3 Raiders cut candidates entering 2026 offseason

The Raiders cut ties with the Pete Carroll era after just one season, and Geno Smith is the main tie to that period still left. Letting Smith go this offseason just makes sense.

Sure, you can make an argument that the Raiders should keep Smith to help mentor Mendoza, but the veteran QB isn’t the best person for that. First of all, if Mendoza is not ready to start in Week 1, you can’t put Smith back out there after his horrendous 2025 campaign. Also, if you want a veteran presence for the rookie, you can get that without having to pay them $26.6 million next season.

Cutting Smith would save $8 million, which isn’t a huge number considering that the Raiders have $87 million in cap space. And if they do wait until next year, Vegas can cut the QB without any dead cap.

Still, the franchise needs a fresh start, and cutting ties with the brief Pete Carroll era is important. That’s why Smith could be gone this summer.

DT Adam Butler

The main reasons defensive tackle Adam Butler is on the Raiders’ cut candidates entering the offseason are that he will be 32 and was relatively ineffective last season. He had a career low of 1.0 sacks and just three tackles for a loss. PFF graded him 82nd out of 129 qualified interior defensive linemen.

This cut would be a little bit of a future move, too, though. Letting Butler go would save about $2.1 million, creating a dead cap hit of $4.4 million against the DT’s $6.5 million salary cap hit. Taking that dead cap charge now, though, would mean the team wouldn’t have to take a $1 million dead cap hit next season when—hopefully—the team is more of a contender.

This isn’t a big move, and taking a $1 million dead cap hit next season is not a big deal. Still, as the Raiders’ minority owner, Tom Brady, knows well, it is the little things that make a big difference for Super Bowl-winning franchises.

OL Alex Cappa

Unlike Smith and Butler, offensive lineman Alex Cappa is in the final year of his contract. So, while the team could easily carry his $6 million salary this season, it makes more sense to cut him, which will have the added bonus of saving $5 million this year.

Last season, Cappa and second-year OL Jackson Powers-Johnson competed for starting time at center and guard, with Pete Carroll’s son (and offensive line coach) Brennan Carroll preferring the veteran. Powers-Johnson’s development suffered, and then in the 2024 second round suffered a second-ending injury.

Getting rid of Cappa, who played poorly last season after winning his job, to clear the way for Powers-Johnson makes sense as a fresh start for the Raiders’ offensive line, which needs almost a complete overhaul after last season’s disaster.