The Las Vegas Raiders have been among the busiest teams this offseason. In addition to retaining Maxx Crosby and bolstering the defense around him, they added the market's top offensive lineman and another weapon for projected No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza.
These moves have entirely changed the team's outlook just one offseason after finishing 3-14. Of course, there is still plenty of work to do, particularly in the draft, where general manager John Spytek will have nine more picks to work with after, presumably, adding the franchise's future quarterback.
In general, the team's decisions in the early stages of the offseason have largely drawn praise from critics. Despite the significant roster improvement, one recent list labeled the Raiders as the biggest losers of the start of the offseason.
Raiders earn undeserving label at the beginning of the offseason
Las Vegas has vastly improved the roster while also building towards the future, as each of its first wave of free agents is 27 or younger. One move that certainly affected the optimization of the rebuilding effort was the cancelled trade to send Crosby to the Ravens for two first-rounders.
Instead, the five-time Pro Bowler has since said he will suit up in Silver and Black, while reports emerged that the Raiders have pulled him off the trade block. Fox Sports' Ben Arthur only focused on the fact that Crosby returned to Las Vegas, giving them the top spot on his list of offseason losers.
"We don’t yet know the full ramifications of the Ravens’ decision to pull out of the Maxx Crosby trade," Arthur began "Even if Crosby’s contract (four years and $115.8 million remaining) doesn’t impact the Raiders' ability to absorb all their free-agent deals, which total more than a quarter-billion dollars in total value, their financial flexibility is still impacted. The franchise had also been operating on the assumption that it would have Baltimore's first-round picks in 2026 and ‘27, including No. 14 overall this year. That could have massive ramifications on the Raiders’ roster-building approach."
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Crosby's contract certainly didn't affect Las Vegas' ability to sign any of the free agents they agreed to deals with, as all of those moves have been finalized. Arthur is correct that his salary will affect the team's financial flexibility, and that losing the first-round picks definitely doesn't help.
Still, he completely ignores the fact that the Raiders roster gets back one of the top defenders in all of football. Furthermore, Crosby will likely have a chip on his shoulder and be motivated to prove his naysayers wrong.
He also entirely ignores the fact that the roster has taken a huge leap forward on both sides of the ball with the newest slate of additions. Of course, that has to play out on the field, as being an offseason winner or loser is ultimately meaningless in the long run.
Still, it is hard not to like what Spytek has done this offseason, leading most pundits to label Las Vegas as a winner. Regardless, Raider Nation should be excited about the future after the start of free agency.