Raiders lose another key defensive player
Last month, new Las Vegas Raiders coach Pete Carroll said he hoped to keep all of the team’s key defensive free agents.
Yet, the opposite is happening in the early hours of free agency.
According to multiple reports, Raiders’ homegrown safety Tre’ovn Moehrig has agreed to terms with the Carolina Panthers. They three-year deal is for $51 million that can turn into a $60 million deal, according to NFL Media.
Moehrig’s departure came shortly after Raiders’ middle linebacker Robert Spillane agreed to a three-year, $37.5 million deal (with a reported $20.6 million in guaranteed money) with the New England Patriots.
Both Spillane and Moehrig are big losses for the Raiders.
Unlike middle linebacker where Dre Greenlaw is the best available free agent, there are a lot of safeties available. They include Jevon Holland of Miami, Cam Bynum (who look be a Moehrig replacement) of Minnesota, Justin Reid of Kansas City and Jeremy Chinn of Washington.
UPDATE:
Bynum has agreed to terms with the Colts.
The Raiders have about $50 million in salary-cap room. But they also have many holes and now linebacker and safety join the list.
Marcus Epps is also a free agent. The team extend the contract of Isaiah Pola-Mao and he will likely start. The other safeties on the roster at the moment are Thomas Harper, Chris Smith and Trey Taylor.
Moehrig was a second-round pick of the Raiders in 2021. he was good as a rookie, but struggled some. yet, he improved and had a big year in 2024 and his pay check in Carolina showed it was noticed around the league.
The Raiders also have key defensive free agents, defensive end Malcolm Koonce, cornerback Nate Hobbs and linebacker Divine Deablo.