It won't be hard to connect dots between the Las Vegas Raiders and a large selection of this year's free agency class. Not only is the front office in Las Vegas still fairly new with diverse backgrounds, but the Raiders' coaching staff is almost entirely new and comprised of journeyman leaders.
That means that the coaches and executives for the Silver and Black have connections with players throughout the league, and if used correctly, that can be a massive advantage on the open market. This is especially true when paired with the fact that the Raiders have nearly $100 million to spend.
But some relationships matter more than others, like who general manager John Spytek feels comfortable bringing aboard. It would stand to reason that, after a decade with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, any of their former players who become available would be on Las Vegas' radar.
A duo of Bucs -- running back Sean Tucker and defensive back Christian Izien -- is now set to hit free agency, and Spytek should absolutely pursue this valuable pairing with whom he already has a relationship.
Raiders should pursue Bucs' Sean Tucker and Christian Izien in FA
Both Tucker and Izien were added to Tampa Bay's roster in 2023 as undrafted free agents, and they carved out roles with the Bucs. But ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reported on Wednesday that neither Tucker nor Izien would receive a restricted free agent tender, meaning they'll test the open market.
Neither will be incredibly expensive, but both could fill critical roles for the Raiders. Tucker has been buried on the depth chart behind Bucky Irving and Rachaad White (another option for Las Vegas at running back), but he could be a great complementary option for Ashton Jeanty in the backfield.
His numbers won't show it, but Tucker is more than ready for a bigger role. He totaled just 320 rushing yards and 34 receiving yards in 2025, but he had eight all-purpose touchdowns. Plus, Tucker has taken full advantage of the rare opportunities he has been the bellcow back in a given game.
In his two career games with over 12 carries, Tucker has recorded 136 yards and a touchdown and 106 yards and two touchdowns. He shouldn't cost very much and could very well be a long-term supplementary back to Jeanty, as Tucker is still just 24 years old and knows Spytek well.
RELATED: Bills may have just saved the Raiders from making a $28 million mistake
Izien is a versatile defensive back who has experience playing in nickel packages and could be a nice chess piece for defensive coordinator Rob Leonard. After seeing a decrease in snaps last season, the Bucs could very well move on from him, and Spytek certainly has a case to scoop him up.
Across three NFL seasons, Izien has played 1,582 defensive snaps in 45 appearances, as well as 440 special teams snaps. That two-headed experience will be critical for a Raiders defense and special teams unit that is rebuilding and needs young talent.
Although Izien mainly plays as a slot cornerback and a free safety, he can slide into the box, play outside corner and even line up on the edge on blitzes. He's recorded 165 tackles, three interceptions, five passes defended, three forced fumbles and eight tackles for loss in three years.
The Raiders have the resources to swing bigger on the open market, but that doesn't mean Spytek won't also do his typical bargain bin shopping. Both Tucker and Izien should firmly be in that bin, but they'll stick out to Spytek due to his history with them.
Adding familiar players may be seen as a negative within Raider Nation after the whole debacle with Pete Carroll bringing his band of former Seahawks to Las Vegas. But bringing both Tucker and Izien into the mix would be a safe, low-cost bet for Spytek; one that he may actually cash in on.