These Raiders Players Deserve Contract Extensions Now!
The Raiders Have A Handful Of Players Who Should Get Re-Signed During The Regular Season To Avoid Free Agency
It's not every year that the Raiders have multiple players deserving of a contract extension, and this season is crucial because these players have the potential to become superstars wearing silver and black. There are others who deserve extensions as well, but I highlighted three players who should be re-signed before testing free agency. We all know, as Raiders fans, that the team has had trouble in the past keeping its own, and this year, they need to get ahead of that.
#1) Malcolm Koonce
Koonce probably has the most buzz around him because of how he finished the season. After McDaniels was fired and Antonio Pierce was named interim head coach, Koonce's game stepped up by 150%, and he finished the season with 8 sacks, which is by far a career-high. Koonce will also be key to the three-headed monster they have at defensive end, rotating with Tyree Wilson to play opposite Maxx Crosby. More excitement is swirling because of the acquisition of defensive tackle Christian Wilkins. The hype for this defensive line is real.
If the Raiders can come to an agreement with Koonce on an extension, they have a chance to have a dominant defense in the future. His price may be slightly inflated because of market value if he tested free agency, but think about the teams in the AFC West. You need to be able to get to the QB to win this division, and with Koonce hopefully re-signing, Mahomes and Herbert better watch out.
#2) Nate Hobbs
Hobbs is one of the best nickel cornerbacks in the NFL, and he is the best defensive back on the Raiders. He has done nothing but gotten better each year and improved a weakness from the year before. He has shown ability playing on the outside, but playing nickel seems to be his best position. With the Raiders supposedly trying to improve the defensive back position in the draft, he might not have to worry about playing outside again. Hobbs can ball, that's for sure, but the injury bug will always be a concern.
If the team can re-sign Hobbs, there's a chance they won't have to break the bank on him, mainly because of his unique position. The nickel position will not command as much money as a defensive back who mainly plays on the outside. Hobbs is still playing on his rookie deal, which expires at the end of this season, and the team needs to secure a guy like him. Kenny Moore, who is considered one of the best nickel DBs in the league, just signed a deal with the Colts worth over $10 million a year. I don't expect Hobbs to get that, but I would suspect he would command somewhere around $7-8 million a year.
If the team is able to bring back both of these guys, Raider Nation will be excited and chomping at the bit to see how good this defense really is. That being said, every good defense needs a player to call out plays and a player who can be a coach out there while the game is going on.
3) Robert Spillane
Spillane was a pleasant surprise last year for all of us fans. When he signed with the team, there was some excitement, but we had no idea how good he was going to be. He was a tackling machine and was able to make some big plays on defense as well. We all remember the interceptions he had versus the Packers. Spillane is still young and could carve out a pretty damn good career in the silver and black. He adds leadership, and we all know our head coach loves this guy's work ethic. The whole defense, in general, is still young and needs guys like Spillane to be the leader on the back end because we all know the Big Man is the captain on the front end.
On the financial side, Spillane won't break the bank either, and middle linebackers really don't command much money as well. When it comes to linebackers, the ones who usually get paid are guys like Brian Burns, Khalil Mack, and TJ Watt. They make the most because they are elite pass rushers with a linebacker title. In all honesty, they are defensive ends who can cover every once in a while. So Spillane won't break the bank and could be one of the best all-around linebackers in the NFL. Antonio Pierce has mentioned Spillane by name as one of his guys, so an extension should be coming sooner rather than later.
The 2025 offseason is going to be critical for the Las Vegas Raiders. If the team makes the playoffs this season, it will be the biggest offseason since 2017. The Raiders made one huge splash this offseason with Christian Wilkins and spent very wisely, leaving themselves with over $25 million in cap space as of today. They will look to spend wisely during this season, hopefully securing 3 contract extensions for key players.
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