The Las Vegas Raiders have plenty of needs to address during the 2026 NFL offseason.
Hiring a new head coach to replace the recently fired Pete Carroll and building out the staff will be first on the list. The next order of business will be for John Spytek and whoever is brought in to lead the team to get on the same page and address the roster in free agency.
Las Vegas is littered with holes, and while some will be filled with their projected 10 draft picks, they have over $110 million in cap space to help fix one of the league's worst rosters. Nearly every position room is flawed, and the team would be wise to use free agency to target potential upgrades.
Free agency should also be used to upgrade the defense around Maxx Crosby, as the unit has been devoid of talent for each of his seven seasons. Landing one of these five names could be a strong starting point in their hopes to keep the five-time Pro Bowler around for the foreseeable future.
Raiders should target these 5 stars to pair with Maxx Crosby
1. Odafe Oweh, DE, Los Angeles Chargers
Oweh has shown that he can be a great complementary pass rusher, as he has recorded 30.5 sacks over his five-year career. After finishing last season with 10.0 sacks, however, he failed to register a single sack over the first five games of the 2025 season.
The Baltimore Ravens shipped him to the Los Angeles Chargers mid-year, and he had 7.5 sacks in 12 games for the Raiders' AFC West foe despite playing only 48.0% of the defensive snaps. He will be just 27 years old when the 2026 season begins and, theoretically, should be in his prime.
Oweh's 73.7 Pro Football Focus grade ranked 35th out of 115 edge rushers. He would provide Las Vegas with a very strong pass rusher opposite Crosby and weaken a divisional opponent in one fell swoop. The Raiders wouldn't have to break the bank, as he'll command around $15 million annually.
2. John Franklin-Myers, DT, Denver Broncos
Franklin-Myers is another player whom the Raiders could poach from an AFC West rival, as he has spent the past two seasons with the Denver Broncos. In that span, he has recorded 14.5 sacks, adding to his total of 34.0 sacks in his seven NFL campaigns.
Similar to Oweh, Franklin-Myers is on the right side of 30, as he will be 29 when next season begins. His 61.3 Pro Football Focus grade ranks 53rd out of 134 defensive tackles, but just ask any of his Broncos teammates how valuable he is to one of the NFL's best defensive lines.
His ability to collapse the defense and get after the quarterback would be a welcome addition to a Raiders defense that finished the year with 37 sacks. Spotrac lists his market value at two years, $14.9 million, which is more than affordable for Las Vegas.
3. Devin Lloyd, LB, Jacksonville Jaguars
Lloyd may wind up being the most expensive player listed, but he would be worth every penny. The Jacksonville Jaguars' linebacker will also be just 27 years old when the 2026 season kicks off, so he could be a pivotal part of the future.
Despite missing two games, he filled up the stat sheet in 2025, recording 81 total tackles, six tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, 10 quarterback hits, five interceptions, one fumble recovery, seven passes defended, and one defensive touchdown.
His 89.1 Pro Football Focus grade ranked third among 88 linebackers. Lloyd would give Crosby some much-needed help at the second level, as he missed just six tackles in 2025, while quarterbacks had a 56.4 passer rating when targeting him. His market value is three years, $60 million, via Spotrac.
4. Jaelan Phillips, EDGE, Philadelphia Eagles
Phillips is an interesting case, as he has an injury history that dates back to his college days when he medically retired from football. He has also already missed 22 games in his five-year career. But it is hard to argue with his production when he is healthy.
The edge rusher, who was traded from the Miami Dolphins to the Philadelphia Eagles this season, has recorded 28.0 sacks in the NFL despite those injuries. He will also be just 27 at the beginning of next year and posted a 74.0 Pro Football Focus grade that ranks 34th out of 114 edge rushers.
Phillips' injury history could prevent teams from breaking the bank on his next contract, which could play into the Raiders' favor. Either way, he would provide the team with another legitimate pass-rushing option opposite of Crosby. He could cost around $20 million annually.
5. Khalil Mack, EDGE, Los Angeles Chargers
Mack is the one player listed on the wrong side of 30, as he will be 35 when next season kicks off. He is also the only player who has either a Pro Bowl or All-Pro selection to his name, earning nine and five, respectively. He was also the 2016 NFL Defensive Player of the Year with the Oakland Raiders.
While there is certainly some sentimental value to bringing him back to the organization at the tail end of what is a Hall of Fame career, Mack is still playing at a high level. He finished with 5.5 sacks despite missing five games and playing a career-low 59.5% of the defensive snaps when healthy.
He also posted an 83.0 Pro Football Focus grade that ranked 13th out of 114 edge rushers, a number that was even higher than Crosby's. Pairing the two together, while poaching Mack from the Chargers, would provide the Raiders with two edges that are elite against both the pass and the run.
Mack would likely sign a one-year deal worth anywhere from $10-15 million, and there would be something moving about seeing him and Crosby, two stars from different generations of the Silver and Black, get after the quarterback together.