With all the excitement surrounding the Las Vegas Raiders' decision to start the Fernando Mendoza era a bit early by trading Kirk Cousins, fans of the Silver and Black can hardly wait until Sunday. They certainly don't have their sights set on the offseason or the Raiders' impending free agent class.
And who could blame them?
But that doesn't mean that the roster-building equation is unimportant going forward. Las Vegas is still in a rebuild, even if it is ahead of where most thought it would be at this point. And with the rookie now thrown in the fire, every decision that John Spytek and Co. make going forward is more critical.
The first variable to solve in this complex equation is what to do with players already in the building who are on expiring contracts. The Raiders' 2027 free agent class is not particularly strong, but we've come up with five players that they should re-sign and five notable names that they should let walk.
5 players on expiring contracts the Raiders should consider re-signing
1. Tre Tucker
Tucker is the most obvious name on Las Vegas' list of free agents who deserves another contract with the team. Not only has he played very well for the Raiders this season in Klint Kubiak's offense, but he will explode with Mendoza in the lineup, and he is the exact type of person you want around.
He won't command top-of-the-market money, so Spytek should keep a keen eye on getting more of a big-bodied, true 'X' receiver this offseason. But Tucker should be given a nice deal that makes him want to stay in Las Vegas, as he's proven that he can coexist with and thrive alongside other talent.
2. Matt Gay
Nobody thought that Matt Gay was going to be a better solution at kicker than Daniel Carlson. But through the first nine games of the season, Gay has been exceptional, missing just two kicks all year and going 3-for-4 from beyond 50 yards. That is worth another year under contract if he keeps it up.
Las Vegas already has a young kicker in the building to develop in Kansei Matsuzawa, so the Raiders probably don't even need to bring in another leg to compete with Gay next offseason. Just bring Gay back, and if he loses his touch, then hand the keys to The Tokyo Toe if he's ready.
3. Jeremy Chinn
Chinn is certainly not an elite NFL safety, but he is solid enough for Spytek and Co. to bring him back if he'll take a relatively team-friendly deal. I'd still like the Raiders to search for an upgrade, but if one does not materialize, then they could do far worse than bringing Chinn back and developing others.
Last time Chinn hit free agency, he wasn't expensive, and his two years in Las Vegas probably haven't raised his price too much. He is a great run defender and has his moments in coverage, but largely gets taken advantage of in the latter realm. At the right price, though, Chinn should remain a Raider.
4. Tim Keenan III
Keenan III will be an exclusive rights free agent in March because he was drafted by the Los Angeles Rams but cut before he showed up in Las Vegas. So, the Raiders signed him to a one-year deal, and now they effectively have his rights. If they extend a tender to him next spring, that is that.
The tender will be a cheap, league-minimum deal. And Las Vegas has shown an increased confidence in Keenan III, as they signed him to the active roster after expanding his role in each of his three games as a practice squad elevation. He's a young, space-eating nose tackle who deserves a runway.
5. Aidan O'Connell
Call me a madman, that's fine. But O'Connell just makes sense as Fernando Mendoza's long-term backup, especially because the veteran market is rather slim next offseason at the quarterback position. Only Drew Lock stands out as an appealing name for the Raiders that makes sense.
O'Connell has shown that he can be a solid player at times, even if he's limited, and I don't think a chance to start somewhere is going to materialize for him, even though that is what he wants. He may be best served to have a clear-cut backup role where he is comfortable and valued.
5 notable players in contract years that Las Vegas should let walk in March
1. Malcolm Koonce
Unless Koonce has some massive turnaround in the second half of the campaign, which fans know he is capable of, the experiment simply has to be done. Maxx Crosby needs legitimate help opposite him, and Koonce has been way too inconsistent this season and throughout his career.
Kwity Paye is under contract through 2028. Keyron Crawford will be coming back from injury and is on his rookie deal, too. The Raiders are stuck with Paye and need to see what Crawford can do, and they also need external upgrades to the unit, badly. There are only so many seats at the table.
2. Spencer Burford
Burford was not signed to a starter-level deal, but he has played every down for the Raiders. And it stands to reason that someone else will want him next year, so Las Vegas should let him walk. He is a good run-blocker, although he has some bad blow-ups, and Burford is very bad in pass protection.
With youngsters like Trey Zuhn III, Caleb Rogers and Jackson Powers-Johnson all in the building, plus another addition at guard wholly necessary next offseason because of the unit's underperformance this year, Burford does not need to be brought back by the front office.
3. Cody White
This one hurts.
White was awesome for the Raiders to begin the year, but recent weeks have proven that Klint Kubiak does not really have much use for him when all the pass-catchers are healthy. The wide receiver room is already crowded enough, but more additions are expected and needed next offseason at his spot.
I doubt that White will command money in free agency, so it is possible that he is brought back for cheap by Las Vegas, and he tries to carve out a role again if certain players don't meet expectations. But White is not currently someone the Raiders should be setting money aside for next spring.
4. Foley Fatukasi
Fatukasi is probably the best defensive tackle that Las Vegas has on its roster, but that is more of an indictment of the room than a major praise of him. He was signed halfway through the preseason and has exceeded expectations, but Fatukasi is older, and the Raiders should try to upgrade from him.
If he wants to stick around on a veteran minimum deal, then more power to him. But he has played well enough this year that someone will fork out a couple million for him. Las Vegas should be ripping its defensive tackle room down to the studs after the season and shouldn't chase him down.
5. Thomas Booker IV
Booker IV will be an unrestricted free agent this spring, unlike last year, when he was restricted. It's not that he will command a lot of money on the open market, but unless he shows something in the second half of this campaign, the Raiders shouldn't make him a priority to bring back.
Spytek did trade for him, and Booker IV has had his moments. Plus, he seems like a great leader and a good guy to have in the locker room. But if Las Vegas makes heavy investments at defensive tackle in free agency and the draft, as they should, there may not be enough room to keep Booker IV around.
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