Raiders offseason 2025: GM John Spytek’s to-do list

Combining with Pete Carroll and Tom Brady, Las Vegas decision-makers face key offseason

Now that the NFL’s 2024 campaign is officially over with the Philadelphia Eagles’ 40-22 spectacular shellacking of the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LIX, it’s all ahead forward on the offseason.

And what an integral time period it is for the Las Vegas Raiders.

Soon enough, we’ll see general manager John Spytek and head coach Pete Carroll roll up their sleeves to construct a roster that can compete in the AFC West and the rest of the league. Don’t expect a dramatic turnaround in Year 1 — undoubtedly that’d be a nice pleasant surprise — but the foundation that the two leading men for the Silver & Black lay looms large on the team’s future.

Let’s take a look at the Top 5 to-dos on Spytek’s list as the Raiders chief personnel man:

1. Trench Work

An NFL team often begins and ends in the trenches. Both Spytek and Carroll are all too aware of this. The GM with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers who showcased both a resolute offensive line and domineering defensive line in the Super Bowl victory in 2020. The head coach during his years captaining the Seattle Seahawks who had stout offensive and defensive lines, too.

What we witnessed in the Eagles’ thrashing of the Chiefs this past Sunday is yet another prime example of the importance of trench work. Check out this absurd stat below:

The natural front four pressure Philadelphia boasted is something legendary former Raiders owner Al Davis loved and it’s something that Carroll learned from Monte Kiffin when Las Vegas new coach was devising his own scheme and system growing as a coach.

Spytek putting together a group of big ugly’s and beasts on the defensive and offensive lines is an excellent start to what the Raiders’ new regime hopes to instill in this variant of the Silver & Black. There are pieces on both fronts — defensive end Maxx Crosby and defensive tackle Christian Wilkins on one side, center/guard Jackson Powers-Johnson and left tackle Kolton Miller on the other — but competition and depth are a must this offseason.

2. Maxx-imum Overdrive

As the days go by, the reports on Crosby do, too. From NFL Network’s own Tom Pelissero and Ian Rapoport noting the Raiders star edge rusher could be dealt this offseason, to Crosby himself saying this is the most optimistic he’s been about the team to Pro Football Talk Live, it seems the talk won’t die down until kickoff to the 2025 season.

Crosby is halfway through the four-year, $94 million ($53.075 million guaranteed) he inked in March of 2022 and he has no more guaranteed coin the next two seasons before he’s slated to be an unrestricted free agent (at age 30 in the offseason after the 2026 campaign).

The 27-year-old has 59.5 sacks through six seasons with the Raiders and is a true gem as a fourth-round pick (106th overall) in the 2019 NFL Draft. If additional coin is what Crosby is seeking, Spytek and Raiders contract whiz Tom Delaney could do something former GM Tom Telesco did last season and rework Crosby’s pact to provide more money (Telesco gave the defensive end a $6 million raise, for example).

As Las Vegas lone consistent pass rusher, keeping Crosby in the fold is crucial for Spytek, Carroll and Co.

3. Determine who stays and goes

Spytek has a laundry list of in-house free agents to make decisions on. The exact number is 28 players who become free agents when the new league year begins on March 12. Of that sum, 17 are unrestricted free agents, five restricted, and six exclusive rights. The latter two are likely easier decisions than the unrestricted players.

First and foremost, Spytek and Co. are slated to have the second-most cap space available in current projections. Behold:

Salary room gives Spytek and the Raiders ample operating room to make some key decisions. On-field and locker room leaders such as middle linebacker Robert Spillane, safety Tre’Von Moehrig, and cornerback Nate Hobbs are set to hit the open market. Contributors like defensive tackle Adam Butler, defensive end K’Lavon Chaisson and linebacker Divine Deablo are part of that unrestricted group, too.

Cap space is a finite thing, of course. But the decisions Spytek makes on who returns and who goes has ripple effects the rest of the offseason — namely free agency and the draft (and post draft).

4. Build a stable

I explored the current state of the Raiders running back room a week ago, and it’s looking like a group that’ll go through some construction.

First and foremost, the current slate of tailbacks — Zamir White, Isaiah Spiller, Sincere McCormick, Chris Collier don’t have contracts beyond the 2025 season; only rookie Dylan Laube is under contract past then — so an infusion of talent in either free agency or the draft is likely on the horizon.

Carroll wants his Raiders to be able to run the ball effectively and play sound defense. And offensive coordinator Chip Kelly relies on the ground game to set up his aerial assault, too. Thus, Spytek dedicating time to evaluate the current crop of running backs and supplement the group with additional talent this offseason to truly build a productive stable is a must.

5. Solve the quarterback conundrum

Exhaust. All. Options. Available.

That’s how Spytek should approach the all-important position on his football team.

Aidan O’Connell, Gardner Minshew II, Desmond Ridder, and Carter Bradley are not the long-term solution at the quarterback position — try as they might. And Spytek turning over very rock, looking in every nook and cranny to unearth an answer to solve the Raiders’ longstanding quarterback conundrum may be No. 5 on the list, but can easily be seen as No. 1.

One trail to follow is one Carroll blazed during his time with Seattle. The Seahawks inked Matt Flynn to a three-year, $19.5 million contract ($10 million guaranteed) during free agency in 2012 with intention to compete with Tarvaris Jackson for QB1. Then came the draft a month later and Seattle landed Russell Wilson with the third round (75th overall). The latter wasn’t even expected to be in the competition for the starting gig but that changed quickly.

Wilson the gig outright and wen to to be QB1 in Seattle for 10 seasons (104-53-1 win-loss record) with eight Pro Bowl appearances and a Super Bowl win in 2013.

Perhaps a similar multiple swings and see if you crack a home run approach is wise for a Raiders team that hasn’t had a unquestioned starter (and winner) at quarterback for a long while. The opportunities to mimic that approach are there for Las Vegas as ESPN’s Adam Schefter things the team will make a play for Sam Darnold in free agency.

And the draft presents intriguing prospects (such as Ohio State’s Will Howard, who Kelly coached to a national title).

Carroll wasn’t afraid to exhaust all options then and admit a mistake, will Spytek?

He should.