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5 possible cuts that would give Raiders NFL's most salary cap room
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- 5 possible cuts that would give Raiders NFL's most salary cap room
With any team that finishes the season as the worst in the league, there is going to be some turnover. Often times a lot of turnover. The Raiders are that team this year. Las Vegas 's first order of business was to fire Pete Carroll as head coach. And with a staff change, the new staff will look to make roster to their liking with their guys.
So, you can expect most of the team's 19 upcoming unrestricted free agents to be allowed to walk, and a few cut players joining them on the market.
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Some players are more likely in the conversation as possible cuts than others. Whether it be their lack of productivity, their salary, or both. These five stand out to me:
QB Geno Smith
Dead money: $18.5M
Cap savings: $8M
Nov 30, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Geno Smith (7) drops back to pass against the Los Angeles Chargers during the first half at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
(Jayne Kamin-Oncea, Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images)
G/C Alex Cappa
Dead money: $1M
Cap savings: $5M
S Isaiah Pola-Mao
Dead money: $750K
Cap savings: $3.6M
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - JANUARY 05: Isaiah Pola-Mao #20 of the Las Vegas Raiders celebrates after a third down stop against the Los Angeles Chargers during the third quarter at Allegiant Stadium on January 05, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ian Maule/Getty Images)
DT Adam Butler
Dead money: $4.4M
Cap savings: $2.17M
QB Aidan O'Connell
Dead money: $125K
Cap savings: $1.1M
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - AUGUST 07: Aidan O'Connell #12 of the Las Vegas Raiders passes during the NFL Preseason 2025 game between Las Vegas Raiders and Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field on August 07, 2025 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
Raiders salary cap impact
Total savings: $20 million
Currently the Raiders are third in the league in available money under the cap with a projected $89 million to spend. They would need to add about $15 million in cap space in order to take the top spot from the Chargers ($103M). Based on those numbers, cutting all these players would give them the most cap space in the league heading into free agency in March.
This article originally appeared on Raiders Wire: 5 possible cuts that would give Raiders NFL's most salary cap room
