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The Las Vegas Raiders enter the 2025 offseason on the outside looking in when it comes to the NFL’s elite. After another disappointing season, changes are inevitable. The franchise must make difficult roster decisions to realign with a competitive future. With the salary cap always a factor and new leadership likely assessing every contract on the books, some players may find themselves on the chopping block. Whether due to underperformance, financial considerations, or positional upgrades, several Raiders could be cut before the new league year begins.
A Year to Forget
It was a rough season for the Raiders, their first and only full one under head coach Antonio Pierce. Sure, they won two of their last three games. However, the Raiders lost 10 straight at one point and missed the playoffs for a third straight campaign.
They struggled to find any consistency, especially at quarterback. They rotated between Gardner Minshew, Aidan O’Connell, and Desmond Ridder due to injuries and overall poor play. The Raiders fired offensive coordinator Luke Getsy after just nine games, too, along with two other position coaches in November.
To make matters worse, the Raiders started winning at the end of the season. Yes, this may be a good sign for the franchise. However, it moved the Raiders out of position to land what would be their first No. 1 overall draft pick since 2007. Considering the team’s needs, that finish could make this offseason significantly more difficult in Las Vegas.
The team made a very solid hire in Pete Carroll to replace Pierce at head coach. If anybody is going to bring steady, veteran leadership to the franchise, it’s Carroll.
Here we'll try to identify the three players who are the Las Vegas Raiders cut candidates entering the 2025 NFL offseason.
1. Gardner Minshew, QB
Gardner Minshew was brought in as a veteran bridge option. However, his 2024 stint with the Raiders proved to be uninspiring at best. Signed to a one-year, incentive-laden deal, the hope was that Minshew could provide stability while O’Connell continued his development. Instead, the veteran quarterback struggled. He posted pedestrian numbers and failed to deliver when the Raiders needed him most. Yes, Minshew’s trademark confidence and energy remained. That said, his limitations as a passer became increasingly evident in an offense that lacked an identity.
It would be a surprise if the Raiders brought Minshew back for the 2025 season. With over $90 million in projected cap space, they do not need to cut him, but keeping him around would muddy the waters.
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The only reason they may keep Minshew is that, cutting him means they will save only $6.3 million. Finding a reasonable backup on the open market will cost somewhere close to that. However, with cost not being an issue, the Raiders need to make a decision based on harmony. If Minshew is happy to be a backup, they may not cut him, but that feels risky.
2. Jack Jones, CB
The Raiders don't really need to carve out cap space. They have the second-highest projected cap space number in the league. There aren't a lot of candidates to cut that even make sense. If the Raiders decide to do some housekeeping, then Jack Jones could be a surprise candidate. The entirety of his $3.3 million cap hit would come off the books if they release him.
Jones was a midseason acquisition in 2023 and really looked like a success story of Antonio Pierce's coaching regime. However, he kind of came back down to earth this season. He was also responsible for giving up eight touchdowns in coverage, per Pro Football Reference.
3. Andre James, OL
Andre James doesn't generate a ton of cap savings. Only $1.4 million of his cap hit would come off the books if he's cut before June 1. That number would climb to $3.2 million if they wait until after June 1. Either way, it doesn't feel like James will be on the Raiders roster by the beginning of next season. Rookie Jackson Powers-Johnson took over the starting center job by the end of the season. In addition, the new regime will not have a sense of loyalty to the veteran.
James is scheduled to be paid like a starting lineman. However, it's hard seeing the Raiders not going with Powers-Johnson as the center moving forward. Waiting until June 2 or later could give them a little budget boost to post some third- or fourth-wave free agents.
The Road Ahead for the Raiders
The Raiders find themselves in yet another critical offseason. With a new front office and potentially new coaching staff evaluating every aspect of the roster, tough decisions must be made. Gardner Minshew, Jack Jones, and Andre James are three names that could easily be shown the door as the team looks to reset and rebuild.
Moving forward, Las Vegas must be aggressive in fixing its quarterback situation, fortifying the offensive line, and strengthening its defense. The AFC West remains one of the toughest divisions in football, and if the Raiders want to compete with the likes of Patrick Mahomes and Justin Herbert, they need to make smarter roster decisions. Cutting underperforming players is just the first step in a long process of getting back to relevance.
