The Las Vegas Raiders had a season to forget in 2025, as their 3-14 record was the fourth-worst mark in franchise history. Bright spots were few and far between, as the team was filled with dysfunction under Pete Carroll and, ultimately, a major disappointment.
The Super Bowl-winning head coach was fired the day after the season ended, closing the chapter on a decision -- hiring the oldest head coach in NFL history despite having a rebuilding roster -- that never truly made sense. John Spytek now gets to choose who leads this franchise into the future.
The leadership duo will then need to decide which players they will look to extend before free agency begins. There are five players, three of whom are still a year away from having their contract expire, that Las Vegas must consider offering a new deal.
5 Raiders that have proven to be worthy of a contract extension
1. Eric Stokes
Stokes joined the Raiders on a one-year, $3.5 million prove-it deal last offseason. The Green Bay Packers' first-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft missed 23 of a possible 68 games over his four seasons with his former team.
He certainly proved to be worthy of his contract in his lone year in Las Vegas. Stokes developed into a lockdown corner. His stats -- 53 total tackles, three tackles for loss, and five passes defended -- won't jump off the page, however.
But his 74.3 Pro Football Focus grade, however, ranked 17th out of 114 qualifying NFL cornerbacks. Spotrac lists his market value at $21.9 million over three years, which is a deal that Spytek should not hesitate to offer.
2. Jeremy Chinn
Chinn was one of the only players that the Raiders signed to a multi-year deal last offseason, as he received a two-year, $16.3 million pact. He played well in 15 games before being placed on Injured Reserve ahead of the final two games of the season.
The sixth-year safety recorded 114 total tackles, three tackles for loss, 1.0 sacks, two quarterback hits, two forced fumbles, and two passes defended. He still has another year under contract, but Spytek should get ahead and lock him up for two more years at a similar or slightly increased price.
3. Tre Tucker
Tucker had a breakout season in 2025, finishing with 696 receiving yards and five touchdowns on 57 receptions, all of which were new career-highs. He is set to enter the final year of his rookie contract and has continued to improve each year.
RELATED: John Spytek sets the record straight on Raiders firing Pete Carroll
It also felt like his numbers would have been much gaudier if Geno Smith hadn't missed him several times when Tucker had beaten the defense for either a big gain or an easy touchdown. Spytek should look to lock Tucker up for the foreseeable future, with a three-year extension in the $30 million range.
4. Michael Mayer
Mayer is another member of the 2023 draft class who is set to hit free agency after next season. He finished the year with 35 catches for 328 yards, both career-highs, and one touchdown. The second-round pick had the best two-game stretch of his career to end the year, with Brock Bowers sidelined,
He recorded 89 receiving yards on nine receptions, both career-highs, in Week 17, followed by a three-catch, 47-yard performance to close the year. Las Vegas should run plenty of 12 personnel going forward, as it is clear they have a solid No. 2 tight end.
Spotrac lists his market value at $6.3 million for one year. While he has another season on his rookie deal, Spytek should offer him a two-year deal in that price range annually to keep him around and see what he can do in an expanded role on a functional offense.
5. Daniel Carlson
It would have been hard to advocate for Carlson to be an extension candidate over the first 12 weeks of the season. The two-time All-Pro was a concerning 16-for-21 on field goal attempts, and while he was 9-for-9 from inside 40 yards, he was just 7-for-12 on longer distance kicks.
At a time when kickers are connecting from deeper than ever, those numbers were very concerning, particularly because some of those misses came at pivotal times that cost the game. He finished the year strong, however, connecting all six of his field goal attempts over the final six games.
Four of those field goals were from 40 yards or longer, including a 55-yarder and a game-winning, career-long 60-yarder against the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 18.
Spotrac lists his market value at just $1.2 million over one year, which is a deal that the Raiders should be more than willing to offer. The list of free agent kickers is not exactly inspiring, and Carlson rebounded well enough to return for at least another season. They should add competition, though.
