The Raiders are 2-5 at the bye week, a season after having nearly 100 million in cap space, the Raiders chose to take a passive approach to free agency and spending majority of their money at quarterback via trading for Geno Smith and extending superstar pass rusher Maxx Crosby. With 7 games down, how have the Raiders free agent additions performed:
RB Raheem Mostert
Mostert signed with the Raiders on a 1 year, 3.5 million contract to serve as the teams backup running back. After an initial issue over special teams snaps, Mostert has logged just 16 attempts for 80 yards and has forced 3 missed tackles while also having 4 runs of 10+ yards. Mostert has also added 2 receptions, 13 yards and 8 KR for 219 yards for a 27.4 average. Mostert has served well as a kick returner and backup running back, while the Raiders have a weird situation at RB consistently rotating out their top ten selection Ashton Jeanty with Mostert, Zamir White, and Dylan Laube there’s zero doubt Mostert has been the best of that group when on the field. The Raiders running game has lacked but Mostert has served his role well
Grade: B
G Alex Cappa
The Raiders inked Cappa to a 2 year, 11 million contract prior to the start of free agency reconnecting him with John Spytek and giving the Raiders depth along the offensive line. However, Cappa has pushed for the Raiders starting right guard position after the Raiders benched? Jackson Powers-Johnson from center to guard and then have given him seemingly a very short leash at the start of the season with Powers-Johnson being benched in the Raiders 31-0 loss to the Chiefs and initially still being in a battle for the RG position. Through just 148 snaps, Cappa has allowed a sack, 12 pressures, and been flagged once. In addition, Cappa is averaging 2.3 yards as a lead blocker with a 92.6 pass block efficiency rating. Cappa has been a serviceable guard previous in his career but things are going downhill for the near 31 year old. Cappa can serve as the Raiders backup, but giving him full time starter reps is a concern.
Grade: C-
T Stone Forsythe
Forsythe was not a fan of majority of Raiders fans after he was signed in place of Thayer Munford who struggled in preseason. Forsythe was originally brought in to be the Raiders swing tackle, and ideally wouldn’t see the field however he’s recently became the full time starter at LT due to an injury to Kolton Miller and through his 162 snaps he’s allowed 2 sacks and 6 pressures while being flagged 2 times. However, Forsythe didn’t allow a pressure vs the Chiefs yet did struggle in his first two games. Forsythe has been an average run blocking tackle with 3.9 ypc lead blocking. Forsythe struggled heavily in 2023 and 2024 with the Seahawks, and as the Raiders new LT while Miller waits to return from IR, he’s filled in serviceably.
Grade: C+
TE Ian Thomas
Thomas was brought in to be a depth tight end and has seen some increase in play time at points with an injury to Michael Mayer and Brock Bowers but with Mayer returning his snaps have gone down a little. Thomas is seen as a key blocking tight end, but he’s struggled in that position this season looking off at times and not showing the same traits he did the last couple of seasons with the Panthers. Thomas has just 4 receptions for 24 yards though the receiving game was not something he’s expected to excel at. With Mayer returning, Thomas has seen limited snaps to UDFA Carter Runyon who’s providing equal blocking ability and an increase in receiving traits. The 29 year old veteran has served his role but Las Vegas should continue to emphasize Runyon especially with Thomas struggling in the run game.
Grade: D+
NT Leki Fotu
Fotu has logged 6 tackles, 3 TFL, a sack, and quarterback hit along with adding 4 pressures and 5 stops this season. His pass rush win rate of 4.7% is a career high, though Fotu isn’t expected to contribute much as a pass rusher. In run defense, Fotu has seen an increase in his run defense win rate sitting just below 40% though that mark is a concern given the size and emphasis he should have at that position. The Raiders drafted a NT in JJ Pegues, and Fotu should show a little more emphasis in the run game and if he isn’t then Las Vegas should turn to their 5th rounder out of Ole Miss. The Raiders can’t complain about their play from Fotu who is having a career best season through his time in the NFL, and he’s shown flashes of dominance in the run game yet still struggles to find consistency. For a cheap signing at the position late into the portal season, he’s turned out above expectations.
Grade: B
ILB Elandon Roberts
Roberts was signed to be a depth piece at linebacker after the team then added Germaine Pratt, but with Pratt being cut Roberts has stepped up his playtime this season. The veteran linebacker has been a premium run defender through his time in the NFL and he’s remained successful in that phase with the Raiders. Through seven games, the 31 year old has 40 tackles, 3 TFL, 3 pressures, and 17 stops. Roberts struggles have come in coverage, an are he hasn’t been successful throughout the majority of his career where he’s allowing 8 receptions for 127 yards, and a 118.8 QBR this season on 8 targets. The veteran is seeing an increase in snaps, but he’s still inside the top 25 for run defense grade and run stops this season at ILB, actually ranking top 10 in grade. The veteran has been as expected in his play this season and he’s showing quality consistent traits that the team expected when they inked him in April.
Grade: A-
ILB Devin White
This is going to be interesting, if I read you Devin White’s box score of 64 tackles, 7 TFL, an interception, sack, forced fumble, and 2 pass breakups you’d be in awe and likely think he’s back to his pro bowl form. The numbers suggest White is playing at that level, but diving deeper there’s concerns as White has logged a 15% missed tackle rate which is bottom three at ILB including 11 missed tackles which is 4th to last at ILB this season. In addition he’s allowing 33 receptions (3rd worst at ILB) on 41 targets (most) for 242 yards and an 81.1 QBR. White has done a good job limiting his explosive plays in coverage but he’s struggling heavily with his curl flat and shallow drop assignments consistently getting beat over the middle and lacking some range of motion and explosiveness to make a play in coverage. White has shown good skills in the run game at time, though he’s also struggled to maintain gap discipline and has over pursued his lanes. At this point in the NFL season and career, White hasn’t shown a brand new style and he’s consistently been among the lower end of the NFL in tackling and coverage. Las Vegas has to be happy with how he’s limited explosive plays, but the high coverage rates and missed tackles are an issue over the middle.
Grade: C+
ILB Jamal Adams
Adams has been the best linebacker the Raiders have this season and he’s seen his snap count rise well recently including 54 vs the Chiefs in week 7. The 30 year old has logged 21 tackles, 4 TFL, and a sack along with 4 quarterback hits, 5 pressures, and 10 stops. The issue has also come in tackling with Adams having 25% missed tackle rate the highest of his career and he’s allowed 14 receptions for 91 yards and a 89.4 QBR on 17 targets which also has shown an issue in his ability to curl flats and flat concepts an issue that has plagued the Raiders for the entire season with their linebacker player other than Germaine Pratt. Adams in his first season at ILB has done a good job and likely will stick around, the Raiders have to like him on special teams as well where he’s logged 6 tackles. For a veteran signing on a veteran minimum at a new position, Adams is outperforming.
Grade: A
CB Eric Stokes
There’s a lot of good to say about Eric Stokes, among corners with 155+ coverage snaps Stokes has logged 15 tackles and a TFL along with 3 PBU. In coverage, he’s been targeted just 19 times (4th lowest at CB) and is allowing just 10 receptions (2nd) for 123 yards (5th) and a 72.9 QBR (14th). Stokes hasn’t allowed a touchdown this season while also forcing a 16% incompletion rate (8th best at CB) with 1.27 yards of separation allowed which ranks top 10. An argument can be made that Stokes has seen less coverage targets due to Kyu Blu Kelly’s struggles but it can go both ways with Stokes also forcing more targets towards Kelly and Holmes. The veteran cornerback has been successful in coverage as seen by his yards of separation allowed and his 26% tight window throw rate which is 22nd at cornerback. At just 26 years old, Stokes has been a massive success story for the Raiders this season, he’s providing quality tackling with elite coverage this season and despite the defenses struggles has been a good spot. The Raiders signed Stokes with the intention of giving him a career revival and it’s worked for both sides, ideally it’s a reunion that remains long term.
Grade: A+
SAF Jeremy Chinn
Chinn has played well, despite some of the numbers that are about to be stated. An issue has come with the Raiders playing Chinn in the box on just 55% of his snaps this season, a year after his career best season where he logged 73% of his snaps in the box. Las Vegas is utilizing Chinn far more often at free safety an area he’s never bene overly successful and he’s struggled at times because of it. The 27 year old signed a 2 year, 14 million deal with the Raiders and he’s posted 48 tackles, 2 TFL, 2 breakups, and a forced fumble in his 7 games this season. In addition he’s logged 8 stops and allowed 15 receptions for just 146 yards but four touchdowns and a 128.2 QBR largely due to his struggles in coverage beyond 15 yards where he’s allowed all four touchdowns. The veteran safety has doesn’t a good job tackling with an elite 4.1% missed tackle rate which is a career high. The injury to Lonnie Johnson likely caused an issue with the Raiders moving Chinn to strong safety and Isaiah Pola-Mao to a free safety role where both haven’t done great. However, the issue falls on the Raiders for not adjusting and finding a way to keep Pola-Mao at strong safety and Chinn in the nickel with a new free safety, such as Terrell Edmunds.
Grade: B+
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