Sep 21, 2025; Landover, Maryland, USA; Las Vegas Raiders head coach Pete Carroll stands on the sidelines against the Washington Commanders during the third quarter at Northwest Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

Identifying Players the Raiders Can Live Without Next Season

Originally posted on Las Vegas Raiders on SI
By Fernando Alfaro-Donis | Last updated Nov 29, 2025 12:00 PM ET

It's safe to say that the 2025 season for the Las Vegas Raiders has not gone as planned. All of their off-season additions have amounted to nothing and may even be hurting the team in some areas. While they aren't technically eliminated from the playoffs yet, this is a team very much playing and looking forward to the 2026 NFL draft.

Their latest loss to the Cleveland Browns shows you everything you need to know about this current iteration of the Raiders. They lose to good teams, lose to bad teams, and through it all, their players show no drive or heart. Frustrations bubble on the sideline, and this is a moment in the season where players' true colors come out. With that in mind, who can the Raiders let walk in free agency and be okay with it?

Who Should They Re-Sign?

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Geno Smith showed his true colors when he gave the finger to Raider Nation , and though he apologized for it, it doesn't cover up the fact that that's something leaders don't do. Maxx Crosby has been patiently waiting his entire career for the Raiders to get it together, and his patience is starting to run thin.

Two of the upcoming free agents for the Raiders after this season are Kenny Pickett and Malcolm Koonce, who can be direct replacements for those players if something were to happen. Even if Crosby and Smith remain on the roster in 2026, the Raiders should analyze their choices to make sure they want to keep them or let them walk.

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Pickett, the former first-rounder, has only attempted three throws in his time wearing the Silver and Black. Pete Carroll has stubbornly stuck by Smith's side, taking away from Pickett's opportunities to show the Raiders why they traded for him in the first place.

Unfortunately for Pickett, he likely won't be buying in Las Vegas any time soon. He simply hasn't done enough to warrant the Raiders bringing him back, as they still have Aidan O'Connell under contract through the 2026 season.

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Unlike Pickett, Koonce has gotten plenty of time to show the Raiders what he's made of. He's under a one-year deal, and the Raiders gave it to him so he could prove that he's worth a long-term investment.

Koonce has only 20 total tackles this season and has recorded a whopping two sacks. He hasn't shown enough to warrant a big contract extension, but if he's willing to get paid less to stay with the Raiders, they can never have enough depth along the defensive line.

This article first appeared on Las Vegas Raiders on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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