It's probably not all that surprising that people expect the Raiders to look totally different soon. The Antonio Pierce era didn't exactly leave the team in a great spot, and despite Pete Carroll's insistence that they were going to start going for it immediately, overhauling an NFL roster – even one with a handful of stars on it – takes a season or two.
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That's what makes the latest NFL free agent predictions to hit the internet especially interesting. CBS Sports unveiled their latest roundup of player movement guesses this week, and the Raiders, unsurprisingly, made more than one appearance. And while they did predict some good news for Pete Carroll's first year in Vegas, one of the guys they have leaving the Raiders this offseason will, uh, probably not sit well with fans.
CBS Sports thinks the Raiders could let Malcom Koonce walk in free agency
"Koonce has to be one of the more fascinating players available this offseason, and there's no guarantee the Raiders allow him to walk. The former third-round pick out of Buffalo was expected to explode in 2024, but suffered a season-ending knee injury right before the season opener. Now, he will be able to test the market. In 2023, Koonce recorded a career-high eight sacks, and six came in the final four games of the season. He recorded three sacks of Mahomes in that Christmas Day upset, which is still the last time Kansas City lost at home."
Woof. That'd be a tough pill to swallow. Koonce obviously did miss all of last season with a knee injury, but he's still only 26 years old and looked like an absolute star over the last two months of the 2023 season. He would be, in theory, the type of player that is good enough to stick around regardless of the coach, which is what makes his inclusion on this list at least somewhat surprising.
Like CBS mentions, there's probably a good chance the Raiders don't let him leave the building – it's also probably the smart thing to do. But free agency has a way of creating chaos, and the idea of Koonce walking away and having a Pro Bowl (or, gulp, better) type season elsewhere would be a tough to watch. Maybe now that they're best friends, Maxx Crosby can convince Carroll to keep Koonce around for another few seasons.