Las Vegas Are Willing To Rise Up A Top Star Player Preparing For The 2024/2025 Season…

One of the best draft picks the Las Vegas Raiders have made in recent years was selecting cornerback Nate Hobbs in the fifth round of the 2021 NFL Draft. He’s started 31 games for the team in three seasons and has emerged as one of the best nickel cornerbacks in the NFL.

Hobbs is entering the final year of his contract and it’s unlikely the Raiders let him test free agency. When asked which players could get a contract extension this offseason, The Athletic’s Vic Tafur offered some insight.

“I think [Nate H

Hobbs is entering the final year of his contract and it’s unlikely the Raiders let him test free agency. When asked which players could get a contract extension this offseason, The Athletic’s Vic Tafur offered some insight.

“I think [Nate Hobbs] is a lock. And [Robert] Spillane. Malcolm Koonce earned an extension as well,” Tafur wrote in a March 29 mailbag.

obbs] is a lock. And [Robert] Spillane. Malcolm Koonce earned an extension as well,” Tafur wrote in a March 29 mailbag.

Indianapolis Colts cornerback Kenny Moore II just became the highest-paid nickel cornerback in the NFL as he got a contract that pays him $10 million a season. It’s unlikely that Hobbs will get that much money but he could feasibly get something in the $8 million annual range. He’s also been asked to play on the outside in the past, which those cornerbacks make much more money. That could factor into his final asking price but it’s unlikely he makes more than Moore. Regardless, the Raiders should be motivated to pay Hobbs this offseason before his price goes up.

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The Las Vegas Raiders’ added running back Alexander Mattison in free agency this offseason.

We will be getting to know him more very quickly, but here are five aspects of Mattison the player and person that Raiders fans should know:

The Minnesota Vikings turned to Mattison last season after letting longtime starter Dalvin Cook go. Mattison started 13 games in 2023 after starting a total of six games in his first four seasons. He had a career high 700 yards on a career-high 180 rush attempts last season.

It’s January 14th, 2012. We’re at Candlestick Park in San Francisco. With 14 seconds to play, down three, and facing a third down, the 49ers need a score to keep their playoff hopes alive – without needing to roll the dice in overtime. The Saints meanwhile can end this here with a takeaway and head to the NFC Championship Game themselves. To understand how we got here and to appreciate everything this moment represents, we need to rewind.

Mattison had 30 catches on a career-high 44 targets in 2023. Even though, he was very much a part-time player in his first four seasons, Mattison was a receiving option as well. He had a career-high 32 receptions in 2021 and he has a total of 100 career receptions. Mattison does need to work on his hands some as he had six drops in 2023. Still, expect him to be a receiving option out of the backfield as the Raiders look to replace Josh Jacobs’ (he signed with Green Bay) production on the ground and in the air. Jacobs had 197 catches in five seasons with the Raiders.

Impressed new bosses:

Mattison had good games against both the Raiders and the Los Angeles Chargers (where new Raiders’ general manager Tom Telesco saw him) in 2023. Mattison had a season-high 6.6 yards per carry against the Raiders as he had 66 yards on 10 carries in a Vikings win. Mattison had 93 yards (his second highest yardage total of the season) against the Chargers. Also, in 2019, Mattison had his first NFL rushing touchdown against the Raiders.

Mattison has proven that he is a tough player at a position where injuries can be frequent. He set the tone for showing toughness in college at Boise State. He never missed a game there even though he needed shoulder and ankle surgeries after two different seasons. That toughness will play well in Las Vegas.

All-around athlete:

Mattison earned a reputation as a star athlete in high school in San Bernardino, Calif. In addition to being a star football player, he was a champion wrestler and also starred as a track runner and in the shot put. So, the Raiders are getting an athlete at running back.

Robert Spillane Extension?

Vic Tafur also mentioned that linebacker Robert Spillane could be a lock for a new contract. The Raiders just signed him last offseason but only gave him a two-year contract so he’s on an expiring deal. He outperformed expectations in a major way last season.

Spillane led the team with 148 combined tackles while also catching three interceptions and notching 2.0 sacks. He was an all-around impact player for the Raiders last season and arguably the best linebacker they’ve had in years. Spillane is only making $3.5 million a year on his current contract and is likely in line for a big pay raise, especially if he plays well again in 2024.

He’s not enough of a pass rusher to command a massive contract but he should get closer to $10 million a year on his next deal. The Raiders may also want to let him play out his contract just to make sure that his breakout in 2023 wasn’t an anomaly.

Malcolm Koonce was the third player whom Vic Tafur mentioned could be in line for an extension. The young defensive end is a little bit more difficult to make a decision on. He was essentially non-existent his first two years in the league as he combined for just 2.0 sacks.

Malcolm Koonce was the third player whom Vic Tafur mentioned could be in line for an extension. The young defensive end is a little bit more difficult to make a decision on. He was essentially non-existent his first two years in the league as he combined for just 2.0 sacks.

However, he was very impressive in 2023 and notched 8.0 sacks – 6.0 of which came in the final four games. Koonce appears to be an ascending player and the Raiders kept much of their defensive coaching staff intact so there’s no reason to believe there will be a falloff.