The offseason cannot come soon enough for the Las Vegas Raiders.
While this season has long been lost, there is enough reason to believe the Raiders’ future can be much brighter. Along with the increased likelihood of securing a top pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, the Raiders also have the second-most cap space available for next season behind the New England Patriots. With the Raiders likely going to be securing a rookie quarterback, that should give the team plenty of room to operate and fix some of the other sore spots on their roster.
According to Bleacher Report’s scouting department, one such solution is Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Nick Bolton.
“The Raiders are clearly a long way away from the Chiefs in the AFC West, but free agency is an area that could allow them to close the gap,” Bleacher Report said. “Signing Nick Bolton away from their defense would hurt a division rival while addressing a real need on the Las Vegas defense.”
There is no denying that the Kansas City Chiefs are the team to beat in the NFL right now. They clinched the top spot in the AFC West for the ninth straight time on Sunday, and they look poised to go on another deep postseason run as they look to be the first team in NFL history to win three straight Super Bowls.
That being said, every team will be faced with difficult decisions in the offseason, and the Chiefs are no exception. With the defending champions having to prioritize different players and balancing the books to keep their war machine functional, productive players like Bolton could slip through the cracks.
For a team like the Raiders, Bolton being available this coming offseason would be a perfect opportunity to get one over on their nemesis.
“Divine Deablo has not played well enough to be a guaranteed starter next season, and Robert Spillane is set to become a free agent,” Bleacher Report added. “Bolton has been a productive starter on a few good Chiefs defenses, and he would make a good addition for a Raiders defense that has disappointed this season.”
Bolton and Spillane would make for an interesting debate for the Raiders this offseason. Other than having familiarity with defensive coordinator Patrick Graham’s scheme, Spillane has also been one of the more productive linebackers in the league this season, with his 118 tackles being good for eighth in the NFL. While Bolton only has 89 tackles, he also offers more versatility and big-play ability, with 2.5 sacks, six quarterback hits, and ten tackles for loss; for comparison, Spillane has one sack, two quarterback hits, and seven tackles for loss so far.
The Raiders have serious money to spend on possible solutions this spring. Bolton stands out as a possible option to shore up the middle of the defense.
