Carter Owen

The Raiders'2025 free agent classfeatures eight newcomers at defensive tackle, linebacker, cornerback, safety, running back, tight end and guard.

Here are some numbers to know about the newest additions to the Silver and Black.

Filling in the defense

After signing guard Alex Cappa on March 5, five of the Raiders' next seven acquisitions from outside the building involved defensive players.

Four of those five players (LB Elandon Roberts, CB Eric Stokes, S Jeremy Chinn and S Lonnie Johnson Jr.) played in 15+ games last season.

Stopping the run has been a strength for Roberts throughout his NFL career. Since entering the league as a sixth-round pick in 2016, he ranks 21st among all defensive players with 398 tackles on designed run plays. Roberts has also become a more consistent presence in opposing backfields. He totaled 27 tackles for loss in his first six seasons but has recorded 25 tackles for loss over his last three years in Miami (2022-23) and Pittsburgh (2024).

Chinn comes to Las Vegas after playing a crucial role in the Commanders' eight-win turnaround and first conference title game appearance since 1991. Among NFL safeties, he finished tied for 10th in tackles (107) and tied for third in sacks (two). His seven tackles for loss were a career high and ranked eighth among all defensive backs last season. Chinn was one of only three players in the NFL to record 12+ tackles in three consecutive games in 2024. He was also one of 11 players to record a fumble recovery and interception in the same game.

Stokes joins the Raiders after four seasons with Green Bay. After a promising rookie year, he battled injuries in 2022 and 2023, appearing in only 12 total games. He bounced back to play in all 17 games last season and has started 32 games at cornerback in his career. Stokes will look to build on that with the Silver and Black under defensive coordinator Patrick Graham and the new-look defensive staff.

Johnson brings promise as a potential contributor in the secondary and on special teams. Of his 352 snaps last season with Carolina, 339 came on special teams. In fact, in each of his last three seasons, Johnson's snap count on special teams has increased while his snap count on defense has decreased. However, he does have 20 career starts as a cornerback and safety, and is looking forward to working with defensive backs coach Marcus Robertson, his former coach in New Orleans.

"Me and him clicked in New Orleans, and I felt like he believed in me there," Johnson said of Robertson after signing with the Silver and Black. "When he reached out this time, it was a no brainer that I was coming to where he was at to just get a second opportunity to show what I can do."

Leki Fotu is the most recent addition to the defense. The 335-pound defensive tackle brings depth to a defensive line unit that signed back defensive end Malcolm Koonce and defensive tackle Adam Butler. Fotu spent much of his 2024 season with the Jets on injured reserve but set career highs in solo tackles (15), sacks (2.5) and tackles for loss (five) in 2023 with Arizona. He has played in 58 career games since entering the NFL in 2020 as a fourth-round draft pick for the Cardinals.

Speed and smarts

While much of free agency was focused on the defense, the Raiders also added players on offense at guard, running back and tight end.

General Manager John Spytek was Tampa Bay's director of player personnel when the Buccaneers drafted new Raiders guard Alex Cappa in the third round of the 2018 NFL Draft.

Cappa started six games as a rookie before moving into a full-time starting role from 2019-21, helping the Buccaneers defeat Kansas City in Super Bowl LV. He spent his last three seasons with Cincinnati and ranks second in the NFL in offensive snaps played since 2020 (regular season).

"Cap's a great competitor, tough, smart," Spytek said Thursday inan interviewwith Raiders.com's Eddie Paskal. "He's going to be a great sounding board I think for JPJ [Jackson Powers-Johnson] in the middle, and he'll help set him at ease."

Hoping to run behind that offensive line is newly acquired running back Raheem Mostert, who had his best year as a pro in 2023 with Miami. He earned his first Pro Bowl nod after recording a career-high 209 carries and the first 1,000-yard rushing season of his career. His 18 rushing touchdowns led the NFL and his 21 total touchdowns were tied for the league lead.

Ian Thomas adds competition to a tight ends room that led the NFL in receiving yards last season (1,443). He'll work with tight ends coach Luke Steckel, one of just two members of the 2024 offensive staff to be retained by Head Coach Pete Carroll. Thomas recorded 119 receptions and 1,062 receiving yards in 99 career games with Carolina. He also played 496 special teams snaps with the Panthers.

Adding experience

The Raiders roster currently features eight players with seven or more years of NFL experience. Four of those eight were signed in March as free agents.

• G Alex Cappa (7)
• TE Ian Thomas (7)
• LB Elandon Roberts (9)
• RB Raheem Mostert (10)

Thomas, Roberts and Mostert come in as the most experienced players in their position group. Thomas' seven years in the NFL top the five combined seasons between Michael Mayer, Justin Shorter and Brock Bowers. Roberts' nine years as a pro are two more than the rest of the linebackers room put together.

Mostert's 10 seasons in the NFL equal the combined years of experience among the other five running backs currently on the roster. Cappa's seven years in the league are also tied with Kolton Miller for the most on the offensive line.

Counting the re-signing of Butler and trade for quarterback Geno Smith, six of the Raiders' eight most experienced players were added this month.