Raiders lose 3 starters to free agency, but re-sign pass rusher

The Raiders’ defense is in transition after the first day of the NFL’s legal tampering period Monday.

Three starters — linebacker Robert Spillane, safety Tre’von Moehrig and cornerback Nate Hobbs — reached agreements with other teams.

The Raiders brought in safety Jeremy Chinn and linebacker Elandon Roberts as potential replacements. They also re-signed defensive end Malcolm Koonce, who missed all of last season with a knee injury after a breakout 2023 campaign, and brought in safety Lonnie Johnson as a depth piece and special teams player.

All deals, except for Koonce’s, given he is re-signing, are pending physicals and cannot become official until the new league year begins Wednesday.

Monday was busy and featured plenty of change. The Raiders, under the leadership of new coach Pete Carroll and general manager John Spytek, have a lot of work ahead to rebuild a team that finished 4-13 last season. The three players the Raiders lost were all key contributors.

Spillane was the heartbeat in the middle of the team’s defense. Hobbs provided grit and toughness. Moehrig was a homegrown talent that grew into a standout player.

But the Raiders will move on and see if their new additions help fortify a defense that finished tied for 25th in points allowed last season.

Missing heartbeat

Spillane, 29, agreed to a three-year, $33 million contract with the Patriots.

The deal reunites him with coach Mike Vrabel, who was in charge of the Titans when Spillane signed there as an undrafted free agent out of Western Michigan in 2018. He also played for the Steelers before joining the Raiders in 2023.

Spillane, listed at 6-foot-1 and 229 pounds, was one of the team’s best players the last two seasons. He had 158 tackles last year, the third-most in the NFL.

Roberts, 30, could step into Spillane’s starting role after agreeing to a one-year, $3 million deal. The 2016 sixth-round pick out of Houston started 14 games for the Steelers last season and made 46 tackles.

Roberts, who is listed at 6-foot-1 and 238 pounds, has also played for the Steelers and Dolphins.

The Raiders’ other starting linebacker last season, Divine Deablo, is a free agent as well. Their in-house options for the role include Tommy Eichenberg, Amari Burney and Amari Gainer.

Big loss at safety

Moehrig, a 2021 second-round pick out of TCU, is another tough loss.

The 25-year-old hit his stride last season, making 104 tackles and grabbing two interceptions. Moehrig, listed at 6-foot-2 and 202 pounds, cashed in by agreeing to a three-year, $51 million deal with the Panthers.

The Raiders hope Chinn will provide similar production. The 27-year-old, who was selected by Carolina in the second round of the 2020 draft, made 117 tackles with the Commanders last season playing under coach Dan Quinn, a former Carroll assistant.

Chinn, listed at 6-foot-3 and 220 pounds, agreed to a two-year, $16 million contract. The Raiders hope he can start alongside Isaiah Pola-Mao, though they have high hopes for second-year safeties Thomas Harper and Trey Taylor.

Johnson, listed at 6-foot-2 and 213 pounds, isn’t likely to be part of the mix. The 2019 second-round pick by the Texans out of Garden City Community College only played 13 snaps on defense for Carolina last season. Terms of the 29-year-old’s deal with the Raiders were not immediately available.

Hole at cornerback

Hobbs, 25, agreed to a four-year, $48 million contract with the Packers.

The Raiders may have been reluctant to meet his price because of his injury issues. Hobbs has appeared in just 51 games since being drafted in the fifth round in 2021 out of Illinois. He missed six games last season because of an ankle injury and an illness.

The Raiders still need to find a replacement for Hobbs, who is listed at 6 feet and 195 pounds. Their in-house cornerback options include Jakorian Bennett, Jack Jones and Decamerion Richardson.

The Raiders inquired about free agents D.J. Reed and Carlton Davis before they signed with the Lions and the Patriots, respectively.

Koonce’s return

Koonce, 27, agreed to a one-year, $12 million contract to return to the Raiders.

He was fantastic down the stretch in 2023, with eight sacks in his final nine games. The 2021 third-round pick out of Buffalo then got hurt days before the 2024 opener and missed the entire season.

Koonce, who is listed at 6-foot-3 and 250 pounds, is betting on himself by taking this deal. He could cash in next offseason if he gets healthy and returns to form.

The Raiders will now look to see what else they can add as the NFL’s free-agent market continues to play out.

Contact Vincent Bonsignore at vbonsignore@reviewjournal.com. Follow @VinnyBonsignore on X.