The Raiders won’t be just focusing on the upcoming draft when the NFL scouting combine begins next week.
New coach Pete Carroll and general manager John Spytek will also use their time in Indianapolis to gauge the free agent market. That includes sizing up how much interest there is in the Raiders’ 17 pending unrestricted free agents, a group that includes standouts like safety Tre’von Moehrig and linebacker Robert Spillane.
The team needs to decide who it wants to extend and who it can afford to let walk before the negotiating period begins March 10. One thing helping the Raiders’ cause is the fact they have $92.5 million in spending power, according to the website Over the Cap, second-most in the NFL behind the Patriots ($119.8 million).
Here is a look at the players Carroll and Spytek have to evaluate:
Priorities
S Tre’von Moehrig, LB Robert Spillane, S Isaiah Pola-Mao (restricted free agent)
Moehrig, 25, was a menace for opposing offenses last year, with two interceptions and five tackles for loss. The 2021 second-round pick was also one of the vocal leaders on the Raiders defense.
Moehrig is the type of homegrown talent the team would be wise to hold onto. The franchise tag could be in play for around $20 million, or the two sides could work out a long-term extension worth $15 to $16 million a season.
Spillane, 29, has been one of the NFL’s best run defenders the past two years, with 306 total tackles and 17 tackles for loss in that span. He is also a three-down player that isn’t a liability in coverage. The Raiders should do what they can to lock him up with an extension worth between $8 million and $9 million a year.
Pola-Mao, 25, stepped up when safety Marcus Epps suffered a season-ending knee injury in Week 3 and could form a nice tandem in the future with Moehrig. The Raiders, because of Pola-Mao’s RFA status, can place a tender worth around $3 million on him that allows them to match any offer he might get in free agency.
Could get interesting
DE Malcolm Koonce
It’s difficult to get a read on Koonce’s market.
The 26-year-old was great down the stretch in the 2023 season. He looked to be setting himself up for a huge payday. Then he suffered a season-ending knee injury days before the Raiders opener against the Chargers on Sept. 8.
Koonce’s eight sacks over the final nine games of 2023 will intrigue some teams. But his injury will also cause others to have concerns.
The Raiders should have a good idea after the combine as to what clubs are interested in Koonce and what his price is expected to be. He may have to settle for a one-year contract and prove he can get back to full strength. If so, the Raiders could certainly use Koonce as a pass rusher opposite Maxx Crosby.
Tough calls
CB Nate Hobbs, LB Divine Deablo
Hobbs, 25, is an interesting case. He has had strong moments in the slot, but the website Pro Football Focus graded him as the NFL’s 73rd-best cornerback last year.
The 2021 fifth-round pick also missed 16 games over the past three seasons. Carroll and Spytek might have a limit on what they’re willing to pay Hobbs as a result.
It will also be interesting to see how the duo views Deablo, a speedy linebacker that was the 67th-ranked player at his position by PFF last year.
Deablo, 26, will likely command a deal in the $4 million to $5 million range. Whether he gets it in Las Vegas will depend on what the Raiders’ new regime thinks of his skill set.
If the price is right
DT Adam Butler, DT John Jenkins, DE K’Lavon Chaisson, RB Ameer Abdullah
Butler, Jenkins and Chaisson gave the Raiders valuable depth on the defensive line last season. A reunion with each of them would make sense as long as they don’t get blown out of the water with offers elsewhere.
Abdullah, 31, has been a valuable special teams player and third-down running back during his three years in Las Vegas. He gained 311 yards on 66 carries last season and added 40 catches for 261 yards.
Could be headed elsewhere
CB Darnay Holmes, S Marcus Epps, RB Alexander Mattison, WR Terrace Marshall Jr., TE Harrison Bryant, T Andrus Peat, G Cody Whitehair, DE Janarius Robinson
The Raiders can’t bring back all of their free agents.
While it wouldn’t be shocking to see some players from this group return, the team will likely pursue upgrades in free agency, the draft or both this offseason.
Contact Vincent Bonsignore at [email protected]. Follow @VinnyBonsignore on X.
