The Las Vegas Raiders head into the 2026 NFL draft with a need for a true free safety, as the roster currently lacks someone who can patrol the backend of the defense and create turnovers. Luckily, there are a handful of quality options at the position in this year’s draft class, giving the Raiders a few avenues to fill the void in the secondary.
But with a handful of choices, what should Las Vegas’ strategy be to land a quality free safety? Let’s dive into what Plans A, B and C should be during the last weekend in April.
Plan A: Trade into mid-20s for Dillon Thieneman
To be honest, this is more of a hopeful idea than a legitimate plan. Mock drafts have Thieneman going as high as 12 to the Dallas Cowboys, and more often than not, he doesn’t make it past the Minnesota Vikings at 18. Even if Minnesota passes on him, Dallas is back on the clock just a couple of spots later. Also, what it would cost for the Raiders to get back into the first round plays a major factor.
However, on the off chance that the Oregon product does slide, that’s an opportunity for John Spytek to make a move and address one of the biggest holes on the defense.
This has to be “Plan A” since it involves the first round of the draft, but I’d expect Spytek to quickly pivot, especially if finding a reasonable trade partner is difficult. Las Vegas doesn’t need to be desperate with a few options on Day 2 of the draft.
Plan B: Move back to 50s for A.J. Haulcy
Taking Haulcy at pick 36 would be a reach, to me. He ranks in the 50s for most draft outlets, sitting at 57th overall on NFL Mock Draft Database’s consensus big board, as of April 8. But the LSU product is also the only safety with a consensus second-round grade, and picking up extra draft picks while adding a ballhawk to the secondary could be a perfect scenario for the rebuilding Raiders.
That would give the defense a free safety who has eight interceptions and 12 passes defended over the last two seasons combined, while giving the team at least one more asset to address other needs like nose tackle, offensive line, wide receiver, etc. Also, it’s a bonus that Haulcy also brings some position versatility to potentially expand his role down the line.
Plan C: Bud Clark at 67
Admittedly, I’m bullish on Clark and veer away from the consensus when it comes to his draft value, as NMDD has him ranked 92nd overall. But even if the latter holds true during the draft, the Raiders won’t have a chance to get the former Horned Frog at the top of round four.
Trading back could be an option too, but moving too close to day three of the draft invites a greater level of risk and is a dangerous game to play when it comes to addressing the need. At least with the trade into the 50s mentioned above, Las Vegas would still have a couple of chances to get another safety if Haulcy gets snatched up before the club is back on the clock. This safety class is deep, but the pickings start to get slim in the fourth round.
In my opinion, Clark is worth a selection that is in or near the 70s. He’d add some much-needed ball skills to the Silver and Black’s secondary, logging 15 interceptions (two pick-sixes) and 21 passes defended during his last four seasons at TCU.
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