The prevailing opinion this offseason has been that the Las Vegas Raiders have been relatively inactive, but that simply has not been the case.
Although the team did lose six defensive starters from last season in free agency, it is important to remember that the team only won four games in 2024, and turning over such a roster may not be as much of a mistake as it seems on the surface.
New general manager John Spytek made a handful of splashy moves by trading for veteran quarterback Geno Smith, extending Maxx Crosby on a record-breaking contract, and re-signing Malcolm Koonce to a cheap deal.
ESPN's Seth Walder analyzed many of the Raiders' offseason moves on Monday, and while he was a big fan of some of them, he was not entirely sold on others.
Raiders receive mixed grades for offseason acquisitions
Malcolm Koonce: A-
"I'm surprised. I thought Koonce was going to be a hot name this offseason and land a pretty big deal based on his upside. But this could be injury-related," wrote Walder. "Now, Koonce has a one-year, prove-it deal. And it's good for the Raiders that the rest of the league didn't have much interest. At best, they get an ascending edge rusher on a bargain deal. At worst, it's only a $12 million commitment."
I have a hard time believing that the rest of the league did not have much interest in Koonce. His market value was $20 million, according to Spotrac, and he ripped off 8.0 sacks in the final nine games of the 2023 season before missing last year due to injury. It certainly could have been injury-related, but this may have been more about Koonce wanting to stick with a defensive coordinator and defensive line coach who believed in him and he played his best football under. At that price, this signing is a homerun.
Geno Smith: B (Contingent on Smith's next contract)
"Las Vegas found its next quarterback in a very unexpected place," wrote Walder. "In a vacuum, getting Smith on his current contract for a third-round pick is easily worth it. But how high does he actually elevate Las Vegas?"
The Raiders are in a position to pay Smith handsomely, so the exact details of his contract should not matter as much. Las Vegas had arguably the worst quarterback situation in the league last year, and the new regime remedied that by trading for a high-end starter at the position. The answer to Walder's question is obvious, as he raises the floor of the team by giving them a surefire player under center that can reliably get the ball to their unique set of pass catchers and take some pressure off of the offensive line by scrambling. This feels like at least an A- acquisition.
Alex Cappa: C
"Cappa had an exceptionally poor 2024 season, ranking last among 64 qualifying guards in pass block win rate (85%) and 58th in run block win rate (65%)," wrote Walder. "The good news for Las Vegas is that Cappa doesn't necessarily have to start. Jackson Powers-Johnson, Dylan Parham and Jordan Meredith return to the Raiders after having played guard this past season."
At $5.5 million per year, I can see why some see Cappa as an average signing. On most teams, that contract would give the coaching staff a reason to start him, but this is the Pete Carroll-led Raiders, where every player, no matter their price tag, will have to compete to get on the field. Las Vegas does have a solid core of interior offensive linemen returning, so if Cappa does not work out, the team should not suffer too much. Only $5.5 million is guaranteed, so the team has an out after this year if the signing looks unfavorable in retrospect.