It doesn’t seem like the Las Vegas Raiders are hitting home runs in the offseason. They traded for Geno Smith and gave Maxx Crosby way too much money. To stop the bad moves, here are two players the Raiders must avoid signing in 2025 NFL free agency.

The 2024 season wound up in a 4-13 heap of ugliness, and the Raiders need to avoid having it happen again. They need help at the running back position and the wide receiver room must have additions.

But here are two players they should steer clear of in their search. They should not sign wide receiver Cooper Kupp or running back J.K. Dobbins.

WR Cooper Kupp should be on ‘avoid’ list

Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp (10) catches the ball as Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Isaiah Rodgers (34) defends in a 2025 NFC divisional round game at Lincoln Financial Field.
Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

Let’s face it. Kupp’s best days are in the rear-view mirror. That’s a sad-but-true take from many NFL observers. However, he does still have something to offer, according to espn.com.

“Kupp is still a highly instinctual route runner with the coverage awareness to find open field,” Matt Bowen wrote. “But his lower-body quickness is slipping, and he doesn’t separate at the same rate. Kupp sat out 18 games over his past three seasons but remains an option for a team looking to sign a veteran No. 3. He finished 2024 with 67 catches for 710 yards and six touchdowns.”

The Raiders wide receiver room tells quite a story. Jakobi Meyers is currently the lead dog. He’s coming off a career-high 87 catches for 1,027 yards with four scores. However, he’s not an Alpha receiver. Much of his yardage came because he’s all the Raiders had in terms of weapons. He’s a No. 2 guy.

So the Raiders must find an upgrade. Kupp isn’t the answer as a No. 1 receiver anymore. Signing him would keep pressure on Meyers to perform as WR1. And that means Smith and the offense will struggle.

Kupp would be a good influence for the locker room. Rams head coach Sean McVay confirmed that positive point when talking about letting Kupp go, according to kget.com.

“There hasn’t been a more challenging decision since I’ve been here going into year nine,” McVay said. “I do think you have to be able to acknowledge. It doesn’t mean that you don’t still see a lot of amazing things that he can contribute. It’s about the big picture, but it was hard. It was really hard.

“I think there’s a lot of love. I think he understands how much he’s meant to me. (And) … in spite of a uniquely challenging situation, I know that the relationship and the bond that we have is strong enough to be able to sustain.”