Las Vegas Raiders

The Raiders are squeezed today at $15.4M in cap room with $51.8M in dead money, but the books clear dramatically in future seasons, rewarding patient roster management.

30 contracts expiring

Madden Tools Analysis

Five starting spots have weak depth behind the starter.

The roster's top strength is its pass-rush headlined by a 97-overall Maxx Crosby, while the weakest spot is the interior defensive line, which relies on a twilight starter and a group of backups all rated 69 overall or below.

• LShigh

  Alex Ward is the starter and the position needs an upgrade, as the long snapper slot is flagged as the team's highest-severity roster gap.

• QBmedium

  Fernando Mendoza starts at 74 overall with a Superstar dev trait, but Kirk Cousins is a twilight backup, so finding a legitimate bridge or developmental option behind Mendoza is a medium priority.

• RTmedium

  DJ Glaze holds the starting spot at 72 overall with Isaiah Jatta as the only true backup, leaving the right side of the line thin and vulnerable.

• DTlow

  The DT room is headlined by a twilight Adam Butler and a group of developmental backups, so a capable interior presence would add immediate stability.

• LGlow

  Trey Zuhn III holds the starting job at 73 overall, but the position lacks proven depth, making a quality backup or upgrade worthwhile at low cost.

• Run & ShootoffensiveGood

  Ashton Jeanty's Star halfback rating and Brock Bowers's elite receiving ability give the offense natural weapons for a spread-and-run attack that stresses defenses horizontally.

• [EA] 4-3 UnderdefensivePassable

  Maxx Crosby's 97-overall edge presence is perfectly suited to a 4-3 base that lets him pin down one side while Kwity Paye and the linebackers flow to the ball.

• 67Aidan O'ConnellQBAidan O'Connell sits third on the QB depth chart at 67 overall, and releasing him frees $3.7M against only $120K in dead money, making him an easy trim.Frees $3.7M · $120.0K dead
• 66Thomas Booker IVDTThomas Booker IV is a 66-overall backup DT who does not crack the top three on the depth chart, and his release carries no dead money while freeing $3.7M.Frees $3.7M · $0 dead
• 75Malcolm KoonceLEDGEMalcolm Koonce is the second-string LEDGE behind Crosby, but at $5.3M freed against $5.8M in dead money, his release is a breakeven proposition that only makes sense if cap room is critical.Frees $5.3M · $5.8M dead
• 72Jordan MeredithCJordan Meredith is the backup center behind Linderbaum at 72 overall, and releasing him frees $3.5M with zero dead money, offering clean savings at a well-covered position.Frees $3.5M · $0 dead
• 58Chris MyarickTEChris Myarick is a 58-overall TE buried behind Bowers, Mayer, and Thomas on the depth chart, and cutting him frees $1.1M with no dead money attached.Frees $1.1M · $0 dead

The Raiders are a team caught between present competitiveness and future building. Maxx Crosby and Kolton Miller give the defense and offense credible anchors, but both are entering the later stages of their careers, meaning the window to win around them is not unlimited. The good news is that the foundation for a post-transition era is already in place: Brock Bowers, Ashton Jeanty, Tyler Linderbaum, Jackson Powers-Johnson, and Fernando Mendoza form a young core that should improve together. The franchise's most pressing challenge is the quarterback room, where Mendoza has upside as a Superstar dev talent but is still unproven, and Kirk Cousins provides only a short-term safety net. Cap flexibility is limited this season at $15.4M with $51.8M in dead money, but the books clear significantly in future years, giving the front office a real opportunity to invest in the young core and address the RT and DT needs once the financial picture improves.

The Raiders were founded on January 30, 1960, in Oakland, California, as the eighth charter franchise of the American Football League (AFL), joining as a late replacement after the Minneapolis franchise defected to the NFL. After three losing early seasons, the club hired Al Davis as head coach and general manager in 1963; Davis installed an aggressive vertical passing attack, winning the 1967 AFL Championship and reaching Super Bowl II. Davis became part-owner in 1966 and eventually principal owner, ruling with the motto "Just win, baby" until his death in 2011. The Raiders joined the NFL in the 1970 AFL-NFL merger. Under head coach John Madden (1969-1978) they won their first Super Bowl (XI) after the 1976 season, and Tom Flores led the team to a second title in Super Bowl XV after the 1980 season. In 1982, after Davis won a landmark antitrust battle with the NFL, the franchise relocated to Los Angeles, where the Raiders won Super Bowl XVIII following the 1983 season, the franchise's third title. Davis returned the team to Oakland in 1995; the second Oakland era included a Super Bowl XXXVII appearance after the 2002 season. The NFL approved the team's move to Las Vegas in 2017, and the Raiders began play at Allegiant Stadium as the Las Vegas Raiders in 2020. All told, the franchise has won three Super Bowls, one AFL Championship, and numerous division titles across its Oakland, Los Angeles, and Las Vegas eras.