The Las Vegas Raiders are finally trying to climb out of the doldrums of the NFL. After the last half-decade was spent as one of the worst teams in the league, a change in ownership with Tom Brady taking over at the helm has led to some dramatic moves before the start of the 2025 season.
A change in the head coaching position with NFL legend Pete Carroll taking over, alongside a shocking trade for Geno Smith, has given Las Vegas a new foundation to work with. With a strong free agency and NFL Draft behind them, what does the salary cap situation look like for a team that’s quickly becoming a threat in the AFC?
Highest-Paid Player on the Las Vegas Raiders
10. Alex Cappa, $5,0101,000
A veteran with some Championship pedigree, the Raiders signed Alex Cappa to a two-year deal worth $11 million to provide better protection for their new man behind center. With eight years of experience under his belt, Cappa should hold down the guard spot for Las Vegas.
9. Daniel Carlson, $5,150,000
A veteran on the team since 2018, Daniel Carlson has been the team’s starting kicker for quite some time. Incredibly adept at his job, he led the league in scoring in consecutive years in 2020 and 2021, earning All-Pro selections both times.
He is near the end of a four-year extension he signed near the end of the 2021 season, worth $18.4 million. Last year, he was 23 of 25 on extra point attempts, while going 34 of 40 on field goal attempts.
8. Jeremy Chinn, $6,629,000
Jeremy Chinn is yet to find the heights he did as a rookie with the Carolina Panthers. Taken in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft, he was immediately on the All-Rookie team as a safety. However, since then, he hasn’t taken that next leap, instead spending last season with the Washington Commanders.
He joins the Raiders on the back of a relatively inexpensive two-year contract worth $16.52 million, as defensive ace Pete Carroll looks to revitalize both Chinn’s career and the Raiders’ defense in the secondary.
7. Tyree Wilson, $6,819,682
A highly coveted pick from two years ago, Las Vegas picked up Tyree Wilson with the seventh pick of the 2023 NFL Draft. A former All-American, his career in the pros hasn’t taken off like many in Sin City were anticipating.
But he has been solid in his two years in the league, besides a superstar like Maxx Crosby. With Carroll on the sidelines now, there might be hope within the front office of unlocking that next level in Wilson.
6. Malcolm Koonce, $10,020,000
Another homegrown defensive talent, Malcolm Koncee, came to Las Vegas in the 2021 NFL Draft in the third round. A slow start to his career saw him take a major leap forward in the 2023 season. However, injuries derailed his momentum last year.
A knee injury in practice near the start of the season ended up putting him out for the year. But the Raiders brought him back on a one-year deal worth $12 million to potentially test him out as a long-term piece.
5. Jakobi Meyers, $14,986,334
In the final year of a three-year contract he signed in 2023, Jakobi Meyers has been the most consistent receiver on the Las Vegas Raiders, especially with Davante Adams no longer on the squad.
Consistently improving year upon year, he had the best season of his six-year NFL career last season when he tallied 1,027 yards and four touchdowns. With a far better quarterback now throwing him the ball, expect those numbers to take a further step up.
4. Kolton Miller, $15,680,998
One of the premier veterans on the team, Kolton Miller, has been with the Raiders organization since being drafted in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft. In that time span, he has become a virtual guarantee at the left tackle spot.
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He is in the final year of a three-year extension worth $54.015 million that he signed in 2021. With protection for Smith a priority in Las Vegas, Miller is going to have a point to prove with a potential hefty extension coming his way if the season turns out to be productive.
3. Christian Wilkins, $18,137,000
One of the most decorated collegiate athletes in the entire league, Christian Wilkins, came to the Raiders last season on the back of a massive four-year deal worth $110 million. A consistent force in Miami before that, he had multiple solid seasons with the Dolphins.
Suffering from a Jones fracture that he suffered in Week Five last year against the Denver Broncos, Las Vegas has to hope that he can return to his pre-injury form once he returns next season.
2. Maxx Crosby, $38,153,250
The best player for the Raiders for the last couple of seasons, Maxx Crosby, has developed into a terrifying name for opposing teams to handle. His aggressiveness, combined with tenacity and a penchant for hunting the quarterback, makes him a dangerous matchup any week.
A two-time All-Pro and four-time Pro Bowl selection, he has become a major part of the Las Vegas franchise and was rewarded with a massive three-year extension worth $106.5 million that briefly made him the highest-paid non-quarterback in the league.
1. Geno Smith, $40,000,000
Arguably the biggest trade of the free agency cycle, Geno Smith coming over from the Seattle Seahawks, instantly changed the entire outlook of the Las Vegas Raiders. An 11-year veteran, he has two Pro Bowl appearances to his name.
Last year, he was one of the five most productive quarterbacks in the league, with a career-high 4,320 passing yards to his name, while maintaining a completion percentage upwards of 70%.