Identifying Players the Raiders Should Franchise Tag

The Las Vegas Raiders still have a lot of important decisions to make before the offseason is over. The first overall pick continues to hang in the balance, and rumors that their defensive star will be getting moved are flying around the league.

It's up to John Spytek and the rest of the Raiders front office to figure out how to navigate this crucial offseason. They don't want a repeat of last season, and even if Klint Kubiak's hire doesn't result in a winning season, they want to show signs of an upward trajectory.

Franchise Tag Candidates

Feb 10, 2026; Henderson, NV, USA; Las Vegas Raiders coach Klint Kubiak speaks at introductory press conference at Intermountain Health Performance Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Bradley Locker writes for Pro Football Focus, and he wrote an article breaking down franchise tag candidates for each team in the NFL. He believes the Raiders shouldn't bring anyone back on the tag due to them not losing much value if they were to let their free agents walk.

"The Raiders currently own the second-most cap space, but there isn’t an obvious player on which they should devote some of that via the franchise tag. Indeed, no Las Vegas player is ranked within the top 110 on PFF’s free-agent big board. The team would likely want corner Eric Stokes (73.5 PFF coverage grade) back after his career season, but his injury history and bad prior performance will drive down his asking price", said Locker.

Out of all of their upcoming free agents, I'd agree that Eric Stokes is the one they'd want back the most. The former first-round pick flashed potential in a secondary with no real stars, and they lose nothing by bringing him back on a team-friendly deal. However, bringing him back for one more season on a tag would be too rich for a player who just begun to add value to his team.

None of their other free agents are worthy of receiving the tag either, so I agree with Locker that they shouldn't use it this offseason. However, that doesn't mean they shouldn't be looking to bring back some of their free agents.

Even if Jamal Adams was brought in because of his time with Pete Carroll, he revitalized his career in the Silver and Black. He was an excellent tackler for them last season, and I don't think it'd be a bad idea to give him a two-year contract to see if he can continue to rise.

Another key piece on defense that Kubiak should consider bringing back is Malcolm Koonce. Injury has prevented him from reaching his true potential, but he's solid along their defensive line.

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