The Las Vegas Raiders made several big moves on the first day of the legal tampering period. They made arguably the biggest splash thus far, signing Tyler Linderbaum to a record-setting deal, while also giving projected No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza a new weapon in wideout Jalen Nailor.
John Spytek's biggest moves, however, came on the defensive side of the ball. The team revamped the unit, as they agreed to trade for Taron Johnson on Sunday before agreeing to deals with Eric Stokes, Kwity Paye, Nakobe Dean, Quay Walker, and Malcolm Koonce on Monday.
Yes, Las Vegas has tons of money to spend, but it also appears to be a coveted landing spot, as they beat out the Dallas Cowboys for both Dean and Walker. Jerry Jones likely isn't thrilled with Spytek, however, Raider Nation should be ecstatic with the future of the franchise.
John Spytek and the Raiders beat out Jerry Jones for two coveted FAs
The Raiders have not been a coveted free agent destination for quite some time. That appears to finally be changing, however, as Spytek was able to land two linebackers over the Cowboys despite the two teams having similar offers.
NFL Network's Jane Slater reported that Dean ultimately chose Las Vegas offer Dallas.
"Just talked with someone close to the situation and apparently Dallas was actually very competitive in the Nakobe Dean market. He was one of their 5 zooms allowed. I’m told their offer was similar to the Raiders but ultimately he went with his gut feeling but was told he could have seen himself in both places and it was “51/49” margin but Raiders won this one. At least tells you Dallas is trying 🤷🏼♀️"
ESPN's Todd Archer shared that Walker, who the Cowboys preferred over Dean, made the same decision.
"Cowboys were in the mix for Quay Walker, who ended up joining the Raiders, per sources. Told Walker had a Zoom with Cowboys earlier in the day. He was higher on their list than Nakobe Dean. Search for LB continues."
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The Raiders have typically had to significantly outbid opponents to land top-level free agents. It is a new day in Las Vegas, however, as the vision of Spytek and head coach Klint Kubiak, combined with the projected addition of Mendoza have all of a sudden made the team a coveted destination.
Of course, the franchise has plenty to prove on the field as they finished just 3-14 in 2025, and winning free agency certainly doesn't mean much if it doesn't translate to winning games. Spytek does, however, appear to be building a strong roster that should set the Raiders up for success.
Each of the seven players who agreed to deals on Monday is 27 years old or younger, showing that the team is prioritizing youth as it looks to build around Mendoza. It will be pivotal that Spytek, who has shared that he prefers to build through the draft, also hits a home run with his 11 draft picks.
For now, fans should be thrilled that the team is once again desired by top free agents. It certainly beats where the organization was in previous seasons, often overpaying for subpar talent.