The Raiders are only a third of the way through their 2026 season, but the calendar is already creeping toward the next round of roster decisions. With Week 6 in the books and Las Vegas now mired in a three-game skid, it’s time to sort through the 2027 free agents and decide who deserves a new deal, who needs a better look, and who can probably be sent packing.
Some of these calls are easy. Others are the kind that force a front office to balance production, price and projection. After Sunday, a few names strengthened their cases, while others made the argument for moving on even louder.
Tre Tucker sits at the top of the keep list, and Sunday only made the case stronger. He turned in one of the biggest performances of the week, finishing with five catches for 97 yards and two touchdowns.
He has been steady from week to week, but he also has the kind of ceiling that shows up in big bursts. That kind of weapon is worth paying for.
A deal in the neighborhood of three years, $54 million with $27 million guaranteed would make sense, especially with Jalen Nailor making around $13 million per year and Tucker likely aiming higher.
Foley Fatukasi also belongs in the “pay him” conversation. He may not light up the box score, but he draws double teams and consistently causes problems for offenses.
Even with some limitations, he looks like the best defensive tackle on the roster right now, or at least the most efficient one. That matters.
Matt Gay has earned a look as well. He missed his first kick in Week 5, but otherwise he has been perfect.
The onside kicks remain a problem, though that is something that can be worked on. Depending on the kicker market next offseason, keeping him around or bringing him back to compete would be reasonable.
Then there is Alex Ward, who gets the long snapper treatment that usually only comes when nothing is going wrong. Until the snaps get shaky, the penalties show up, or kick and punt blocks start happening, there’s no reason to disturb that part of the operation.
Jeremy Chinn falls into the middle ground. He’s a tackle machine and plays almost like a linebacker against the run, but his coverage limitations are real. If the Raiders bring him back, it has to be at the right number, and it shouldn’t stop them from chasing a more complete upgrade.
Thomas Booker IV belongs in that same tier. He’s a big, strong player with athleticism, and there’s a reason John Spytek brought him in last preseason. He’s not built to be an every-down guy, but rotational defensive linemen matter, and he looks like the sort of player worth a moderate deal.
A few players still need more time before the Raiders can really know what they have.
Cody White had been trending up early in the season, and he’s been solid for much of it, but Week 6 brought a reminder that he is still very much a work in progress. A goal-line drop knocked some shine off the hype. Even so, if he keeps contributing in a lower-profile role and stays reliable in clutch spots and on special teams, the Raiders could still see enough to keep him in the mix.
Malcolm Koonce is a tougher read. He has been uneven and has missed too many tackles, including a costly one in Week 6 that helped lead to a touchdown.
At the same time, he’s getting to the quarterback and improving against the run. The issue now is the market: edge rusher money has exploded, and Las Vegas has to be careful not to pay for the name instead of the production.
Patrick Johnson is simpler to sort out. He keeps doing his job on special teams and has been steady throughout. Depending on who’s available, how Keyron Crawford’s recovery progresses, and where things stand with Koonce, the Raiders could justify bringing Johnson back on another veteran minimum deal.
Not everyone is worth the trouble.
Kirk Cousins is playing well enough, but the price tag is the problem. Fernando Mendoza’s brief Week 5 debut showed enough to keep the Raiders on track when the time comes to turn the page, and Cousins is simply too expensive to keep around long term.
Aidan O’Connell still hasn’t played this season, and if everything goes right, he never will. The staff seems to value him, but quarterback uncertainty around the league could give him a better chance somewhere else.
Ian Thomas is fine, but the Raiders can do better. There is already a star-studded tight end duo in place, so finding a younger third option with more upside, or a pure run-blocker, makes more sense.
Tristin McCollum has been out since Week 3, and that alone tells the story. The coaching staff doesn’t seem to be leaning on him, and with a strong safety class on the way in the draft, the Raiders may simply reset at the position.
Darrell Luter Jr. flashed a bit on special teams in Week 6, but he hasn’t been active consistently or forced his way into the cornerback rotation. Other teams liked him in the preseason, so he may find a market, but Las Vegas doesn’t need to get caught in a bidding war.
And then there are the players who should be on the way out.
Spencer Burford had what was, on paper, his best game of the season on Sunday, but one good outing doesn’t erase the larger sample. With Kolton Miller and Tyler Linderbaum struggling beside him, and with last week looking more like the outlier than the norm, there’s little reason to expect him back.
Isaiah Pola-Mao also made noise on special teams against the Bills, but that hasn’t translated into a meaningful defensive role. His path back to Las Vegas looks blocked, and the Raiders should be fine letting him move on.
Dareke Young didn’t have the kind of nightmare Week 6 that he produced against the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 4, but the problems are still there. He’s getting targeted as a kick returner because he hasn’t made enough explosive plays, and the missed tackle and poor block work only add to the case against giving him another payday.
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