass blocker.
The center market was interestingly deep this offseason, and it looks like Las Vegas got a bargain with James’ deal compared to some of his peers. Although the Raiders are unsure of who their starting quarterback will be next season, they’ve at least begun the work to ensure that they stay upright for most of the year.
Raiders sign Christian Wilkins on four-year, $110 million contract
The biggest need on the Raiders’ roster was interior defensive line. Las Vegas had one of the worst defensive tackle plays in the league this past year, and it was at the top of the priority list for the front office.
New general manager Tom Telesco made a splash when he landed the best defensive tackle on the market in Christian Wilkins. Wilkins had a productive year with the Miami Dolphins last season but now will get a chance to line up alongside Maxx Crosby.
