PALM BEACH, Fla. — John Spytek knows from experience that NFL free agency can take some unexpected turns.
So the Raiders’ first-year general manager was not surprised when the markets for some of the team’s in-house talent grew beyond his expectations. He watched defensive starters Robert Spillane, Tre’von Moehrig, Nate Hobbs and Divine Deablo leave for lucrative contracts elsewhere within the first 24 hours of the league’s legal tampering period.
Spytek and the Raiders had a number in mind for each player that they were comfortable with. When those players got offers that exceeded those, the team pivoted to other options.
“You think you’ve got the market figured out, and one team pays a guy this and it’s like that, ‘Whoa,’” Spytek said. “Maybe you had the market figured out, but that one team decided to do that. And so you lose guys, whether they’re your guys that you’re trying to negotiate with on that first day or other teams’ players. It’s hard to predict where it’s gonna go.”
Spytek said the Raiders were flexible enough to adjust.
They replaced the departing players with signings like cornerback Eric Stokes, safeties Jeremy Chinn and Lonnie Johnson and linebackers Elandon Roberts and Devin White.
“We had to make some hard decisions, but we were able to pivot with coach (Pete) Carroll and our pro scouts and find pretty good value at some of the spots that we lost some higher higher contracts to,” Spytek said.
Carroll was happy with how everything worked out.
“I think we got better,” Carroll said. “In managing the process, we had to spread that money around and make all those decisions that you got to make, and I thought John was right on it. I’m thrilled about the guys that we picked up.”
Comp pick game
One silver lining to the Raiders losing four starters in free agency is they should receive compensatory draft picks in 2026.
As things stand, they are projected to get three extra selections between the third and fifth rounds. That made saying goodbye to those players a little easier.
“Once we started to realize what Tre’von got and what Nate got and what Spillane got, then there’s the comp pick game that you start to play for the 2026 draft,” Spytek said.
WR talk
The Raiders’ need for a big-time wide receiver is hot topic not only among fans. It comes up in the Spytek household, too.
“I love how much people love receivers, and my kids in particular,” Spytek said, laughing.
Spytek said the club is monitoring the free-agent market — including former Raider Hunter Renfrow, who visited the team on Friday — but is high on holdovers Jakobi Meyers and Tre Tucker. He also believes the Raiders have good options in the draft.
“We want to have an explosive playmaker out there,” Spytek said. “And if we can find one, we’ll do it.”
The Raiders’ internal options also include tight end Brock Bowers, who is coming off a dominant rookie season, and tight end Michael Mayer.
“Brock kind of functions to me like a legit number one,” Spytek said. “I mean, he’s just different. And I know he’s not the speed guy down the field and all that, but he’s a problem.”
Contact Vincent Bonsignore at [email protected]. Follow @VinnyBonsignore on X.
