The Las Vegas Raiders have the fifth-most cap space in the NFL, though they may keep most of their $34.1 million through the year.
Why?
The former regime, led by general manager Dave Ziegler and head coach Josh McDaniels, walked in and signed in-house extensions for Maxx Crosby, Derek Carr, Hunter Renfrow, and Darren Waller. Crosby is the only player from the aforementioned group still on the roster.
Related: NFL defense rankings 2024: See where the Las Vegas Raiders land.
While one could argue that the front office justified the contracts in order to keep the nucleus of a playoff club together, it’s also understandable that general manager Tom Telesco would want to take things slowly with a team coming off an 8-9 season (5-4 under head coach Antonio Pierce).
The Raiders have numerous players on their ascending defense who could be eligible for extensions, but Telesco should consider a few criteria before opening the pocketbook.
The Raiders will need to rework contracts for many important players in 2025.
As of now, just seven Raiders’ contracts include guaranteed money beyond the 2024 season. Three of those seven have guarantees totaling less than $1.7 million for next year, and that small group excludes Maxx Crosby, Davante Adams, and Kolton Miller.
Don’t expect a complete rebuild, but Crosby, Adams, and Miller will all sign new contracts within the next year. Players of their caliber do not take the field without the assurance of guaranteed pay.
Related: Three critical Las Vegas Raiders roles to address following June 1 cutbacks.
Christian Wilkins and Andre James are the only proven players on the roster that have contract guarantees for 2025.
If general manager Tom Telesco wants to keep his core players financially pleased beyond the upcoming season, he needs to be careful with his spending this year, which could explain why the team chose a conservative approach after adding Wilkins and Gardner Minshew in free agency.
Related: Top 5 Free Agent Cornerbacks Las Vegas Raiders Should Sign
Keep an eye on the 2025 quarterback market
Remember that the Raiders do not have a surefire starter at quarterback and passed up on the top prospects in the 2024 selection.
If Aidan O’Connell and Gardner Minshew struggle under center or fail to demonstrate their worth as franchise players, general manager Tom Telesco may have to be more aggressive in his search for a starting quarterback.
If the Raiders are unable to draft a top quarterback prospect, Telesco may look to the free-agent market, which might be expensive.
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Unless the Dallas Cowboys sign Dak Prescott to a contract deal in the next weeks, his name will be mentioned as one of the top upcoming 2025 free agents.
Nonetheless, if Geno Smith does not fit in with the current Seattle Seahawks management, he may be on his way out. What if rookie quarterback Michael Penix Jr. performs as well as or better than Kirk Cousins in the Atlanta Falcons offense?
The Raiders’ cap flexibility in the 2025 offseason allows them to pursue a veteran quarterback upgrade if one becomes available on the market or through trade.
Rewarding persistence above growth.
Within the fanbase, Robert Spillane, Malcolm Koonce, Nate Hobbs, Tre’von Moehrig, and Divine Deablo are popular names cited as potential contract extensions.
You can make a solid case for Spillane, who is coming off his greatest year as the focal point of an improving defense, and Koonce, who plays a premium position with escalating costs for emerging talent.
However, Telesco should be cautious about recognizing individual growth above consistency.
In the NFL, a player’s development can have peaks and dips.
Also Read: NFL power rankings 2024: Where will the Las Vegas Raiders land?
For example, a player may have a terrific season, a substandard or injury-plagued year, and then an excellent campaign, in that order. Hobbs and Moehrig belong under this category.
In reality, Hobbs has missed 29 percent of the team’s games (10 appearances) during the last two seasons.
Telesco may want to see Hobbs play a full season before committing him to a deal. He may also like to see Moehrig put together consecutive quality campaigns to strengthen his case for a new contract.
Deablo has improved throughout three seasons, but he has struggled with pass coverage, allowing a passer rating of 104.8 or above in each of those years. To be considered for a long-term extension, he will most likely need to improve in that area.
Keep in mind that if Hobbs and Moehrig continue to perform well, Telesco has the option of signing them to long-term contracts for the 2024 season. Neither athlete has indicated a prospective holdout or “hold-in” to protest their existing salaries.
Without a doubt, Hobbs and Moehrig have improved under defensive coordinator Patrick Graham, but general managers typically prefer to see year-over-year consistency in output and availability before signing players to multiyear contracts.
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Progress and consistency aren’t always synonymous. Progress can have tremendous highs and basement-level lows due to injuries or disappointing productivity. Consistency indicates a continuous level of high production.
With that in mind, it’s simpler to see why Moehrig and Hobbs might have to play out the 2024 season on expired contracts.
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