Where the Raiders Land on Both Sides of Free Agent Market

The Las Vegas Raiders have a strong roster. It's nowhere near the best in the league, but it isn't the worst in the NFL, either. Not by a longshot.

New coach Pete Carroll will have a lot to work with in his first season with the Raiders; just how much, however, will be dependent on free agency. The Silver and Black has several key players up for free agency. Some are worth tempting to stay. Others might be left to walk -- and for the best.

In a recent ranking of the best free agents to be on the market, ESPN's Matt Bowen puts safety Tre'von Moehrig at No. 13. He is the highest rated Raider on the list, and for good reason: Moehrig had a dominant 2024 campaign and led a banged-up Raiders secondary admirably with 104 total tackles and two interceptions.

Per ESPN Insider Jeremy Fowler, "Multiple personnel evaluators we've spoken to believe Moehrig's 2024 film was the best of any free agent safety. The Raiders will have a hard time keeping him."

Make no mistake, using that $95 million in cap space to keep Moehrig would be a good move by the Raiders considering Carroll's ability to elevate talented defensive backs to new heights.

Whereas the Raiders have another high ceiling player in 27-year-old edge rusher Malcolm Koonce, his injury history and lack of consistency are obvious red flags, despite Bowen's claim that Koonce "should be viewed as a three-down defensive end with the pass-rush juice to disrupt the pocket."

Just missing the list for ESPN was cornerback Nate Hobbs, another defensive back who turned in a strong effort for the Silver and Black. Hobbs is quite young at 25 years old, and one wonders what could happen to Hobbs' game with another year under the tutelage of defensive coordinator Patrick Graham and the new leadership of Carroll and whoever the new coach brings in as defensive backs coach.

If the Raiders were to draft a cornerback, like Michigan's Will Johnson, they would set themselves up with a strong foundation of said draftee, Hobbs, Jakorian Bennett, Jack Jones, and Moehrig; granted, that is if they retain Hobbs and Moehrig.

On the other side of the coin: the Raiders need a running back and quarterback. The NFL Draft is always an option, but for a sudden infusion of impactful contribution, free agency could be the way to go. Pittsburgh has two targets tied heavily to the Silver and Black, quarterback Russell Wilson (who has an obvious connection to Carroll) and running back Najee Harris.

Both have been undersold by the league there is plenty of room to wonder if they could benefit from a change in surroundings, familiarity on the part of Wilson.

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