Despite dramatically improving this year, Las Vegas Raiders fans still have their doubts about general manager John Spytek. No, not every draft pick or free agent signing has been a rousing success yet, but these things take time, and the Silver and Black are undeniably on the path to sustained success.
With the 2026 NFL season at the halfway point, Spytek has officially been in charge of the Silver and Black's football operation for a season and a half. And in that time, the young decision-maker has not been shy about making trades with other teams and moving picks.
Excluding moves up and down the board in the draft, Spytek has made eight - well, eight and a half, if you count the Maxx Crosby fiasco - deals with other teams. Let's evaluate how all of those look in hindsight, now that (almost) all of them have the details finalized, with a simple "win" or "loss."
Evaluating all of John Spytek's trades so far as the Las Vegas Raiders' GM
Acquiring Geno Smith for a 2025 3rd-round pick
Starting off hot.
This trade, on its face, was terrible, and the extension that followed was worse. Smith is still on the books, as his contract had $16.2 million in dead cap space this year in Las Vegas. And on top of that, he was the worst quarterback in the league last season.
But... he was so bad that the Raiders bottomed out and actually got the No. 1 pick and a new head coach. If these two end up being what fans think they will be, then Smith will be immortalized in this fanbase for a hilarious reason: being the tank commander that actually got the job done.
And that third-rounder turned into Jalen Milroe, so the Silver and Black aren't missing much there.
Verdict: Loss
Trading Jakorian Bennett for Thomas Booker IV
Booker IV has been a reliable part of the defensive tackle rotation for the last two seasons, and even though he is not a star, he's been solid and has had his moments. However, Bennett was a disaster in Philadelphia during his season and a half there.
As was the case in Las Vegas, Bennett was injured for much of his Eagles tenure, playing just 98 defensive snaps. He was waived earlier this week, and Booker IV is still around with the Raiders. So, for that reason, among others, Spytek comes out on top of this rare player-for-player deal.
Verdict: Win
Acquiring Kenny Pickett for a 2026 5th-round pick
Fans knew this trade was bad at the time, and it proved to be. Pickett was much-needed insurance after Aidan O'Connell went down with an injury, but even when Geno Smith struggled, Pickett did not replace him. Ultimately, he barely played until it didn't matter, and he left in free agency.
The fifth-round pick turned into Kamari Ramsey for the Houston Texans, as Cleveland sent it to Houston for offensive tackle Tytus Howard. Ramsey is a good young safety, and perhaps the Raiders would rather have him right now than the... ghost (?) of Kenny Pickett.
Verdict: Loss
Trading Jakobi Meyers for 2026 4th and 2026 6th-round picks
Meyers didn't want to play for the Raiders anymore, and Las Vegas did not want to pay him $20 million per year. His time with Jacksonville, even though the team has been good, has proven that Meyers is not worth that money as the Jaguars' third-leading receiver.
But things get complicated with what these picks turned into.
That fourth-round pick, No. 117 overall, originally came from Minnesota. When Las Vegas got it, they packaged it with the No. 36 pick to trade with the Houston Texans for No. 38 and No. 91. These picks turned into Treydan Stukes and Trey Zuhn III, both of whom could be long-term starters in Las Vegas.
Houston took Kayden McDonald at No. 36, which hurts a bit right now, but then they traded back from No. 117 with the Los Angeles Chargers. The Chargers took Travis Burke, while the Texans took a pair of picks that became Wade Woodaz and Lewis Bond. None of them are difference-makers yet.
And the sixth-rounder that the Raiders got for Meyers was eventually traded to the Buffalo Bills for Taron Johnson and a seventh-rounder, the No. 228 pick. More on that in a minute. But Las Vegas effectively got Stukes, Zuhn and Johnson for Meyers, and that is a massive win.
Verdict: Win
Acquire Taron Johnson and a 2026 7th-rounder for a 2026 6th-rounder
Speaking of Taron Johnson...
The Raiders traded the aforementioned sixth-rounder from the Meyers deal to land Johnson and a seventh-rounder, the No. 228 overall pick. And that sixth-rounder, the No. 182 overall pick, changed hands quite a bit after it left Las Vegas.
First, it went to Buffalo, which sent it and the No. 66 pick to move up to No. 62 for Davison Igbinosun, who has been a solid cornerback for them. Denver then took the No. 66 pick and selected Tyler Onyedim, who has not played in a game this season.
Then, the Broncos packaged No. 182 with No. 170 and moved up to No. 152 to take Justin Joly, a tight end whom they waived on cutdown day and who is now with the Miami Dolphins. So, the Raiders got Johnson, the Bills got a good corner, and the Broncos wasted their capital. Splended!
Johnson has been a good player in the secondary for Las Vegas thus far, and even better, he's been a veteran presence for a young defensive back group. And the development of the team's rookie and second-year corners has been apparent. Now, about that No. 228 pick...
Verdict: Win
Trading Geno Smith and a 2026 7th-rounder for a 2026 6th-rounder
How Spytek unloaded Smith for a pick swap and didn't have to pay him as much for the 2026 season is beyond me. But Smith is now the Jets' quarterback, and even though he played well against the Raiders in Week 8, he is still leading a 2-6 team. Kirk Cousins is 4-4, and Fernando Mendoza exists.
Las Vegas made out like bandits.
Especially because that No. 228 pick turned into VJ Payne, who is a fine young box safety, but he's been hurt all year and hasn't yet made an impact in New York. Getting rid of Geno was already a win, but the fact that the No. 208 pick, the sixth-rounder, was used to trade up and get Mike Washington?
An even bigger win.
Verdict: Win
Trading Tyree Wilson and a 2026 7th-round pick for a 2026 5th-round pick
Wilson and the Raiders both needed a fresh start, and getting to offload him and move up 70 spots was great for Las Vegas. Spytek used the No. 150 pick on safety Dalton Johnson, who hasn't really panned out yet for the Silver and Black, but Wilson hasn't panned out in New Orleans.
Plus, the Saints used the No. 219 pick on cornerback TJ Hall, who hasn't played this year and is currently on the practice squad. This has ultimately been a nothing of a trade, so we'll call it a wash. But for the record, I like Johnson more than Hall.
Verdict: Tie
Trading Jordan Meredith and 2029 7th-round pick for 2027 6th-rounder
Once again, Spytek fleeced the Jets with a late-round pick swap. Obviously, these draft picks have not been used yet, as they are in the future, but it was hilarious to see Meredith inadequately filling in for Dylan Parham at left guard in New York for a few weeks.
Until the picks have been used, it is hard to call this trade a win or a loss. But Meredith had no future in Las Vegas, so the Raiders getting anything for him is a win.
Verdict: Win
Trading Maxx Crosby for a 2026 1st-round pick and a 2027 first-round pick
Looking back at this trade is interesting. We'll call this a half trade, because Spytek agreed to it, but it never went through.
Still, getting two first-rounders for Crosby would have been amazing, especially because he is not having his best season right now, and Baltimore's first-rounder in 2027 is looking a bit juicy, with the Ravens holding a 4-4 record and down their top two quarterbacks, potentially selling at the deadline.
And their 2026 first-rounder, Vega Ioane, would look pretty good in Silver and Black right now, given the Raiders' guard trouble in 2026. But Las Vegas is 4-4 with Crosby, and they may not be without him. This will always be a "what if?"
Verdict: We'll never know
Add us as a preferred source on Google