Who could benefit the most from the Raiders’ extra cap space next month?
While the Las Vegas Raiders made one big splash signing in Christian Wilkins earlier this offseason, the Raiders were relatively quiet during free agency in the spring. Also, the front office used a post-June 1 designation to release Jimmy Garoppolo which will reportedly clear $24 million of cap space next month.
According to Over The Cap, Las Vegas currently has just over $17 million available, meaning the organization will have roughly $41 million of cap space once Grappolo’s contract comes off the books.
Presumptively, a good portion of those funds will go toward extensions for guys currently on the roster, but which players are most likely going to receive a big payday?
Malcolm Koonce
After finishing last season on a tear where he had eight sacks in the final nine games of the campaign, Koonce is most people’s favorite to receive a contract extension over the summer. It also helps that he showed growth as a run defender too, giving the organization hope that he could develop into a consistent every-down player.
However, the third-year pro didn’t do much during his first two NFL seasons. So, it might be in the Raiders’ best interests to wait and see how he plays to begin this fall and try to work out a deal midseason.
The problem with that is if Koonce does perform in September and October, it’d be in his best interest to ride out the year and hit the open market, driving up his price tag.
Tre’von Moehrig
Moehrig is an interesting case when it comes to a contract extension. He showed promise as a rookie, taking nearly every defensive snap and earning a good grade from Pro Football Focus (71.0) as a rookie. Then he struggled in his second season while adjusting to Patrick Graham’s defense before turning it around with a strong campaign last year.
So, do the Raiders trust that the TCU product continues to improve with more experience playing for Graham, or wait and see if he regresses in 2024? An argument could be made in either direction, but he doesn’t turn 25 until the middle of June, so it wouldn’t be a bad idea to get ahead of Moehrig’s extension and avoid him hitting the market.
Nate Hobbs
Photo by Ian Maule/Getty Images
After a strong rookie season, Hobbs looked like a draft steal and a lock to receive a second contract from the Silver and Black. However, he’s battled injuries since then, missing 10 games over the last two years, and hasn’t been quite the same player.
Then again, the Raiders are pretty young and lack some talent at cornerback while the soon-to-be 25-year-old is their best player at the position. So, it could make sense for the organization to ensure he sticks around for a few more years as it’d have a hard time finding a better option at nickel while simultaneously addressing the rest of the secondary.
Robert Spillane
Out of all the players on this list, Spillane is the only one who wasn’t drafted by the team and isn’t on an expiring rookie contract. He was widely considered an average free-agent pickup, signing a two-year, $7 million during the 2023 offseason but managed to exceed expectations during the regular season.
The linebacker continued to be a strong run defender for the Raiders, leading the team in total tackles (148), and was surprisingly impressive in coverage with three interceptions and four passes defended. However, like everyone above, the front office faces the dilemma of making him prove it for one more year or relying on the fact that he’s turned a corner.
Also, Spillane’s age could play a major factor in the team’s decision to extend him this summer as he turns 29 in December.