With the Super Bowl in the books, the NFL now has its sights set on the new league year. For the Raiders and all 31 other teams, that means free agency is right around the corner.
The Raiders will enter free agency with at least $92 million in cap room, but that number will probably go up a little depending on how a few veteran contracts play out.
Of that $92+ million in cap room, the Raiders will fill a good amount of that space with spending on their own players.
It can be difficult to predict how teams are going to spend, but Spotrac.com offers a projection on every key free agent, as well as players in line for a new deal.
Here’s a look at Spotrac’s projected market value for the Raiders top impending free agents and one superstar looking for an extension or new money in his current deal…
Maxx Crosby: 3 years, $97.9 million
Crosby has two years remaining on his current contract, but no guaranteed money. A player of his caliber doesn’t tend to play on a deal with no guaranteed money.
There’s no good reason to avoid paying Crosby, but what would the Raiders do if a team offered a couple first-round picks for him?
Malcolm Koonce: 2 years, $40 million
$20 million per year is a big number for Koonce, who went down in September with a season-ending knee injury.
Koonce was stepping into a huge role on the defensive line this year and his loss was felt all season.
The question now, though, is how do you evaluate a player like Koonce who has massive potential but didn’t play a snap all season?
In nine games to close out the 2023 season, Koonce recorded 8 sacks. Even when he wasn’t getting sacks, Koonce was putting pressure on opposing quarterbacks. Pro Football Focus credited Koonce with 38 pressures in that span.
Just a few weeks before Koonce went down with a knee injury in September, Raiders’ defensive coordinator Patrick Graham went on Crosby’s podcast and was asked to name a player he expected to take a huge stride in 2024.
The player he mentioned right away was Koonce.
“I don’t want to put anybody on the spot, but I just love what Malcolm [Koonce] has been able to do,” Graham said on The Rush.
“In terms of what he was able to do last year and the way he’s working right now. I think he could care less what happened last year. He’s just like Maxx, you have to do every week, every year, it’s a new season,” Graham continued. “The way he’s been working, the maturity in terms of him growing into himself as an NFL player and knowing who he is and being able to communicate that and execute it. It should be fun to watch. I’m not going to predict this and that. I just know this. Show me you’re doing the work. We’ll see what the results are. Let’s rock. He’s putting in that work.”
Tre’von Moehrig: 3 years, $47.2 million
Some view Moehrig as the no. 1 free agent on the Raiders’ list of free agents to be.
But will the Raiders see it that way?
$15 million per year seems like fair market value for Moehrig, but there is a deep class of safeties headed to free agency this year.
Expect Graham to make a strong case for keeping Moehrig as he was another player the Raiders’ DC was high on going into the season… and Moehrig didn’t disappoint.
Robert Spillane: 2 years, $20.8 million
Just a guess, but Spillane is probably the Raiders’ priority free agent among this year’s group.
Along with Crosby, Spillane is the heart and soul of Graham’s defense and the 29 year-old linebacker has said he wants to be back next year.
Losing Spillane would be a step backwards for the organization and it seems like the people in the building have come to that realization.
Adam Butler: 2 years, $5.7 million
At less than $3 million per year, the Raiders would be foolish not to keep Butler.
One of the most underrated players in the league, Butler deserves to be paid well in free agency.
Divine Deablo: 2 years, $15 million
Deablo took a step in a good direction in 2024, but is he worth $7.5 million per year?
That cost seems a little steep, but you never know.
K’Lavon Chaisson: 2 years, $6.8 million
This is another deal the Raiders should jump on if they get the opportunity.
Chaisson plays a premium position and recorded five sacks for the Raiders this year. That’s worth more than $3.5 million in the modern NFL.
Nate Hobbs: 1 year, $2.8 million
Hobbs can be dynamic, but he hasn’t shown the ability to stay healthy.
If he could be available for even 15 games, $2.8 million would be a steal for Hobbs.
Answers are coming soon, but for now, Sports Illustrated insider Albert Breer believes the Raiders are preparing to be aggressive with their money in free agency.
“I think the Raiders are going to be spenders. Tom Brady promised coaching candidates they’d have the resources to compete. Then, the legendary quarterback hired a 73-year-old coach. This would indicate that they aren’t going to waste time dipping into the money pit that new limited owners Egon Durban, Mike Meldman and Tom Wagner have promised to provide, with over $100 million in cap space waiting for Pete Carroll and new GM John Spytek,” Breer wrote in his MMQB column this week.
“The spending, I’d think, would be across the board. Maxx Crosby, Brock Bowers and Kolton Miller are really nice building blocks. Outside of that, there are a lot of holes to fill. Carroll’s going to be very specific on what he needs. I bet the Raiders owners will oblige him with their checkbooks.”
Breer’s comments seem to be in alignment with what ESPN’s Adam Schefter said on the Pat McAfee Show last week.
“This is where the new money and the limited owners have come into play, because Mark Davis got an infusion of money from the limited owners that included Tom Brady, and they now can go out and spend that money on guys like Chip Kelly. There’s no salary cap for coaches. You’re capped on what you can and can’t spend on players, but there’s no cap on coaches,” Schefter said on the Pat McAfee Show last week.
“Having cash is a big deal and the Raiders clearly have some cash that they can throw around at coaches and that they are going to be able to use in the form of guaranteed money and signing bonuses to upcoming free agents. So that’s going to be something I think the Raiders lean into as they try to make up ground on the rest of the teams in the AFC West and in that conference.”
x: @raidersbeat
The only ones from that list I’d consider bringing back are Moehrig and Spillane and I’d have to see the numbers before I’d make a commitment.
The rest can go. Especially Deablo who can’t tackle anyone.
No way Moehrig and Koonce are worth that kind of money. Koonce had one good year and then he got injured. Moehrig was never even a Pro Bowler.
Koonce no matter what!!!! Spillane & Butler are no brainer at that price. Hobbs too if it’s really that low. Moehrig…I’m on the fence at that price. Leaning towards not signing him unless it was around $11/12 per. Go Raiders!
Kind of foolish to root for guys to not make a team. The bottom line in the NFL is that every single player in it is in the top one half of 1% of the very best to play the game. So a really good player with any given coach can have one to three good or bad seasons in a row. Then when introduced to the right environment and the right coach they can shine. I’m done waiting for people who lose their jobs I’m ready to support anybody who’s associated with the Raiders if their head is in it to win.
…Done rooting for players to lose…
How about a newer headline than 2/12/25???