Las Vegas Raiders Needs to Address in 2023 NFL Draft

After Sunday's loss that saw the Raiders lose 37-34. in overtime to the San Francisco 49ers, they currently sit at 6-10 and hold the No. 8 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.

While their draft position is not yet set in stone, the Raiders have been eliminated from playoff contention and will now shift their focus to the off-season. A large part of those offseason plans is looking at what positions they need to address through the draft.

With Coach Josh McDaniels' squad having nothing to play for heading into the season's final week and a complicated off-season on the horizon, let's look at the three most important positions the Raiders need to address through the NFL Draft.

IDL -- The Raiders, first and foremost, need to shore up their interior defensive line. Over their last three games, they have allowed 160.7 rushing yards per game, the fifth-worst in the league in that span. Christian McCaffery ran for 121 yards on 19 carries on Sunday, good for 6.4 yards per carry. The Raiders only have three interior defensive linemen under contract for the 2023 season in rookies Matthew Butler and Neil Farrell Jr., as well as Bilal Nichols. They also took a flier on recently-cut Jerry Tillery, who has played multiple positions on the defensive line since arriving in Vegas. The Raiders will want to add players who can consistently generate pressure from the interior, which would make Maxx Crosby's and Chandler Jones' jobs easier off the edge. If the Raiders want to improve their defense, they must start with the trenches.

DB -- The Raiders have been one of the worst teams in the NFL in defending the pass this season, as they have allowed the fourth-most yards through the air at 246.8 per game. There aren't a lot of long-term answers in the defensive backfield, either, outside of Tre'Von Moehrig and Nate Hobbs, who have also had their fair share of struggles this season. Moehrig also is the only safety under contract for the Raiders beyond 2023. There is not a lot of depth at either defensive back position on this Las Vegas squad, so it would be wise for the Raiders to add some depth to that position with the 11 draft picks they currently have.

OL -- Whoever lines up under center for the Raiders in 2023 will need to be protected. For a good reason, Las Vegas will look to add some depth to their offensive line this off-season. Kolton Miller is locked up as the franchise left tackle, guard Dylan Parham has shown some impressive flashes as a rookie, and center Andre James is under contract for another year. Still, both positions on the right side of the offensive line are up in the air in the future. Like the secondary, the offensive line lacks depth everywhere, as only rookie seventh-round pick Thayer Munford Jr. and Justin Herron are under contract outside the names mentioned earlier. With lots of draft capital at their disposal, the Raiders will likely be looking to add some protection up front for whoever their next quarterback is going to be.

Hondo S. Carpenter, Sr., has already said he expects the Silver and Black to select a QB in the 2023 NFL Draft. But he added this caveat, "The Raiders Josh McDaniels and Dave Ziegler will not be allowed by owner Mark Davis to have a dissapoinintong 2023 and get rewarded a 2024. The feeling inside the building is that they will draft a QB to develop but sign a veteran to lead the franchise in 2023."

The Raiders' final game of the season is at Allegiant Stadium against the Kansas City Chiefs on Saturday, Jan. 7, and kicks off at 1:30 p.m. PST/4:30 p.m. PST. It will be available to watch on ESPN and ABC.

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