The Las Vegas Raiders defense has not met expectations throughout 2026. An aging, undermanned unit has routinely been exposed by its opponents. Entering the Week 18 finale , the defense ranks 25th in points allowed (26.3) per game.
General manager John Spytek must make notable changes to the defense this offseason. Patrick Graham is a high-quality defensive coordinator, but there's not enough talent for him to work with. We've identified three pending free agents on defense who shouldn't be re-signed by Spytek.
Elandon Roberts has made 86 tackles in 16 appearances, but the veteran linebacker has been a constant liability in coverage. The experienced defender has been assigned a coverage score of 35.1 by Pro Football Focus . The Raiders desperately need to get more athletic up the middle.
The aging Jamal Adams came to Vegas to reunite with Pete Carroll. Playing in a hybrid safety-linebacker role, he's earned over 400 snaps on defense. It's obvious Adams' best years are well behind him. He shouldn't return even if Carroll survives this disastrous season and is back coaching the team in 2026.
There's been debate about Devin White's campaign . He's registered 168 tackles, second-most in the entire NFL. But like Roberts, covering in space has been a recurring issue. His PFF coverage grade is only slightly better at 35.8. An injection of youth and speed is required at linebacker.
This article originally appeared on Raiders Wire: 3 pending free agents who won't return to the Raiders defense in 2026
