While the Las Vegas Raiders are starting to put the pieces together for the 2025 season, the new regime still has a long way to go.
New head coach Pete Carroll has already started putting together his staff by bringing back defensive coordinator Patrick Graham and successful position coaches like Rob Leonard (defensive line) and Ricky Manning Jr. (cornerbacks).
Carroll is also adding a few familiar faces from his days in Seattle, and rumor has it that a former Seahawks coach could be in line for the offensive coordinator position as well.
Once the coaching staff and front office are locked in, then the team will have a slew of personnel decisions to make in order for the roster to take shape. This involves negotiating with the team's 27 free agents, available players around the league, and studying the draft prospects intensively.
Las Vegas is sure to see some turnover on their roster this offseason, but losing these two key defensive pieces would be a major problem for the Silver and Black.
CBS predicts Raiders lose Tre'Von Moehrig and Malcolm Koonce in free agency
Jordan Dajani of CBS Sports made his free agency predictions on Friday, and chose one player that each team should be targeting. Unfortunately, he believed that two of the Raiders' star defenders would leave Las Vegas this offseason in favor of other teams.
Indianapolis Colts -- Tre'von Moehrig
"Defensive back is arguably the biggest need for the Colts this offseason, and Moehrig would be a welcomed addition. In 2024, he recorded a career-high 104 combined tackles and 10 passes defensed to go along with two interceptions and a sack. An underrated player to watch."
Moehrig leaving would be a huge loss for Patrick Graham's defense. He has been a staple in the secondary for four years and has grown as a player every season. Only three safeties played any meaningful snaps for Las Vegas in 2024, and all of them are free agents, so bringing back Moehrig should be a top priority for this new regime.
Philadelphia Eagles -- Malcolm Koonce
"Koonce has to be one of the more fascinating players available this offseason, and there's no guarantee the Raiders allow him to walk. The former third-round pick out of Buffalo was expected to explode in 2024, but suffered a season-ending knee injury right before the season opener. Now, he will be able to test the market. In 2023, Koonce recorded a career-high eight sacks, and six came in the final four games of the season. He recorded three sacks of Mahomes in that Christmas Day upset, which is still the last time Kansas City lost at home."
Malcolm Koonce was a rising star in the Raiders' organization before he missed the entire 2024 season with an injury. Now, the team is put in a difficult position, because they want to bring back a player with such promise, but they will certainly have concerns about his durability. While Koonce really only contributed in the latter half of the 2023 campaign, it would be tough seeing him in another uniform because of the upside that he has. Hopefully, the Raiders can out-bid other teams.