The Las Vegas Raiders are coming off a disappointing season despite their lack of talented QB play. However, they made some of the most significant splash moves of any team in the NFL. Hiring Pete Carroll is an attempt to swing the fortunes of this organization around. They also made other big-time trades and signings. Let’s dive straight into the additions and departures of the Las Vegas Raiders!
Raiders’ 2024-2025 Season Recap
Heading into last season, there was little hope for a successful season from Las Vegas. They were still in a rebuilding phase of the organization. The Raiders finished with a 4-13 record, which included a ten-game losing streak. It’s obvious when a year goes that poorly, changes are imminent, and boy did they ever make changes. Let’s jump into the team’s additions.
Offseason Additions
One of the most significant moves was bringing in Super Bowl-winning head coach Pete Carroll out of “soft retirement” to lead this team. As he said last month, “I’ve been winning 10 games a year for 20 years or something, you know?” I guess you can say he’s confident. The last time he was coaching, he led the Seattle Seahawks to back-to-back 9-8 seasons.
Let’s move to the players. They traded for Seahawks’ QB Geno Smith for a third-round pick. He will bring a sense of familiarity with Carroll’s offense. With the 6th pick in the NFL Draft, Las Vegas also drafted one of the most electric players in college football last year in Ashton Jeanty.
He will help the 32nd-ranked rushing offense from last season. From an offense that only averaged 79.8 rushing yards per game, don’t be surprised if he is in the running for Offensive Rookie of the Year. They also drafted talented TCU receiver Josh Bech. Surrounding Smith with that many weapons is a recipe for success.
In terms of free agency, they signed a plethora of talent, including guard Alex Cappa, safety Jeremy Chinn, linebacker Elandon Roberts, and cornerback Eric Stokes. All players brought in will help this team contend for the 7th seed in the AFC. Their only problem is that the Raiders have great teams, such as the Chiefs and Chargers, in their division.
Offseason Departures
The bulk of their losses were on defense. This team lost starting linebackers Robert Spillane and Divine Deablo, as well as safeties Tre’von Moehrig and Marcus Epps, cornerback Nate Hobbs, and running back Alexander Mattison. One of their most significant losses was defensive lineman Christian Wilkins. He was released on July 24th after a disagreement about his recovery from a foot injury he suffered last season.
Thoughts on Raiders’ Offseason
In my opinion, this is still a rebuilding team. Will they be improved from last season? Yes. However, I do not expect them to contend for a playoff spot, much less the division. I love their draft from an offensive standpoint. Bringing in playmakers to an offense that was 29th in points per game last season will make this team feel livelier. They are in a big market and one of the best stadiums in the NFL. It’s time they showed their big-play ability.
Final Thoughts
This team has done a great job with resetting their culture. Carroll has always been one of the best “player-coaches” in the NFL. This roster will buy into what he’s selling and will be a competitive team this year. I know all Raider fans are ambitious about the potential of this franchise moving forward.
As always, thank you so much for checking out my thoughts on the Las Vegas Raiders’ effective offseason! Be sure to check out our other amazing content here at New Leaf News! We hope you’re enjoying your day, and we look forward to seeing you all again soon.
