Las Vegas Raiders general manager John Spytek was busy during the early stages of NFL free agency, opening up the checkbook for a handful of players on the open market during the league’s first day of the legal tampering period. Granted, Spytek’s plan got thrown for a wrench with the Baltimore Ravens backing out of the Maxx Crosby trade, but there’s no doubt that the league’s worst team from last season got better this week.
The Raiders are still considered long shots to win the Super Bowl and AFC West this season, owning +12500 and +1900 odds to win each, according to our friends at FanDuel Sportsbook. However, that’s a slight improvement from the beginning of the week, when Las Vegas was +15000 and +2000 bets for those respective titles. On that note, let’s dive into the Silver and Black’s early winners and losers from free agency.
WINNER: Ashton Jeanty
Jeanty ran behind the worst offensive line in the NFL last season. While Spytek has only signed one offensive lineman, center Tyler Linderbaum, so far, that’s a pretty good one to get. The former Raven is widely considered one of the best players at his position and has been an excellent run blocker in the past. Linderbaum is a game-changing lineman and is an excellent fit in Klint Kubiak’s offense, giving the offense’s running game and Jeanty a much-needed boost.
WINNER: Tyler Linderbaum
This is taking the low-hanging fruit, but Linderbaum bet on himself by not signing a contract extension last offseason and hitting free agency this spring. That decision paid off big time because to say he reset the center market would be an understatement. The three-time Pro Bowler is now the league’s highest-paid center by $9 million per year, and the highest-paid interior offensive lineman by $3 million. At $27 million per year, he’ll more than double his career earnings in 2026 alone.
LOSER: Draft capital
To be fair, the Raiders technically didn’t lose anything since the trade with the Ravens was never official. But two first-round picks, including a top-15 selection next month, would have been great assets for a rebuilding organization. Having that on and then taken off the table just a few days later stings. Also, it’s fair to wonder if Spytek signs Kwity Paye and re-signs Malcolm Koonce had he known Crosby would be back in the mix, and the Raiders haven’t signed anyone else since the trade fell through.
WINNER: Linebacker Corps
Quay Walker, Nakobe dean
Jan 10, 2022; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Georgia Bulldogs linebacker Quay Walker (7) and Nakobe Dean (17) against the Alabama Crimson Tide in the 2022 CFP college football national championship game at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Las Vegas entered the offseason with a major need at linebacker, since every backer who took a significant amount of snaps last year is a free agent. Plus, that position needed a talent upgrade. Luckily, the Raiders managed to not only get one quality linebacker in free agency, but two by signing Nakobe Dean and Quay Walker. That’s a major boost over Devin White and Elandon Roberts. Also, Dean and Walker already have familiarity with each other, playing together in college at Georgia.
LOSER: No. 1 Wide Receiver
While the Raiders did pick up Jalen Nailor, the offense still doesn’t have a true No. 1 wide receiver. Considering he has just 1,066 career receiving yards over four years and has never even had 500 yards in a single season, Nailor is a long shot to fill the role that the team is looking for. Even after giving a wideout a $35 million contract, it still feels like the Silver and Black could be in the market for another pass-catcher in the draft.
WINNER: DJ Glaze, Charles Grant
Many, myself included, thought Spytek would go after a right tackle like Jermaine Eluemunor or Braden Smith during free agency. However, Eluemunor re-signed with the New York Giants, and Smith inked a deal with the Houston Texans. That does bode well for Glaze and Grant, though. Barring adding an edge protector in the draft, those two are set to compete for a starting spot during training camp.
LOSER: Secondary
To be clear, re-signing Eric Stokes at $10 million per season is a good deal, and Taron Johnson is an upgrade over what the Silver and Black had at nickelback this past fall. But Johnson is about to turn 30 and has battled injuries while his play has declined over the last two years. That’s the type of player I was hoping the Raiders would avoid adding in this offseason. Also, the defense still needs an upgrade at free safety, leaving a few questions in the secondary.
WINNER: Youth Movement
With Johnson being the lone exception, Spytek has done a good job of adding youth to the roster. That can be hard to do in free agency since everyone available is a veteran. But every newcomer the general manager signed is on just their second NFL contract and 27 years old or younger: Linderbaum (turns 26 in April), Dean (25), Walker (turns 26 in May), Nailor (27) and Kwity Paye (27). Also, while Stokes is technically on his third contract after taking a one-year deal last spring, he just turned 27 years old last month, too.
LOSER: Nose Tackle
In full disclosure, I expected Las Vegas to hold off on adding a nose tackle because the free-agent class is weak while the draft class is strong at the position. So, it’s not a surprise that Spytek didn’t add some beef to the defensive line, but the defense still needs to acquire a space-eater, especially with the shift to a 3-4 scheme.
WINNER: Aidan O’Connell
Yes, the Raiders are still going to draft Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 overall pick of the draft. However, Geno Smith and Kenny Pickett are officially gone, leaving O’Connell as the only quarterback left on the roster. There’s been plenty of talk about Vegas bringing in another veteran passer to serve as the bridge-gap starter until Mendoza is ready. But so far, there have only been subtractions from the meeting room, and O’Connell appears to be in line for that role.