The Las Vegas Raiders will clear $21.8 million in immediate cap space after releasing quarterbacks Jimmy Garoppolo and Brian Hoyer, wideout Hunter Renfrow and defensive tackle Jerry Tillery, according to Tashan Reed of The Athletic.
The Raiders won’t be using post-June 1 designations to move on from that quartet, per Reed.
The Raiders have had a busy offseason. While the team saw Josh Jacobs depart in free agency, signing with the Green Bay Packers, it made one of the bigger splashes of the offseason, signing star defensive tackle Christian Wilkins to a four-year, $110 million deal.
The pairing of Wilkins and superstar edge-rusher Maxx Crosby gives Las Vegas one of the best defensive lines in football.
Tight end Harrison Bryant is also reportedly joining the team on a one-year deal worth up to $4 million, adding another weapon on offense for the Raiders.
Finally, the team signed quarterback Gardner Minshew on a two-year, $25 million deal, setting up a quarterback competition between him, Aidan O’Connell and a rookie quarterback if the team drafts one in April.
The team holds the No. 13 pick in the first round, a spot that will take it out of the running for one of the top quarterback options like Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels or Drake Maye, barring a costly trade into the top three.
A less costly trade up the board could put the Raiders in position to draft a player like J.J. McCarthy, or the Raiders could opt to stay put, with players like Michael Penix Jr. and Bo Nix potentially still available.
signings and releases, they should be sitting at around $35 million in cap space. That offers the Raiders the flexibility to address other needs on the roster, namely on the offensive line.
“Offensively, we have a lot of work to do,” general manager Tom Telesco told reporters at the NFL Scouting Combine. “I think that’s pretty easy to see.”
