With the brand new league 12 months kicking off March 12, NFL groups are already deep into planning for the offseason.
Listed below are 5 strikes the Las Vegas Raiders ought to make within the coming months:
1. Discover a solution at QB
New head coach Pete Carroll — who received Tremendous Bowl XLVIII with the Seattle Seahawks — may flop if Vegas does not enhance at QB. Raiders QBs Gardner Minshew and Aidan O’Connell mixed for 17 landing passes and 14 interceptions in 2024.
Vegas ought to take into account taking a passer within the 2025 NFL Draft, scheduled April 24-26 in Inexperienced Bay. The Raiders may commerce as much as choose Miami QB Cam Ward (6-foot-2, 219 kilos) or hope Colorado QB Shedeur Sanders (6-foot-1, 212 kilos) falls to them at choose No. 6.
The Raiders should not rule out pursuing a free-agent quarterback, both, maybe Russell Wilson of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Wilson performed for Carroll in 10 seasons with Seattle.
2. Decide their future with edge-rusher Maxx Crosby
Through the 2025 NFL Scouting Mix in Indianapolis, new Raiders common supervisor John Spytek told the media, “I envision Maxx being a Raider for a very long time.” Nonetheless, he did not decide to a contract extension.
Crosby is coming into the third 12 months of a four-year, $94M deal in 2025 however has no assured cash left. In a January interview with NFL Community’s “Good Morning Football,” the 27-year-old indicated he desires an extension.
The Raiders may commerce Crosby for a number of draft picks, however giving him a brand new deal could also be a greater concept for the franchise. In six seasons with Vegas, the pass-rusher has made 4 Professional Bowls.
3. Draft a working again
In 2024, the Raiders completed final within the NFL in speeding yards (79.8). RB Alexander Mattison — an unrestricted free agent — led the workforce in speeding touchdowns (4 in 14 video games). Vegas may discover an improve in a deep working again class within the draft.
If the Raiders go on a QB within the first spherical, they might take Boise State RB Ashton Jeanty (5-foot-8, 211 kilos), the 2024 Doak Walker Award winner as faculty soccer’s finest RB.
Vegas may additionally wait till the second or third spherical to draft a again. Iowa RB Kaleb Johnson (6-foot-1, 224 kilos) could also be out there there. Johnson had the FBS’ seventh-most speeding yards (1,537 in 12 video games) in 2024.
4. Discover one other dependable pass-catcher in free company
Anticipate tight finish Brock Bowers — who had the league’s third-most receptions (112 in 17 video games) throughout his rookie season in 2024 — to face extra double-teams subsequent season.
After Vegas traded Davante Adams to the New York Jets in October, fellow wideout Jakobi Meyers stepped up, ending with a career-high 1,027 receiving yards in 15 video games. That should not stop the Raiders from investing in one other pass-catcher. Apart from Bowers and Meyers, no different Raider logged greater than 539 receiving yards in 2024.
Maybe the Raiders will goal Tampa Bay Buccaneers WR Chris Godwin in free company. Though he suffered a season-ending ankle damage in 2024, Godwin may rebound in 2025. In eight seasons with Tampa Bay, he has 579 receptions for 7,266 receiving yards and 39 TD catches.
5. Re-sign free-agent linebacker Robert Spillane
Over his previous two seasons with Vegas, Spillane is certainly one of few positives for the membership, recording 306 tackles. In 2024, he had a career-high 158 tackles in 17 video games, tied for third most within the league.
Vegas ought to have sufficient room to re-sign the 29-year-old linebacker. Spotrac estimates the Raiders have $96.62M in cap house. Spillane’s market value is a two-year deal price $10.4M yearly.
Extra importantly, the Raiders cannot afford to lose a defensive standout in Spillane. Vegas tied for twenty fifth within the league in factors allowed (25.5) final season.
