Raiders Have Given Themselves Work to Do Defensively

Originally posted on Las Vegas Raiders on SI
By Carter Landis | Last updated Mar 11, 2025 8:00 AM ET

The Las Vegas Raiders were one of the most active teams on the first day of free agency.

Unfortunately, they were among the most active by being one of the least active.

The Raiders saw several players join new teams, especially on the defensive side of the ball.

Ideally, the Raiders would have liked to bring back the three players who left on Monday, but it did not work out that way.

Linebacker Robert Spillane joined the New England Patriots, safety Tre’von Moehrig is now with the Carolina Panthers, and cornerback Nate Hobbs will be a Green Bay Packer next season.

While the Raiders did bring back defensive end Malcolm Koonce on a one-year deal and sign safety Jeremy Chinn, new general manager John Spytek created more work for himself by letting these starters join new teams.

According to spotrac.com, as of Monday evening, the Raiders had $48 million in available cap space, which is still plenty of money to sign starters.

However, many teams, like the Panthers and Patriots, have been active in trying to improve their rosters, and many of the best free agents have agreed in principle to join new teams. Deals do not become official until Wednesday.

The Raiders have fallen slightly behind by letting Spillane, Moehrig, and Hobbs get out the door. They had hoped to bring at least two of those players back, and now must find three replacements.

Is it possible that this is by design? Did Spytek evaluate the roster and determine that he can find better fits elsewhere?

If that's the case, Spytek better act quickly, as many of the top free agents have already signed with new teams.

There are still quality options on the board, but the Raiders cannot waste any more time. They must identify the players who they believe will fit Patrick Graham’s defense and strike quickly.

While letting players go and creating more work is not a uniquely Las Vegas situation, the Raiders could find themselves in a greater hole by not bringing back Spillane, Moehrig, or Hobbs.

Free agency does not last one day, so the Raiders are not out of time to improve their defense.

They do have more work to do than they thought they would, though, so Spytek should start working.

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

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