Aug 26, 2023; Arlington, Texas, USA; Former NFL player Tom Brady on the field before the game between the Dallas Cowboys and the Las Vegas Raiders at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-Imagn Images Tim Heitman-Imagn Images

1 Available Star Raiders Must Avoid in Free Agency

Originally posted on Las Vegas Raiders on SI
By Andy Quach | Last updated Jan 10, 2026 10:00 AM ET

The Las Vegas Raiders have begun tearing it all down. General Manager John Spytek will remain at the helm and assist minority partner Tom Brady in identifying a new head coach to lead this team into its new era.

Pete Carroll clearly wasn't the answer after leading the Raiders to a 2-15 record in his first and only season on the sideline, but his efforts did land Las Vegas the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.

That asset will likely be spent on a new franchise quarterback, and it's looking like it'll be Indiana's Fernando Mendoza.

The Raiders have plenty of other holes to fill on the roster, though, lest they risk throwing their new prized signal-caller to the wolves and ruining his development. Thankfully, they're also projected to have over $84 million to spend in free agency.

Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Raiders need to spend on wide receiver

It's not just the record that was disappointing about Pete Carroll's brief tenure with the Las Vegas Raiders. Carroll was brought in to instill a new culture in Sin City, a winning identity. Instead, his Raiders landed the first-overall pick, were hardly competitive in any of their games in the process, and routinely made brutal mistakes out of a lack of discipline.

Now, Tom Brady and General Manager John Spytek have to find a way to bring the environment they envisioned to life in Vegas. Every acquisition they make this offseason will be crucial to constructing the atmosphere they want in this new era, from staff hirings to the draft to free agency.

Fernando Mendoza is a great start as the next franchise quarterback. From what the world has seen, he's an intelligent, driven athlete who didn't come into the NCAA as a blue-chip prospect, but will leave it one because of the work he put in during his years at Cal and Indiana. The Raiders will want to make sure he has someone reliable to throw to consistently outside of Brock Bowers.

Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Raiders should pass on George Pickens

Adding a veteran in free agency would be a wise move, someone who can mentor Mendoza in the passing concepts he'll see in the NFL while also providing him with sure hands downfield. Jakobi Meyers would have been perfect, but that ship has sailed.

One option that Las Vegas shouldn't consider is George Pickens. It seems like he and the Dallas Cowboys are happy to run it back, but even if he were available, he'd be the worst choice possible for Las Vegas.

For all of his talent, Pickens proved this season why the Pittsburgh Steelers decided to trade him away. Despite his immense counting stats, he faded when the Cowboys needed him the most, consistently dogging his routes and underperforming when Dallas was pressed up against the wall with their playoff hopes on the line.

He's going to cost upwards of $25 million a year, far more than the price tag the Raiders balked at with Meyers. Adding Pickens would ensure that Las Vegas is in for more of the same in this new era.