The Las Vegas Raiders are armed with abundant resources heading into free agency. Trading Maxx Crosby and releasing both Geno Smith and Alex Cappa freed up an unbelievable amount of cap space, so John Spytek and Co. were sitting with $119 million to spend on the open market.
They got the festivities going by trading for Buffalo Bills cornerback Taron Johnson, which cost them about $8.6 million in 2026. But the Raiders still have $110.7 million in salary cap space as of Monday morning, which is the most in the NFL by a very significant margin.
At this point, fans are well-versed in what the team needs to address, or even who, specifically, it may want. But let's go through some increasingly bold predictions for what figures to be a critical free agency period, ranging from "not that crazy" to "WHAT ARE WE DOING??"
5 increasingly bold predictions for Raiders' 2026 free agency
1. Raiders sign Rashid Shaheed -- but don't overpay
Shaheed signing with Las Vegas would surprise absolutely nobody. His ties with Klint Kubiak are well-documented, the Raiders need help in the wide receiver room and on special teams, and Las Vegas has the cap space. However, Shaheed reportedly wants a substantial amount of money, and in this prediction, he prioritizes familiarity over financial considerations. Perhaps $13-$14 million per year.
2. Las Vegas wins Tyler Linderbaum sweepstakes (and it's not cheap)
Kubiak desperately wants an elite center for his offense, and Linderbaum is the belle of the ball this offseason. It's unknown just how high his market can climb with so many center-needy teams, but no team is better equipped to back up the Brinks truck than the Raiders. Linderbaum will cost a fortune, perhaps $25 million per year, but Las Vegas will spare no cost to land him.
3. Spytek spends too much on RB2 next to Ashton Jeanty
Jeanty can't do it all by himself, and finding a complementary back should absolutely be a priority. But a certain cost-benefit analysis needs to be made, and the Raiders can't overspend on a veteran after using the No. 6 pick on Jeanty a year ago. But Kubiak wants a two-headed monster in the backfield, so Spytek will make sure of that, adding a high-dollar back like Rachaad White.
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4. No "starters" added on offensive line
Las Vegas seems to be confident in its returning pieces up front, so perhaps Spytek, if he strikes out on Linderbaum, looks toward the draft to add a potential starter. The Raiders will undoubtedly bolster the unit during free agency, but the contractual details of the signings will tell fans whether or not those players project as starters. Perhaps Las Vegas believes in better coaching and youth.
5. Kirk Cousins signed for starter-level money
Okay, this would be disappointing. I am all for bringing a veteran quarterback aboard, but as always, cost is everything. Fernando Mendoza needs to come to the Raiders believing that he is the starting quarterback, and although this leadership duo won't guarantee that, they can certainly signal their intentions with how they approach free agency. Please, don't do this. But it'd be bold!