This upcoming summer presents a franchise-defining offseason for the Las Vegas Raiders. As things stand, 7-of-11 starters on the defensive side of the ball are slated to become a free agent at the conclusion of the 2024 season. Each starting defender not named Maxx Crosby, Christian Wilkins, Jack Jones or Jakorian Bennett is working on the last year of their current deal.
Tom Telesco, the Raiders first-year general manager, will spend this season evaluating his roster and deciding which players are must-haves moving forward.
With so many soon-to-be free agents on defense, it’s a difficult task deciding which of the seven starters needs to be priority number one on the re-signing front. In the meantime, Raider Nation has reached a conclusion on who they’d like to see be brought back first.
Raider Nation decides which defender the Las Vegas Raiders must re-sign first
There’s no shortage of names to choose from in regards to which upcoming free agent defender should be the first to get a new deal.
Malcolm Koonce and Adam Butler stand as the D-line options while Robert Spillane and Divine Deablo round out the front-seven. In the secondary, starting safeties Tre’von Moehrig and Marcus Epps are set to hit the open market in addition to cornerback Nate Hobbs.
So, which player does Raider Nation believe should be top-priority in terms of getting a new contract?
Of the 278 fans to vote, 57.9% concluded Robert Spillane was the answer. Hobbs received the second-most votes with 31.3% going to him while Moehrig’s 9% was the third-highest. Combined, the remaining four made up 1.8% of votes.
Spillane, turning 29 in December, currently leads the National Football League in solo tackles with 61. Although he shares the top-spot with Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Jermaine Pratt, Spillane’s 18 assisted tackles stand superior to Pratt’s 14.
Additionally, Spillane is responsible for 25% less missed tackles than Pratt, missing six in comparison to Pratt’s eight.
If you didn’t get to vote, let us know your thoughts. Do you agree Spillane is who the Raiders must make priority number one when it comes to re-signings?
*Top Photo: Las Vegas Sun/Steve Marcus
Las Vegas Raiders Linebacker Robert Spillane Returns To First In Solo Tackles