A handful of former Raiders are staring at a rough reality as the 2026 NFL season gets ready to kick off: the market has gone cold, and their chances of landing another roster spot are fading fast.
That is the uncomfortable fallout from Pete Carroll’s brief run in Las Vegas. His one year in charge was defined by a few obvious problems, but the biggest one was his reluctance to lean into the young core during what was already a lost season. Instead, he kept giving snaps to older veterans who had already run out of runway.
Now those decisions look even worse. Most of the Raiders’ free agents never became real commodities this offseason. A few caught on later when injuries opened doors in training camp, but almost none of them are on active rosters as Week 1 approaches.
Three names stand out for all the wrong reasons.
Alex Cappa, IOL
Cappa was the first notable outside addition of the John Spytek era, and it did not sit well with fans. His arrival brought immediate pushback because he was suddenly in the mix to challenge Jackson Powers-Johnson for a starting job, even though the talent and upside clearly favored Powers-Johnson.
Cappa then went through a season that was underwhelming even with a fair amount of playing time. This offseason, he has not registered as a priority for any team. At 31, and no longer at the top of his game, he could be looking at the end of the line if nobody comes calling soon.
Raheem Mostert, RB
Mostert is the one player here who still feels like he could help somebody. He showed enough burst last season to prove the speed is still there, and his path through the league means he has not taken the kind of pounding many 34-year-old backs have absorbed.
Even so, no team has given him a shot this offseason. Unless a club gets desperate for veteran help at running back, Mostert may be forced to move on. Of the three, he is the most likely to find a landing spot, but the interest simply has not shown up yet.
Tyler Lockett, WR
Lockett’s situation might be the most surprising of the group. Without Carroll, his career may have already been over last year after he asked to be released by the Tennessee Titans. Carroll gave him a chance, and Lockett finished the 2025 NFL season on the Raiders’ roster, though the production was limited.
That lifeline has not turned into anything this offseason. He has not even been brought in for a workout, which says plenty about where things stand.
Lockett had a strong career, but at nearly 34, finding another team in 2026 looks like a steep climb. Hanging up the cleats would not be a shocking outcome at this point.
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Raiders Rookie Class Could Force Bigger Roles Faster Than Expected
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Fernando Mendoza, Treydan Stukes, Keyron Crawford, Trey Zuhn III, Jermod McCoy and Mike Washington Jr. all entered camp with different paths ahead of them, but the common thread is opportunity. Some are now positioned for starting jobs or meaningful snaps, while others may end up with smaller roles or have their seasons interrupted by injury, leaving the Raiders to sort out just how quickly this class can change the depth chart. [Read more 🡒]