This is an annual series by me and Luke where we predict, and mock an off-season for certain teams. We start every year with each of our favorite teams and run through realistic off-season moves to improve the team.
Moving on next we have the Las Vegas Raiders. I chose the Raiders because there is seemingly a LOT of work to be done.
Coaching Staff
The coaching staff is critical to improving the team as a whole, so we will start with that as the first pillar of the off-season.
The Raiders already hired their staff with Pete Carroll as head coach, Chip Kelley as their offensive coordinator, and they've chosen to retain Patrick Graham as their defensive coordinator.
I think, unfortunately, the NFL is a copycat league. So my assumption is the Raiders took a look at the Broncos and the success that Sean Payton had, and followed in those footsteps by hiring a guy like Pete Carroll. Now although I don't hate the Carroll hire, I would've went in a different direction.
My choice for head coach would've been Kliff Kingsbury. He led one of the league's best offenses in Washington and learned from his mistakes from the last time he was a head coach. It's worth taking a shot at a young guy who is arguably at his prime as far as coaching.
With the Kingsbury hire, I would've liked to see Bobby Engram be named the Raiders offensive coordinator. A well-respected coach who made the most out of his receivers in Washington. He doesn't have a lot of experience calling plays, but under Kingsbury he may not need to.
Lastly, I would hire Jerod Mayo as the team's defensive coordinator. Tom Brady has taken a much more prominent role in the front office, and a reunion wouldn't be the worst thing for a talented defensive playcaller.
Overall
Hire Kliff Kingsbury as HC
Hire Bobby Engram as OC
Hire Jerod Mayo as DC
Keep/Trade/Walk
Before free agency begins, there's a period where you can re-sign players before them being able to walk. You can also make trades or just flat-out release players as well. In reviewing some of the Jet's upcoming free agents, here's who staying and who is going. Then after the list, I'll include some reasons why below.
Keep ✅
DJ Turner (WR)
Jordan Meredith (OL)
Adam Butler (DT)
Malcom Koonce (EDGE)
Janarius Robinson (EDGE)
Robert Spillane (LB)
Luke Masterson (LB)
Kana'i Mauga (LB)
Nate Hobbs (CB)
Marcus Epps (S)
Isaiah Pola-Mao (S)
Let Walk ❌
Alexander Mattison (RB)
Ameer Abdullah (RB)
Harrison Bryant (TE)
Cody Whitehair (OL)
John Jenkins (DT)
Divine Deablo (LB)
Darnay Holmes (CB)
Tre'von Moehrig (S)
Release ❌
Gardner Minshew (QB)
Desmond Ridder (QB)
Trade 🤝
Maxx Crosby to the Detroit Lions for a 2025 1st Round Draft Pick, and a 2026 1st Round Draft Pick.
The biggest item here is trading away Maxx Crosby to the Lions. You get two 1st Round picks out of it which helps jump-start the rebuild process. Otherwise, the Raiders retain Robert Spillane and Nate Hobbs. Two essential defensive pieces.
Free Agency
This leads to the next pillar of the off-season, free agency. Similar to the above, I'll list out all the free agent signings I would like to see, and then I'll include some notes below. What's notable here is the Raiders had around $92.5M in cap space before the changes I made above, and after those changes, the Raiders are projected to be big spenders.
Free Agent Signings 💸
Justin Fields (QB)
Aaron Jones (RB)
DeAndre Hopkins (WR)
John Bates III (TE)
DJ Humphries (OT)
Cody Ford (OL)
Chase Young (EDGE)
Jerome Baker (LB)
Benjamin St. Juste (CB)
Chuck Clark (S)
Adding some veterans on offense should be a big help. You can also use some of that money to plug some of the holes on defense.
NFL Draft
The Raiders currently have 10 draft picks, including 5 on the first two days now after my Maxx Crosby trade, and a Top 10 overall pick in the first round. Here is what I have the Jets doing with the picks in their first two days.
Draft Picks
Mykel Williams (EDGE) in Round 1
Jalen Milroe (QB) in Round 1
Darien Porter (CB) in Round 2
Xavier Restrepo (WR) in Round 3
Marcus Mbow (OT) in Round 3
The Raiders shore up their pass rushers with Mykel Williams, and then the Raiders get a QB in the late 1st Round. Porter, Restrepo, and Mbow are all players who can contribute in Week 1.
New-Look Jets
The key for the Raiders this year is consistency, this team needs to start putting together points on offense and needs to stop other teams defensively.
I think this Raiders team would start slow but pick it up in the second half leading to a positive outlook for 2026.
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