Pete Carroll did the Las Vegas Raiders no favors and frustrated the fanbase to no end during the 2025 NFL season, his lone year at the helm. Losing is one thing; Raider Nation is unfortunately quite used to that. But it's the way that Las Vegas was losing this past year that really struck a chord.
The Raiders didn't just lose games; they were downright uncompetitive and unwilling to adjust their approach. When it became clear that the team wasn't playing for anything, they refused to have a youth movement and build for the future. But John Spytek and Klint Kubiak aren't doing that.
This young leadership duo is going to be given the proper runway to build this thing the right way, and that starts with adding young talent. Luckily, youth is something that all of the Raiders' newest free agent additions have in common.
Raiders' youth movement is evident with John Spytek's FA signings
Below is a list of every free agent that Las Vegas has either signed or re-signed thus far in the 2026 NFL offseason. Attached is their current age, as well as the age that they will turn either before this season starts or at some point during the year.
C Tyler Linderbaum - 25 (26)
WR Jalen Nailor - 27
EDGE Kwity Paye - 27 (28)
LB Nakobe Dean - 25 (26)
LB Quay Walker - 25 (26)
CB Eric Stokes - 27
EDGE Malcolm Koonce - 27 (28)
As you can see, the Raiders didn't sign a single player older than 27 years old. Well, outside of kicker Matt Gay, who will celebrate his 32nd birthday on March 15. But in terms of offensive and defensive players, Las Vegas only signed one veteran, Paye, who will even be 30 by the end of their contract.
Yes, Las Vegas also acquired Taron Johnson, soon to be 30, via trade, and two of their cornerstones, Maxx Crosby and Kolton Miller, are nearly 29 and will turn 31 during the season, respectively. But overall, this is a major youth movement in Las Vegas. The one Carroll never bought into.
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Three of the franchise's other central pieces, Brock Bowers, Ashton Jeanty, and all but certainly Fernando Mendoza, will be 23 years old or younger for the entirety or majority of the 2026 NFL season. That is some serious youth at pivotal positions.
Plus, young contributors like Jackson Powers-Johnson, Darien Porter, Jack Bech, Caleb Rogers, Jonah Laulu, Michael Mayer and Tre Tucker could all be around for a while as well. Even depth pieces like Tonka Hemingway, DJ Glaze, Charles Grant, Tommy Eichenberg and Thomas Booker IV are young.
When one combines all of this with the fact that Kubiak and Spytek are freshly 39 and not even 46 years old yet, respectively, it paints a picture of a bright future in Las Vegas; one that every Raiders fan should be excited for. These guys can be around for decades.
Free agency isn't close to over, as the Silver and Black will be adding to and tinkering with the roster until the season begins. And even beyond then. But with the NFL Draft coming up in April, fans have to be stoked about the opportunity to add even more young talent into the fold, just like free agency.