Boye Mafe
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Seattle Sehawks pass rusher Boye Mafe.
Now that Klint Kubiak has joined the Las Vegas Raiders as head coach, it wouldn’t be a surprise if he wanted to bring over some Seattle Seahawks players. The team just won a Super Bowl, but they won’t be able to afford to keep all of their top free agents.
Reuniting with Kubiak would be an appealing option for some of those players. One thing the Raiders need is more pass rushing. Defensive end Maxx Crosby could get traded this offseason, which will only make the need for pass rush help much greater.
Greg Auman of FOX Sports predicts that the Raiders will sign Seahawks free agent pass rusher Boye Mafe this offseason.
“Mafe, 27, has seen his sack totals go down sharply in the last two years, from nine in 2023 to six in 2024 and just two in 2025,” Auman wrote. “Seattle’s defense was outstanding, giving up the fewest points in the league, and Mafe is an undervalued part of that front. ESPN has a ‘pass rush win rate’ statistic, and Mafe had the eighth-best pass rush win rate in the NFL, just two spots below the Browns’ Myles Garrett. Seattle has plenty of cap space to bring him back, but if it doesn’t, keep an eye on the Raiders, who are hiring Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak.”
Mafe Shouldn’t Be Too Expensive
Mafe only had 2.0 sacks in 2025, but he’s been more productive in the past. He has a total of 20.0 sacks in his career, and, as Auman noted, he has a high pass rush win rate. He could be an upgrade over what the Raiders had last season.
Plus, he won’t cost a lot. Spotrac has his market value at three years, $36 million. That’s not a high price to pay for a pass rusher. If the Raiders decide to let Malcolm Koonce walk, Mafe should be on their radar.
Raiders Also Predicted to Bring Back Eric Stokes
The Raiders likely don’t have a ton of free agents they’re going to work hard to bring back, but there’s one player who stands out as someone they should re-sign. Cornerback Eric Stokes joined the team last season on a one-year contract. He ended up being the team’s best cornerback, and he was able to stay healthy.
Stokes is still a young player, so he could be a starter for several years for the Raiders if he keeps playing at a high level. There should be some interest in him around the NFL after his strong season, but luckily for the Raiders, Auman is predicting that he’ll stay in Las Vegas.
“Stokes, 26, was a first-round pick of the Packers who never worked out in Green Bay, inconsistent and oft-injured,” Auman wrote. “But he got a fresh start in Las Vegas on a one-year, $4 million prove-it deal and started 16 games, playing well enough to be ranked as the No. 19 corner by Pro Football Focus’ grading. The Raiders have the second-most available cap space, so it’s hard to imagine them letting their best defensive back go, though it’ll likely cost them double what it did a year ago.”