Down goes Geno Smith. Down goes the Las Vegas Raiders offense.
While the Silver & Black did wise by acquiring a legitimate starting quarterback in Smith, the team found itself behind the eight ball when backup signal caller Aidan O’Connell suffered a fractured wrist in Las Vegas’ preseason finale against the Arizona Cardinals this past Saturday.
While the team did well to trade for Kenny Pickett to be the backup quarterback, the Raiders’ lack of overall depth and experience is visible just beneath
the surface. This isn’t just relegated tot he all-important quarterback position. And that can be detrimental or head coach Pete Carroll and general manager John Spytek in the duo’s inaugural season captaining the ship.
To meet the NFL’s 53-man roster deadline on Tuesday, Las Vegas waived 2025 sixth-round pick leaving Smith, Pickett, and Aidan O’Connell (who has a fractured wrist) as the trio of QBs on the roster. Carroll got what he wanted in an experienced backup for Smith in Pickett. It’ll take time for the North Dakota State standout to get NFL ready so waiving the late-round pick with hopes of potentially get Miller on the practice squad is perhaps on the horizon.
But expect the initial 53-man roster to fluctuate as teams can establish its 17-man practice squads Wednesday.
The Offensive Line
The starters are set for Week 1 as Kolton Miller mans left tackle, Dylan Parham is settled at left guard, Jordan Meredith claimed center, Jackson Powers-Johnson won right guard, and DJ Glaze bookends at right tackle.
If one of that front five were to miss snaps or games, it’d create a ripple effect of a shuffle that’ll force Las Vegas to dig deep into the depth chart. And its chock full of youth and inexperience.
The veteran backup is right guard Alex Cappa (30 years old) who has 96 starts under his belt. Then there’s Thayer Munford Jr. (25 years old) who started 17 of his career 46 games. The rest include 2025 NFL Draft picks Caleb Rogers (left guard, No. 98th overall pick) and Charles Grant (left tackle, 99th overall).
Pete Carroll has no qualms playing young players right away and that mentality will be tested thoroughly if any of the starting offensive linemen are unavailable.
“Well, we’re just so young on the second group. It’s just going to take time,” Carroll said when asked about he drop off between the first- and second-team offensive line group. “We feel like we move well. We have good movement by the young guys. They get out of their stance, and they get on people well. We’re just not as accurate with our calls. We’re not as clear with our technique stuff, but that takes time. And so I’m not worried about that. Athletically, we’re okay, and we just need to find our consistency, and that’s just going to take time.
“They won’t play all at the same time very often. They’ll spot in, and they’ll have the benefit of experienced guys making calls around them and helping them play better. And so I think that the individual development is pretty good. As a group, they’re still learning. That’s going to take a bit.”
What Carroll explained above can be said for the rest of the position group below.
The Defensive Line
The Raiders have an elite defensive end in Maxx Crosby and an ascending one in Malcolm Koonce. Veteran defensive tackles Adam Butler and Leki Fotu provide a stout presence as pass rusher and run stuffer.
But as we saw last season, when Crosby was shutdown with injury, the drop off with whomever is left is likely to be steep once more. Tyree Wilson remains listed as an end but shuttles inside on passing downs to provide power and speed. Charles Snowden is also back and provides a hybrid end/linebacker presence.
And inside, Jonah Laulu is a young up-and-coming defender who seven starts in the 17 games he played for Las Vegas last year.
The rest though, are young. The defensive line group includes 2025 picks Tonka Hemingway (defensive end/tackle; 135th overall) and JJ Pegues (defensive tackle; 180th overall)
The Cornerbacks
Now this is a young overall group that lacks sustained experience.
Darnay Holmes and Sam Webb are the oldest of the group at 27 and then there’s Eric Stokes who is 26. The rest of the group are 24 year old corners with promise.
And most have the requisite Carroll-preferred traits of tall, long arms, and physical. Just not the amount of NFL game experience.
Darien Porter, the 68th overall pick in the 2025 draft, is expected to play plenty as an outside cornerback and special teams ace. Decamerion Richardson heads into Year 2 with desired qualities as the physical corner led the SEC at the position group in tackles twice — 2022 (79) and 2023 (85). Kyu Blu Kelly appears to be on the verge of a career renaissance under Carroll.
Between Richardson and Kelly, that’s 24 career games (12 for each) along with seven starts (all Richardson in 2024).
Bottom Line
An injury here or there erodes the depth and effectiveness Las Vegas has. The steep drop off we’ve seen in preseason likely carries over into the regular season if a starter goes down and that’s where we’ll see the mettle of Carroll and his coaching staff.
Nothing replicates live NFL snaps, however. And while there will be growing pains as the Raiders young foundation gains value experience if they have to see substantial snaps in 2025, what the players gain is invaluable. While it won’t look good in the win-loss column, the reps, the teach tape, and getting to feel NFL physicality and speed is integral to development.
And, if play isn’t up to snuff, it gives the coaching staff evidence needed to evolve their teaching. And, at the front office level, helps Spytek and his personnel crew decide who is worth keeping around and who needs to go.
