Before the offseason becomes about who the Raiders can add to the roster, it must be about who they keep. With a new coaching staff coming in, they won’t feel all that tied to the players on the roster right now. But they have to know which players make or break this team as it’s currently comprised.
In that spirit, I ranked the Raiders free agents by how valuable they are to re-sign.
CB Nate Hobbs
Priority: Very High
Hobbs is an outstanding slot corner. Both in coverage and as a tackler. Such players don’t grow on trees. You hold onto players like him when you get the chance.
LB Robert Spillane
Priority: Very High
Spillane is a tackling machine and one of the better middle linebackers out there. He also loves his Raiders teammates and would probably welcome a return. They should step up and hang onto him.
DT Adam Butler
Priority: Somewhat High
They were lucky to get him back last year after he tested the market. They shouldn’t mess around this time. He proved he is an every-down caliber interior defender and earned a multi-year deal and they’d be smart to give it to him.
DE Malcolm Koonce
Priority: Somewhat High
Many teams may have forgotten the holy terror he was over the stretch run of the 2023 season because he was lost to injury prior to this past season. That should be enough for Koonce to want to take a one-year deal to have a shot at hitting the market on a high note next year.
S Tre’von Moehrig
Priority: Somewhat High
The former top college safety and second round pick is coming off his best season. He has been a full time starter all four seasons and is the top safety on the Raiders roster. With all three of their safeties headed for free agency, they should probably try and keep the best of them or risk having to rebuild the group this offseason.
DE K’Lavon Chaisson
Priority: Moderate
The former first round pick had a breakout season for the Raiders. Even though I named him their Comeback Player of the Year. His five sacks equaled his career total coming in. The Raiders got a find with him and it would be a shame to just let that find get away.
LB Divine Deablo
Priority: Moderate
The former college safety has become a decent starting outside for the Raiders. Could be a bit risky to let him go because there’s no guarantee you’ll find better and/or cheaper replacement.
S Marcus Epps
Priority: Moderate
Epps was half of a pretty solid safety tandem along with Moehrig last season. He was lost in week three and the coaching staff liked Isaiah Pola-Mao enough I could see them letting Epps walk. Will the new staff feel similarly?
RB Ameer Abdullah
Priority: Low
The ten-year veteran showed his value as a triple threat — running back, receiver, return specialist — late in the season. He would likely be cheap to re-sign and is clearly still got it.
S Isaiah Pola-Mao (RFA)
Priority: Low
An outstanding special teams player. You get a mixed bag on defense from Pola-Mao. He’s a restricted free agent, which means it will be easy to retain him with a tender.
DT John Jenkins
Priority: Low
A 17-game starter and had his moments. But overall, it may be time for the Raiders to move on from the 36-year-old to their young core of defensive tackles.
Not a priority
CB Darnay Holmes (1 start)
RB Alexander Mattison
WR Terrace Marshall
TE Harrison Bryant
T Andrus Peat
G Cody Whitehair
