The Las Vegas Raiders are searching for answers after three straight losses. They fell short against the Buffalo Bills, partly because they're not getting a good return on their 2026 free-agent investments.
Buffalo dominated the Raiders at the line of scrimmage, allowing James Cook to run for 95 yards and a touchdown. Although Rob Leonard's defense consistently pressured Josh Allen, the 6-5, 237-pounder improvised and made plays out of the pocket, which comes naturally with his skill set.
Before the Raiders consider any outside help, they must clean up a lot in-house, making this a well-timed 2026 free-agent stock report ahead of Week 7.
The Raiders' 2026 free-agent class had a subpar showing against the Bills in Week 6
C Tyler Linderbaum: Stock Down
By far, Tyler Linderbaum had his worst outing as a Raider, especially on pass-blocking downs. According to Pro Football Focus, he allowed two quarterback hits and has given up two pressures in back-to-back weeks.
Up until Week 5 against the New England Patriots, Linderbaum had been solid, but the Raiders need him to be exceptional after signing him to a market-setting three-year, $81 million deal.
At the pivot, Linderbaum must anchor the Raiders' revamped offensive line, but he was on the ground too often last Sunday. Don't let recency bias fool you into thinking the three-time Pro Bowler has been a bad signing through five weeks, though he must be better to solidify interior pass protection and open running lanes for the ground game.
DT Foley Fatukasi: Stock Up
As a unit, the Raiders struggled against the run as they have all season, though Foley Fatukasi at least made it difficult for Allen to stand tall in the pocket.
Pro Football Focus charted three quarterback hurries for Fatukasi. Between Weeks 1 and 2 of the preseason, Las Vegas likely signed him to stop the run. He's fourth on the team in stops, but he's not a dominant interior defender.
On a positive note, Fatukasi has shown the ability to penetrate and make plays behind the line of scrimmage. The ninth-year pro is a solid rotational defender who will continue to play more snaps while Tonka Hemingway is in concussion protocol.
LB Quay Walker: Stock Down
Allen found a weakness in the Raiders' pass coverage. He singled out Quay Walker, targeting him six times and completing all six pass attempts for 76 yards and a touchdown, for a perfect 158.3 passer rating, per Pro Football Focus.
In the first month of the season, Walker fared well in coverage, but according to PFF, he's allowed 142 yards over the last two weeks.
This past offseason, Walker expressed excitement for new responsibilities at his position. He must tighten up his coverage to maintain his multipurpose role. The Raiders signed Walker to a three-year, $40.5 million deal and need him to be a reliable three-down defender.
Moe Moton writes about the Raiders for Just Blog Baby. You can follow him on Twitter at @MoeMoton.
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