Raiders Proving to be Biggest Gamblers in Las Vegas
HENDERSON, Nev.--In the upcoming 2023 season, the Las Vegas Raiders are gambling on their ability to stay healthy to find success. The team is known for taking risks on often injured players, in spite of the fact that their health is an essential factor for on-field success.
As such, the outcome of the Raiders’ season will rely heavily on the players staying healthy and avoiding further injury.
The team must evaluate its approach to injury prevention and practice better body and equipment management techniques to minimize injury risks. Still, in a game built on blunt force trauma, injury history can't be ignored.
While taking chances on players with a history of injuries is a risky strategy, the Raiders must be able to stay healthy to reap the rewards of their gamble.
The Las Vegas Raiders have long been known to take risks on injury-prone players, and in recent years they have had some success and some failure with those gambles.
The Raiders drafted running back Josh Jacobs with the 24th overall pick in 2019. He proved to be a smart move, finishing the season with over 1,000 rushing yards despite suffering from several injuries throughout the season.
The Raiders didn’t execute his fifth-year option because of that injury history, but in 2022, a contract season, he shined. Jacobs is now under the franchise tag.
Tight end Darren Waller is a prime example of a player's greatest ability being availability.
There is no doubt that when healthy, Waller is one of the best tight ends in the NFL, but his constant absences for injury bothered teammates and, obviously, the team's leadership, as he is now on the roster of the New York Giants.
With the 2023 season approaching, the Raiders will take a few risks again, hoping these injured players can stay on the field and lead the team to its ultimate success.
The Raiders must be willing to take risks to compete in the upcoming season and be aware of the potential consequences if those risks fail to pay off.
Quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo has been given the keys to the Silver and Black franchise, but while he has proven to be an excellent teammate and a great player when healthy, he has been decimated by injuries that keep him off the field in key moments.
In a town known for having "whales" who come to the Casinos to bet outlandish amounts of money, there is no bigger gambler than the Las Vegas Raiders, who moved all-in with a $72.5 million dollar deal for their oft-injured new signal caller.
The biggest key to the Raiders' 2023 success will be Garoppolo. If healthy, the Raiders can reach my predicted finish of nine wins; without him, that is not the case.
The Las Vegas Raiders are banking on the health of their injury-prone players for a successful 2023 NFL season.
Despite the risks associated with these players, the team may benefit from their significant talent and experience.
Ultimately, the success of the 2023 season will rest squarely on the team's ability to stay healthy, although the hopes of success may come with a considerable gamble.
Coach Josh McDaniels and General Manager Dave Ziegler deserve all the accolades, with Garoppolo remaining healthy, but they are also gambling. If he doesn't, they own the decision.
But they are the Las Vegas Raiders, a city built on gambling.
The Raiders' offseason workout schedule is as follows:
OTA Offseason workouts: May 22-23, May 25, May 31-June 2, June 12-15
Mandatory Minicamp: June 6-8
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