The Las Vegas Raiders are rebuilding. Again. But while it seems that this team is always in rebuild mode, for the first time in a while, they appear to be heading in a positive direction. Despite having to wait until after the Super Bowl, they were able to hire Klint Kubiak as their new head coach. John Spytek was hired as general manager on the same day as former head coach Pete Carroll. Now, it appears that, finally, both coach and GM are going to be going forward with a shared vision.
Indeed, the Raiders have been very busy in free agency as they look to create a new and improved team identity. They, presumably, appear poised to select quarterback Fernando Mendoza with the first overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
But not everything they have done this off-season has been met with great praise.
Las Vegas Raiders dragged by PFF for signing Quay Walker
Las Vegas Raiders, Quay Walker, NFL free agency
Oct 19, 2025; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Green Bay Packers linebacker Quay Walker (7) against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
One of the signings Las Vegas made this season was linebacker Quay Walker, who spent the past four seasons with the Green Bay Packers. A former first round pick in 2022, the Packers had declined his fifth-year option for the 2026 season despite him having over 100 tackles in each season of his career.
And despite his high tackling totals, PFF does not love the signing either, labeling it as their least favorite move of the off-season:
“The Raiders signed Walker to a three-year, $40.5 million contract, making him the eighth-highest-paid linebacker in the league. Despite his athletic ability, Walker has yet to justify a contract of that size. He failed to rank among the top 60 linebackers in PFF overall grade in any of his four seasons, and he placed just 76th among 88 qualifying linebackers with a 46.0 PFF overall grade in 2025.”
As PFF indicates above, Walker is not very good in run defense. The reason for his high tackle counts thus far in his career his because his speed makes up for misdiagnosing plays as they develop in front of him.
His speed, though, makes him a good enough defender. But he is no game-changer.
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