We’ve hit the free agency ranking period of the 2026 offseason, and The Athletic’s Daniel Popper released his Top 150 impending free agency. Popper’s list included three Las Vegas Raiders: cornerback Eric Stokes, guard Dylan Parham and defensive end Malcolm Koonce. Let’s see what he had to say about each of them.
Eric Stokes
Rank: 47 (CB5)
A 2021 first-round pick with the Packers, Stokes hit free agency last offseason and had to settle for a one-year, $3.5 million deal with the Raiders. He played well
in coordinator Patrick Graham’s scheme, and now he is positioned for a more lucrative free-agent deal. Stokes has length and speed. He is sticky in man coverage and can press at the line of scrimmage with his frame. He is an athletic dropper in zone who is able to keep vision on the quarterback while maintaining positioning within the coverage. Stokes could be more physical in run support, but he is not a liability in this phase. — Popper
Stokes is the biggest conundrum that John Spytek will have when it comes to the Raiders’ in-house free agents. The cornerback had a good year, but he also didn’t get tested much since the defense had issues at the other cornerback spot and covering the middle of the field. So, it could come down to the pricetag, and Popper projects Stokes to fetch a two-year, $20 million contract this offseason. If that’s all it takes, it’d be completely reasonable to re-sign him.
Dylan Parham
Rank: 78 (G9)
Parham has quick feet to mirror rushers and get himself out of compromised positions as a pass protector. He lacks the pad level and power to generate consistent movement in the run game. The pad level issues also show up in pass protection against bull rushes. He loses balance and leverage too often, and he is susceptible on T-E stunts. He lacks some feel and awareness in these situations. — Popper
While Parham has been a solid starter in Las Vegas, it feels like the team was constantly waiting for him to take the next step, and it never happened. The 2022 third-round pick is an average to above-average starter, and the Raiders should be looking to upgrade the position during free agency, in my opinion.
Maclolm Koonce
Rank: 81 (EDGE12)
Koonce is a disruptive pass rusher who uses unorthodox hesitation moves. He puts rushers to sleep and then explodes. He will flash as a run defender, but he is not consistent enough in this phase to be a true above-average starter. He projects best as a situational rusher who can come on for obvious passing downs. — Popper
Spytek gave Koonce a “prove-it” deal last year, allowing the pass-rusher an opportunity to have the contract year he was robbed of with the torn ACL ahead of the 2024 campaign. However, Koonce didn’t have the same explosiveness that helped him rack up eight sacks a couple of seasons ago. In other words, he didn’t “prove it,” so it seems like the Raiders will likely move on from him this spring.
In Other Raiders’ Links:
- Running backs coach hired: The Raiders added former Iowa running backs coach Omar Young to the coaching staff to guide Ashton Jeanty.
- Stoic Klint Kubiak perfect for Fernando Mendoza: “Kubiak’s approach harps on team-first, calculated, and disciplined football. And his reserved demeanor is a core tenant to his coaching style,” S&BP’s Ray Aspuria wrote. “…When you take that all into account, it sure sounds a lot like Mendoza.”
- Raiders don’t want to trade Maxx Crosby: “I was told that the Raiders don’t want to trade him and that if they even contemplated it, it would take a Micah Parsons-type package,” ESPN’s Adam Schefter said on 97.5 The Fanatic’s “Kincade and Salciunas”. “That’s what I was told. Do I think they’re getting two ones and a player? No. Do I think that they’re going to want to trade him? No. Do I think he’ll be traded?…It’ll change by the week, but it’s certainly possible.”
- Alex Cappa named potential salary cap casualty: “One of the many Raiders mistakes of last offseason was rushing to pay Cappa $5 million,” The Athletic’s Ted Nguyen wrote. “He was coming off a season in which he played like one of the worst starting guards in the league, didn’t look much better last season and couldn’t help a Raiders line that struggled. He’s scheduled to make $6 million next year but the Raiders can save $5 million ($1 million in dead cap) by cutting him and adding to their wealth of cap space.”
