It’s not shocking that many expect the Raiders to undergo major changes soon. The Antonio Pierce era didn’t leave the team in the best position, and while Pete Carroll has emphasized an aggressive approach from the start, rebuilding an NFL roster—even one with a few star players—typically takes at least a season or two.
That’s what makes the latest round of NFL free agency predictions particularly intriguing. CBS Sports recently released their latest projections for player movement, and unsurprisingly, the Raiders were featured multiple times.
While they did foresee some positive developments for Carroll’s first season in Las Vegas, one key departure they predicted is likely to frustrate fans.
CBS Sports thinks the Raiders could let Malcom Koonce walk in free agency
Koonce is one of the more intriguing players available this offseason, and it’s not certain that the Raiders will let him go. The former third-round pick from Buffalo was expected to have a breakout season in 2024 but suffered a season-ending knee injury just before the season began. Now, he’s set to test free agency.
In 2023, Koonce posted a career-high eight sacks, with six of them coming in the final four games, including three sacks of Patrick Mahomes in a Christmas Day upset—the last time Kansas City lost at home.
It would certainly be tough for the Raiders if Koonce were to leave. While he missed the entire 2024 season due to his knee injury, he’s still only 26 and showed star potential during the latter part of the 2023 season.
In theory, he’s the type of player good enough to stay regardless of coaching changes, which makes his presence on this list somewhat unexpected.
As CBS points out, it’s likely the Raiders will do everything they can to keep him, and that’s probably the smart move.
However, free agency can often create surprises, and seeing Koonce thrive elsewhere with a Pro Bowl-level (or better) season would be hard to watch. Maybe Maxx Crosby, now close with Koonce, can help persuade head coach Pete Carroll to retain him for a few more years.
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