The Las Vegas Raiders are about to enter a window of about three years - three years of opportunity where they have to be a playoff team and compete for playoff wins. Mind you, this team hasn't won a playoff game in over 20 years, so you cannot jump straight to this team having expectations of being a Super Bowl team in three years. In this timeline, they need to be winning playoff games in three years.
The three-year timeline comes from new head coach Pete Carroll's age and contract length. He's not the youngest guy on earth, that's for sure. But, he's young at heart. He's still got a lot in him right now, you can see that with the energy he brings to the press conference. But, will he have that same energy in two years? At his age, you truly don't know what your mind and body will be telling you in two years or even one year.
In three years this needs to be a program, a franchise, and a team that doesn't settle for anything less than a playoff win at the end of their 2027-28 season.
But before we even get there, some things need to be done this offseason to guarantee that the Raiders get on the right path to success. There's as we call in the business, a 2025 offseason checklist.
Raiders' 2025 offseason checklist
Certain things need to be done for the Raiders to get on track to having a more successful season than the last two they have had. And, that means there's a checklist to it all, too.
So, let's go over it all in timeline order, in which these events will happen or should happen. The first thing coming up is the franchise tag dates.
Franchise tag decisions
On February 18, the window is officially open for teams to start franchise tagging designated players, or eligible players. For the Raiders, this would be guys like Trevon Moehrig, Malcolm Koonce, and Nate Hobbs.
Now, not all have to be tagged, and all of them could very well end up not getting the tag, or they all could. But, this is when the window opens. The Raiders will have till March 4 to tag these players.
The Raiders need to come to terms on a deal for Moehrig, who has slowly but surely shown the Raiders he can be an elite safety in this league. He's gotten better every year and re-signing him to a long-term deal will be key, as is the same for Hobbs. Moehrig's current market value is currently looking like a three-year deal worth around $47 million, or $15 million a year. As for Hobbs, his market value is projected to be around $3 million a year. That's likely something the Raiders would sign up for in a heartbeat.
Then you have guys like Malcolm Koonce and Divine Deablo who I think should be tagged. Koonce due to his injury that he just had and Deablo due to his play going down over the last two years and not seeing any crazy improvements despite having a guy like Robert Spillane next to him.
After the franchise tag period comes the new league year on March 12, which officially opens the ability for teams to make trades and sign free agents.
Free agency
The Raiders have to attack the free agent market heavily with their nearly $100 million in cap space. This will give them plenty of money to get some big-name guys in the market at positions they desperately need, like quarterback or even guys on the offensive line.
In free agency, they should really go after a guy like Trey Smith if possible. The Kansas City Chiefs probably won't be able to afford him, but being that the Raiders are his arch-rival, they may have to overpay, which is not something you really want to do. If so, just go the route of the draft.
But to beat the Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles, you have to build your team through the trenches, so getting a guard, the worst position on the offensive line, is key. If they don't do that through the draft, they should use their cap to grab a great receiver, a great running back, a great cornerback, and certainly some depth at all of the positions they need it at.
Predicting what the Raiders do in free agency with all of this money has been one of the toughest things so far. Signs are pointing towards the Raiders potentially adding a guy like Sam Darnold who had a stellar season with the Minnesota Vikings, or Aaron Rodgers, who just had a terrible season with the New York Jets.
If they don't grab one, it's obvious they are trusting their gut on a guy in the draft. Either way, Gardner Minshew and Aidan O'Connell will be on the roster unless something crazy happens.
I don't think they should sign Darnold or Rodgers because at that point you are pretty much just doing what you have done the last two years at the position. Just go get your guy in the draft. Use the free agency period to build your team around your quarterback, specifically at the wide receiver position, cornerback position, and offensive line.
Official team workouts
On April 7, teams who hired new head coaches at the end of the 2024 season can start team workouts. This will give the Raiders a chance to see what they have before the draft, what they need in the draft, and what areas they still need to address in free agency if possible.
NFL Draft
On April 24 the 2025 NFL Draft starts, which is when the Raiders will decide if they are going to target a quarterback or not. They most definitely should go after one. At pick No. 6 it's still really hard to see a guy like Sheduer Sanders or Cam Ward falling to them. But, you never know.
You have to go after one of the two of them and if that's just not possible, you still have to walk away with a quarterback. Maybe you can trade back and get Jaxson Dart. or maybe you can get him in the second round. But, you have to walk away with a quarterback from this draft.
After that position, the biggest one of need, the Raiders need to go after the other positions I mentioned in the free agency section. In terms of the draft, this is not a strong wide receiver class. That doesn't mean you can't find a gem, but this class is weaker than others of the past.
This seems to be a pretty good offensive line class, so I would think of that wisely, but also remember that your offensive line currently has some pretty young players on it already. And for the running back position, this class is so deep, they have to leave the draft with a running back.
On the defensive side, defensive tackle depth, edge depth, another cornerback, and even a safety wouldn't hurt. You're probably reading this and thinking that the Raiders need everything. Well, they kind of do.
Re-sign key players
This section is at the end not because it will happen last, but it could happen at any moment of the offseason. But, they have to make sure they re-sign Maxx Crosby to whatever deal he wants. He is asking for more guaranteed money, so give him more guaranteed money.
I mentioned re-signing Moehrig and Hobbs already, but they also need to re-sign Robert Spillane, K'Lavon Chaisson, and Adam Butler. If you can bring all three of those guys back along with Crosby, you're looking pretty good on the defensive line along with the players you draft.
It's a long offseason, and there's a lot of work to be done with so many different ways of doing it. The Raiders will have to find a way, though.
