Raiders’ desire to move on from ex-Pro Bowlers could be signal of overhaul

Former Pro Bowlers TE Darren Waller and WR Hunter Renfrow could be available in trades this offseason, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler,  an indication Las Vegas wants cap space for a roster overhaul. 

“(Raiders HC) Josh McDaniels is big on ‘culture fits’ and will want his own guys. Teams will be keeping an eye on Darren Waller and Hunter Renfrow,” wrote Fowler. 

The Raiders may make splashy moves in free agency, too.

Fowler believes Las Vegas’ chances of signing impending free agent Tom Brady are strong.  

“The most pertinent need could be a viable No. 2 WR to complement Davante Adams,” Las Vegas Review-Journal’s Vincent Bonsignore wrote of the Raiders. 

Las Vegas also might want to franchise tag Josh Jacobs, the league’s leading rusher in 2022.   

Although the Raiders have $22.3 million in cap space, per OverTheCap, they need more to keep Jacobs and land upgrades at QB and WR. 

Trading Waller, Renfrow and longtime starting QB Derek Carr, who the franchise is moving on from, creates $60M in cap space. Releasing Carr before Feb. 15 incurs a $5.6M cap hit, but $54.4M would be left over, assuming a Waller and Renfrow trade still happens.    

The hypothetical moves give the Raiders more than $75M in cap space, enough to sign a player such as Brady, whose market value is a two-year deal worth $40.8M, per Spotrac. They also could sign a wide receiver such as JuJu Smith-Schuster of the Chiefs, whose market value is a four-year deal worth $14.6M annually, and Jacobs at a $10.1M franchise tag.  

McDaniels and GM Dave Ziegler are determined to change the organization, starting with the roster.

 Las Vegas might be a team to keep an eye on this offseason.