Despite having close to $35 million in salary cap space, a new report claims the Las Vegas Raiders will not be making any worthwhile free-agent additions this summer.
There is a lot of hope surrounding the Raiders ahead of the 2024 NFL season. Their 8-9 finish last year won’t jump off the page but in the second half of the season, the roster made a massive turnaround under the guidance of new head coach Antonio Pierce. After seemingly hitting a low point under former coach Josh McDaniels, there is a belief this team can reach its potential this season.
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However, while this roster has the potential to compete with the Kansas City Chiefs for the AFC West title, they could still use some more pieces to bolster their chances in a stacked division. Fortunately, there is hope to do that after some offseason decisions have opened up $34.9 million in cap space at the start of this month. But it looks like none of that money will be used to improve the team before the season begins.
“Despite having that additional room, the Raiders don’t plan on using it to make a major veteran acquisition,” sources told The Athletic on Friday. “They plan to preserve that money for in-season roster flexibility, looming extensions for players already on the roster, and rollover cap space for 2025. That aligns with how the Raiders handled the earlier stages of free agency.
“They signed defensive tackle Christian Wilkins to a massive four-year, $110 million contract and gave quarterback Gardner Minshew a two-year, $25 million deal in March — but the rest of their signings were complementary pieces. They still had ample cap space but focused on addressing their remaining needs in April’s NFL Draft.”
Worthwhile veterans like Jamal Adams, Adoree Jackson, and Xavien Howard are still available in free agency. The news may disappoint Las Vegas Raiders fans but the strategy makes sense for new general manager Tom Telesco and hopefully, it allows them to make a big move right before the season or near the trade deadline.
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