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'I'm not afraid to make tough and critical decisions': John Spytek handles his first roster reduction as general manager

Aug 27, 2025 at 06:06 PM

Levi Edwards

Digital Team Reporter

As the Las Vegas Raiders announced their initial 53-man roster and practice squad, this isn't the first rodeo for John Spytek in his 21-year NFL career in scouting.

However while not his first rodeo, it's definitely a new type of one.

With Pete Carroll and staff by his side, Spytek made pivotal 53-man roster decisions as the man in charge for the first time. The Raiders general manager has helped make a lot of decisions in his previous destinations, acknowledging he learned a lot under Jason Licht with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

"For me, I think the big difference is that ultimately somebody has to make a decision," Spytek said Wednesday afternoon. "On the personnel side, a lot of times in harmony with Pete, it comes down to me and him. The hardest or the most different thing for me yesterday probably, and the day before, was when we talked to the guys we unfortunately had let go.

"That's a different conversation than I've had in the past. In the past, it was more like maybe I was the person just delivering the news. But I think there was an understanding looking at them like, [I'm] part of the main reason why."

And there were certainly some difficult conversations that were had.

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Nine of the 11 Raiders' draft picks made the initial 53-man roster, with Cam Miller and Tommy Mellott being waived. While Miller was brought back to the practice squad, the team decided to head in a different direction from Mellott, the FCS quarterback turned receiver. However, Spytek didn't rule out Mellott coming back at some point down the line.

As for Miller, the rookie quarterback will continue to hone his craft in a room that just acquired Kenny Pickett. Spytek traded for the former AFC North quarterback Tuesday. Pickett will server as QB2 behind Geno Smith until Aidan O'Connell returns from injury.

"I was in Tampa in 2022 when he was a rookie and beat us, beat Tom Brady. He fit the profile of what we're looking for," Spytek said of Pickett. "He does a lot of similar things that Geno does with his athleticism and ability to move the pocket and all that. ... We still are excited about working through Aidan's injury and getting him back at some point, but we had to have some answers. And it would be a lot to ask a rookie from North Dakota State to be the number two guy going into New England in Week 1. So, felt like it was a great move for us."

Another decision he addressed was waiving Thayer Munford Jr. to add swing tackle Stone Forsythe, who was drafted by Pete Carroll in 2021 with the Seattle Seahawks. Additionally, the team signed five-time Pro Bowler Amari Cooper, who was a first-round pick by the Raiders in 2015.

"[H]is ability to make unique catches is something that's always stood out for me," he said of Cooper. "And whether or not you're the fastest guy in the world or you're not the fastest guy in the world, you're going to have to make contested catches at this level. And he's always been able to do that, and he had many of those last year. ... We have a plan for him to bring him along, and that plan will more than likely include him being a big part of the game plan in New England in 10 days, or whatever it is from now."

The roster as it stands will change constantly in the coming days and weeks. But for now, Spytek is confident heading into first regular season as an NFL general manager.

At the end of the day, he feels he and Carroll made all the right decisions to create a roster as good as it can be heading into New England.

"I wanted this job for a lot of different reasons, but it's because I'm not afraid to make tough and critical decisions, and I don't think that I'm going to get them all right," he said. "I've lived through getting things wrong, and the older you get, I think you all realize you get things wrong but that you'll be okay. But to make tough choices with conviction and then be self critical and open minded and aware enough to realize, like I got this one right, and this is why I got it right, and this one wrong, and this is why I got it wrong.

"And I'm sure we got some wrong over the past month, and we'll see, but I can promise you, I'll learn from those and I'll only get better because of that."

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Las Vegas Raiders long snapper Jacob Bobenmoyer (50) during practice at Intermountain Health Performance Center.