Las Vegas Raiders 2025 NFL offseason: Pete Carroll ready to reset franchise with Geno Smith
2024 season: 4-13, fourth in AFC West, missed playoffs
Overview: It was a rough season for the Raiders, their first and only full one under head coach Antonio Pierce. While they won two of their last three games, 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 II, 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. While this may be a good sign for the franchise — gaining a bit of positive momentum into the offseason is rarely a bad thing — 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 (we'll get to that later), 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. He'll have a familiar face at quarterback after the Raiders traded for veteran Geno Smith, who started for Carroll in Seattle in 2022 and 2023, and the stability at that position could be huge.
The Raiders also have a franchise cornerstone on defense to build around after agreeing to a record-breaking three-year, $106.5 million extension for pass rusher Maxx Crosby.
Ranking: 4th
A new team facility received high marks across the board, as did owner Mark Davis. Players didn't always feel previous head coach Antonio Pierce was efficient with their time, but Pete Carroll is the man in charge now.
Here's how it broke down from the NFLPA and where the Raiders rank:
S Marcus EppsRB Ameer AbdullahCB Nate HobbsDT Adam ButlerDT John JenkinsLB Robert SpillaneLB Divine DeabloS Tre'von Moehrig
Who's in/out: The Raiders should work to keep Moehrig this offseason. The former TCU star had 104 tackles, a career-high, and two interceptions last season. He has been a top-15 safety in the league in interceptions, forced incompletion rate, tackles for loss or no gain and defensive stops over the past two seasons, according to Pro Football Focus. For a defense losing a good chunk of its starters, Moehrig is an easy guy to keep around.
Running backWide receiverOffensive line
Outside of the defensive holes the team is facing, the Raiders averaged a league-worst 79.8 yards per game on the ground last season, so a veteran running back would go a long way if they don't want to pick up a marquee rookie in the draft. A proven wide receiver target would help, too, and would support tight end Brock Bowers. And, of course, an extra lineman or two never huts.
Yes. The Raiders enter the offseason with an estimated $96 million in cap space, which is second in the league behind only the New England Patriots.
QB Gardner Minshew II (cut)C Andre James
Why they might be gone: Minshew, despite starting for a good chuck of last season, is out the door, which will save the team about $6.3 million on cap space. With the Raiders likely moving on to a new quarterback, there was no reason to keep him around.
James lost his starting job to rookie center Jackson Powers-Johnson last season, and the team could save more than $3 million if they drop the veteran after June 1.
1st round: No. 62nd round: No. 373rd round: No. 683rd round (from Jets): No. 734th round5th round6th round6th round (compensatory)6th round (compensatory)7th round
Ashton Jeanty, RB, Boise State
Too rich for pick No. 6 overall? Maybe, but the Raiders' ground game was terrible after letting Josh Jacobs leave in free agency. And while offensive line help is always a good thing, especially with new quarterback Geno Smith having dealt with so much pass rush pressure in Seattle in recent seasons, another way to mitigate that is a stronger run game.
Nobody possesses more upside in the backfield than Jeanty in this draft class. The Heisman Trophy runner-up is the fourth-ranked overall player on Yahoo Sports NFL Draft experts Nate Tice and Charles McDonald's consensus big board, and everything you want in a back — speed, burst, toughness between the tackles, balance, vision, pass protection, seriously you name it — you'll find in Jeanty. Imagine an offense with Smith, Brock Bowers, further investment in the O-line and wide receiver room, and then Jeanty. That's solid.
Adding Geno Smith
Las Vegas' fantasy outlook continues to hinge on getting a capable quarterback, and now they appear to have one. Fantasy managers have been begging Las Vegas to get Brock Bowers a QB. Bowers has top-10 overall fantasy upside, but his 112 catches as a rookie resulted in a modest five touchdowns. The Raiders upgrading at quarterback moves the needle. —Dalton Del Don
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