The Las Vegas Raiders definitely need an infusion of elite talent this offseason, as they don't currently have a whole lot of it on the roster.
Outside of tight end Brock Bowers and defensive end Maxx Crosby, the Raiders are definitely short on top-level players, but thankfully, they have the financial means to address that in the coming months.
Only the New England Patriots have more cap room than Las Vegas heading into free agency, so the Raiders can absolutely make some significant moves.
While the offensive side of the ball is certainly the more pressing area of need for Las Vegas, the Raiders could absolutely stand to add some pieces defensively, and Tyler Brooke of The 33rd Team envisions them as one of the top destinations for New York Jets cornerback D.J. Reed.
"With over $92 million in cap space, the Raiders will need to find as many starting-caliber free agents as possible for reasonable prices," Brooke wrote. "Reed may be the top cornerback on the free agent market, but it's unlikely that he'll be demanding top-of-market money at the position when talking to teams. Reed could be a cost-effective starter for the Raiders while reuniting with his old head coach in Pete Carroll, with the two having worked together for the Seattle Seahawks in 2020 and 2021, which were two of his best seasons as a pro."
Reed is coming off of a 2024 campaign in which he played 14 games and registered 64 tackles, a sack and 11 passes defended. He also posted a solid 70.7 overall grade at Pro Football Focus.
While the 28-year-old has never made a Pro Bowl, he has consistently been a very good cornerback throughout his career. He entered the NFL with the San Francisco 49ers in 2018 and split the first four years of his professional tenure between the 49ers and the Seahawks.
Reed then proceeded to join the Jets in 2022, and since then, he has begun to garner more recognition.
Considering that Nate Hobbs is slated to hit the free-agent market for the Raiders, Las Vegas definitely needs to rectify the position next month. We'll see if the Raiders are able to bag Reed.
