The Las Vegas Raiders didn't really make any major moves last offseason when John Spytek took over as the general manager. The few significant moves that they did make, however, have already come back and blown up in their face just under a year later.
Extending Maxx Crosby did nothing to appease his apparent organizational gripes, as his future in Las Vegas is up in the air. Trading for and subsequently extending Geno Smith was a misfire of epic proportions, as he was released on Friday. The Raiders also gave Alex Cappa an $11 million contract.
Cappa's presence was a source of frustration for the fanbase during the offseason and preseason, and his play during the regular season, when given the opportunity, didn't exactly ease that tension. Well, Cappa, too, was released on Friday ahead of the 2026 NFL free agency period.
Raiders release $11 million free agent Alex Cappa after just one season
Amid all of the controversy about Crosby, Spytek is slowly getting the gears in motion ahead of free agency. Between the release of Smith and Cappa, which was officially announced by the Raiders, and three minor re-signings, Las Vegas has already made five roster moves.
After playing in all 17 games last season for the Silver and Black and starting eight, it became apparent that Cappa wouldn't be a significant part of the Raiders' future. Although he mainly struggled, he did show some promise at center toward the end of the year.
Apparently, however, not enough. His Pro Football Focus grade of 53.5 ranked 38th out of 40 centers and 65th out of 79 guards. At a pricetag of roughly $5.5 million per year, ranking toward the bottom of the league in every offensive line metric isn't going to cut it.
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Fortunately for the Raiders, Spytek and the front office structured Cappa's contract in a team-friendly way. An "out" was built into the deal after the 2025 season, and in releasing him, Las Vegas will only incur a dead cap hit of $1 million. That is masterful work by the financial department.
The upcoming free agency class is chock full of talented veteran offensive linemen, and between the release of Smith and Cappa, the Raiders now have nearly $13 million more to spend on the open market. That is pivotal for a team that needs to hit the cash spending floor and add veteran talent.
Cappa seemed like an ill-advised signing at this time last year, but given his relationship with Spytek and Tom Brady, fans were willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. That didn't last long, of course, and now a year later, Raider Nation's gut instinct has been proven right.