Starting the 2025 campaign on the road is an opportune time to find out what the Pete Carroll-led Las Vegas Raiders have to offer this coming year.
Carroll and his desert marauders head East to face the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough this Sunday for a 10 a.m. (Pacific Standard Time) matchup to kick off the regular season. It’s double debut for both head coaches for the Silver & Black and Pats as Carroll and Mike Vrabel are in their inaugural seasons helming the two teams, respectively.
Las Vegas and New England come off cellar-dweller 2024 seasons that saw both teams finish 4-13 and have staggeringly embarrassing point differentials: -125 for the Raiders (309 points scored to 434 allowed) and -128 for the Patriots (289 points scored, 417 allowed).
Suffice it to say, both AFC teams are looking for a rebound this coming year.
Thus, let’s take a look at the five Raiders who have the most to prove in the regular-season opener:
No. 1: Jordan Meredith, Center
The figurative and literal center of attention who appeared an afterthought early in camp only to win the all-important job at the pivot of Las Vegas’ offensive line. Meredith, an undrafted free agent who has become a mainstay in the Raiders trenches, was lauded by teammates and the coaching staff for his communication skills. And that, along with steady play, helped secure the center spot for him.
How Meredith functions at the pivot is integral to how the Raiders offense performs and going on the road in hostile territory will be a solid test for the 27-year-old. At 6-foot-2 and 301 pounds, the Western Kentucky product will not only be aligned with the quarterback on getting everyone on the same page and barking out any adjustments, but Meredith will contend with Patriots defensive tackles Christian Barmore and Milton Williams, along with nose tackle Khyiris Tonga, at various points in Sunday’s matchup.
No. 2: Geno Smith, Quarterback
Reunited with the coach who resurrected his NFL career, Smith’s arrival in Las Vegas gives the Raiders a bona fide QB1. Now we’ll see if Smith can create a Raider renaissance at signal caller alongside both Carroll and offensive coordinator Chip Kelly. Smith built a rapport with Meredith and the quarterback-center combination is going to be vital to the success (and failure) of Kelly’s offense.
Smith is older at 34 years old (35 on October 10), but the 6-foot-3 and 221-pound second-round pick (39th overall) from the 2013 NFL Draft still has plenty to prove. Does he still have an accurate and strong arm? Does he have the wherewithal and athleticism to scramble when need be? In the three season where he was the starter with the Seattle Seahawks (2022-23 with Carroll), Smith completed 68.5 percent of his passes for 12,226 yards, 71 touchdowns and 35 interceptions — while absorbing 127 sacks.
No. 3: Kyu Blu Kelly, Cornerback
Bouncing between four teams since getting drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the fourth round of the 2023 draft, the Las Vegas native epitomizes the comPETE mantra Carroll brought in as head coach. A big — if not biggest — training camp riser, Kelly is listed as a starting cornerback on Las Vegas’ updated unofficial depth chart for Week 1.
At 6-feet, 188 pounds, and 32-inch arms, the 24-year-old certainly fills the Carroll prerequisites he seeks from cornerbacks. And Kelly also has NFL pedigree as his father Brian played 11 years in the league — 10 with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. A zone-type corner who has quick read-and-react skills, when in position, Kelly can contest passes and make plays on the ball. And we’ll see if the Stanford product can parlay camp buzz into regular season performance.
No. 4: Malcolm Koonce, Defensive End
A career year in 2023 where Koonce had eight sacks and appeared to be an ample tag team partner across from Maxx Crosby gave way to a rattling reality check in 2024: A torn ACL. With a clean bill of health, the Buffalo product is set to once again hunt opposing quarterbacks.
But a return to form can take time, especially for a defender reliant on his knees to get the bend and burst to scream off the edge with bad intentions. For a Raiders pass rush that has Crosby as the lone proven commodity, Koonce still has plenty to prove. Especially when looking at Patriots quarterback Drake Maye. He had a rude awakening in his first season as the third overall selection in the 2024 draft going 3-10. And in each of those losses he absorbed two or more sacks. This is where Koonce’s return can play a pivotal role.
No. 5: Ashton Jeanty, Running Back
The tale of the tape on the Boise State product read: “talent and skillset to succeed independent of the quality of his blocking.” Expect that to be tested thoroughly as the Raiders’ prized sixth overall pick in the 2025 draft embarks on his rookie campaign. A capable offensive weapon as ball carrier and pass catcher, all eyes will be on seeing if Jeanty can translate his collegiate exploits (750 carries for 4,769 yards and 50 touchdowns) into pro production.
The 5-foot-8 and 208-pound 21-year-old may appear small on paper, but he’s well built and has the low center of gravity which makes him hard to catch and tackle. The Raiders are expected to be part of the running back resurgence in the NFL so expect Jeanty to get plenty of opportunities to justify Las Vegas making him the sixth prospect off the board this past April.
