NFL free agency is only a month away. Starting March 10, teams can negotiate with players ahead of the official new league year, which begins on March 12. Teams like the Las Vegas Raiders that are flushed with cap space can pursue some of the biggest names on the open market.
With that said, the Raiders shouldn’t be concerned with “winning free agency.” They need to focus on how to build a winning roster, whether that entails retaining impending free agents or making smaller moves to fill out the depth chart.
Now that the 2025 offseason is in full swing, let’s look at six moves the Raiders must make in free agency to climb out of the AFC West gutter and compete with the playoff teams within their division.
Make an aggressive offer to guard Trey Smith
Because of recency bias, skeptics will be quick to point out that Smith had a rough Super Bowl outing against the Philadelphia Eagles defensive line. Yet the same can be said about the Kansas City Chiefs offensive line as a unit.
Smith’s lousy night doesn’t erase the merits of his 2024 Pro Bowl campaign. According to Pro Football Focus, the Chiefs guard didn’t allow a sack until Super Bowl LIX. In fact, Smith has played 3,892 snaps and allowed just five sacks over the last three seasons, per PFF.
Related: Las Vegas Raiders named as ‘team to watch’ for Pro Bowl QB coming off career year
Smith is one of the league’s better pass-blocking guards. At 25 years old, he has room to develop into an elite player. The Raiders can plug him into the offensive line group alongside Jackson Powers-Johnson and Dylan Parham, who has one year left on his contract. Las Vegas’ quarterbacks took 49 sacks this past season. The offensive line needs another quality pass protector.
Make a strong offer for Justin Fields if Vikings re-sign Sam Darnold
ESPN’s Adam Schefter believes the Raiders “will make a play” for Sam Darnold. Of course, there are other moving parts to Schefter’s prediction. Remember, the Vikings can franchise-tag Darnold, keeping him off the free-agent market. Moreover, Darnold may have multiple offers on the table.
Regardless of how strong of an interest the Raiders have in Darnold, they should keep tabs on Fields. This past season, Fields started in six games, throwing for five touchdowns and an interception with a career-high 65.8 completion rate while rushing for 289 yards and five touchdowns. In Week 7, the Pittsburgh Steelers benched him for Russell Wilson.
Related: NFL insider suggests Tom Brady could step away from FOX role to take over Las Vegas Raiders
Because Fields lost his job to Wilson, he may be available on the open market at a bargain-bin rate. Still, under offensive coordinator Arthur Smith, he showed improvement after three inconsistent years with the Chicago Bears.
The Las Vegas Raiders have an innovative offensive coordinator in Chip Kelly, who could help Fields reach his peak. Unlike an offer for Darnold, the Raiders wouldn’t need to use a lot of cap space to sign Fields.
Pursue cornerback Charvarius Ward
Ward played a key role in the Chiefs’ eighth-ranked pass defense when the team won Super Bowl LIV over the San Francisco 49ers. He also suited up for the 49ers over the last three seasons, putting together a Pro Bowl year and leading the league in pass breakups (23) for the 2023 term.
Still, at 28 years old, Ward seems motivated to play his best football. Raiders head coach Pete Carroll had a close look at Ward for two years in NFC West battles between the 49ers and Seattle Seahawks between 2022 and 2023. Coming from San Francisco, Ward could be a fit in Las Vegas under defensive coordinator Patrick Graham, who primarily employed a Cover 3 (zone) scheme last year.
Re-sign linebacker Robert Spillane
Spillane turned 29 in December, but he’s still a decent linebacker who can help a young unit along in development. As Spillane and Divine Deablo prepare for free agency, neither Tommy Eichenberg nor Amari Burney have shown they’re ready to take over a starting position at linebacker.
Las Vegas should keep Spillane around for another year or two until the coaching staff has identified a young promising defender who can be the centerpiece of the defense. This past season, Spillane recorded career highs in tackles for loss (10) and pass breakups (seven).
Related: NFL source predicts Las Vegas Raiders to entertain Maxx Crosby trade
Because of his age and position, Spillane probably has a market value of around $3-5 million annually.
Retain Malcolm Koonce and K’Lavon Chaisson
Maxx Crosby’s contract should be one of the top priorities for the new regime, though team brass shouldn’t overlook the secondary edge-rushers on the roster. The Las Vegas Raiders can build a bully on the defensive line by retaining and continuing to develop Koonce and Chaisson.
Koonce had a strong finish to the 2023 campaign, recording six sacks in the final four weeks of the term. Unfortunately, he suffered a season-ending knee injury before Week 1 of the 2024 campaign. However, because of his lost year, he may not cost the Raiders much cap space at a discounted rate.
Related: Chip Kelly’s QB shopping list – 5 options for Las Vegas Raiders’ new offense
Chaisson made the most of his opportunities while on the field for 52 percent of the defensive snaps last season, registering 32 tackles, seven for loss, five sacks, 10 pressures, two pass breakups, and an interception. Perhaps Graham unlocked his potential to play up to first-round expectations.
With Koonce and Chaisson back on the roster, the Raiders would have a potential starter and quality depth at a key position along the defensive front.
Sign running back Rico Dowdle
Most draft analysts agree that the 2025 running back class has incredible depth. Teams may find high-end contributors in the third or fourth round. However, clubs typically attempt to address significant roster needs in free agency for flexibility in draft strategy. The Raiders can bolster the running back position with a shrewd signing, picking up Dowdle.
Spotrac projects that Dowdle will command $6.2 million annually on a new deal, which is a bargain-bin rate for a running back who racked up 1,328 scrimmage yards and rushed for 104-plus yards in four of his last six games.
At 26, Dowdle doesn’t have much tread on his legs, logging just 331 carries in five seasons as mostly a backup behind Ezekiel Elliott and Tony Pollard with the Dallas Cowboys. If the Las Vegas Raiders want to pair a veteran and rookie running backs for a new-look backfield in 2025, Dowdle could be one-half of that equation.
Maurice Moton covers the NFL for Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter @MoeMoton.
