The Raiders’ first loss of the season changed the mood in Las Vegas, and it also sharpened the picture for a handful of players headed toward free agency. A 3-1 start still looks good on paper, but the defeat to the Kansas City Chiefs gave the front office a better look at who should stay, who should be paid carefully, and who probably shouldn’t be part of the plan next spring.
That’s the point of the weekly “Commit or Quit?” exercise: sorting through the Raiders’ 2027 free agents and deciding, early, what the team ought to do with them.
Some names are trending toward extension talks. Malcolm Koonce had been rolling before Sunday, but against Kansas City he was quiet, finishing with only a pressure and a missed tackle while UDFA rookie Kahlil Benson kept him out of the box score. The dip hurts his stock, though the bigger body of work still matters.
Tre Tucker landed in the same general bucket. He was solid again, just not electric, catching four passes for 44 yards.
The drop late was ugly, but the overall production keeps him in the mix. Cody White also helped his case, hauling in two catches for 36 yards and showing he can make plays away from the end zone at Allegiant Stadium.
His route-running and physicality stood out, and he may have carved out a real role.
Matt Gay keeps making the decision easy. He stayed perfect on the season, going 4-for-4 on field goals and adding his lone extra point for 13 points against Kansas City.
His kickoffs have also been close to spotless. Alex Ward gets a pass too; the Raiders had special teams issues, but they weren’t on him.
Jeremy Chinn’s case is more interesting. Coverage has been the big question, but he looked better there against the Chiefs while still doing his usual work against the run.
He finished with five tackles and allowed just one catch for six yards. Foley Fatukasi and Thomas Booker IV both fit into the defensive tackle rotation, but neither feels like a difference-maker.
Fatukasi logged three tackles in 31 snaps, while Booker also posted three tackles. Both are useful.
Neither is irreplaceable.
There are also players who need more time before anyone makes a real call. Patrick Johnson got a pressure on one of his four defensive snaps, but he had a rough outing on special teams, missing two tackles after making one.
Tristin McCollum was inactive again, and the new staff doesn’t seem to value him the way the old one did. Darrell Luter Jr. was inactive for the third time in four weeks, and the sense that he simply needed time to learn the system is fading.
Then come the players the Raiders probably should move on from.
Spencer Burford wasn’t disastrous at left guard, but he also didn’t do enough to change the conversation. With Caleb Rogers also struggling, Las Vegas may wind up needing Burford as insurance - or deciding to chase a bigger upgrade at the position.
Isaiah Pola-Mao didn’t play on defense again and missed a tackle on special teams, which makes him look increasingly expendable. Dareke Young had the kind of day that sinks trust fast, fumbling the game away and missing a block that could have sprung Mike Washington Jr. for an explosive play.
Kirk Cousins was not the reason the Raiders lost. He actually kept them in it.
But the future in Las Vegas is tied to Fernando Mendoza, and Cousins is too expensive to bring back on his current deal. A trade is possible.
A return is not. Aidan O’Connell, back as the emergency third quarterback in Week 4, also looks like a player whose next opportunity will come somewhere else, especially after what he’s said about wanting a chance to start.
Ian Thomas at least gave the Raiders something to note, catching a touchdown and another pass in his best game of the year. His blocking was still shaky, though he contributed on special teams. He could stay, but the search for an upgrade should continue.
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Christian Gonzalez and Christian Barmore were among the most notable names, with Gonzalez expected to remain out and Barmore possibly limited to some activities. The Patriots do have a few players on injured reserve who are eligible to return, but coach Mike Vrabel said it does not sound like any of them are likely to be activated this week, leaving the Raiders with a clearer path to attack a defense that may be piecing things together on the fly. [Read more 🡒]