The Las Vegas Raiders are sitting 2-8 when I write this and could either be 2-9 or 3-8 after their matchup vs the Cleveland Browns. Raiders QB Geno Smith has not been as expected throwing 13 interceptions
to 12 touchdowns while also ranking bottom 8 in big time throw rate and and having the 3rd worst turnover worthy plate rate in the NFL this season. The Raiders can, and likely will, move on from him following this season though that decision is heavily dependent on if Pete Carroll remains the Raiders head coach in 2026. Las Vegas can take on an 18 million dead cap hit but will also free 8 million in cap space if they were to release Smith following this season, and from there the focus becomes drafting a rookie QB to potentially be your face of the franchise.
As stated by Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell, “teams fail young quarterbacks before young quarterbacks fail the team” and that couldn’t be more accurate with recent history where the Vikings alone have helped revive the careers of Sam Darnold and Daniel Jones, who both have looked like potential future franchise quarterbacks going forward along with 49ers QB Mac Jones who has seen his career rebound this season. Geno Smith is not the Raiders answer at quarterback, the ideology of consistently going for veterans and journeyman quarterbacks is not a successful strategy, and in no way can it continue for Las Vegas. The worst case for the Raiders is they draft a young quarterback who doesn’t turn into the franchise option, and they end up having to take that shot again, you consistently draft a quarterback till you’re able to get it right. That said, the Raiders right now are not in a position to start a rookie quarterback and they will need to supplement around him before they can even consider throwing him into the fire.
The Raiders offensive line is young and inexperience, but it’s also not good. Kolton Miller and Jackson Powers-Johnson anchor your offensive line with fellow 2024 3rd round T DJ Glaze having his ups and downs but looking to be a piece of the future at either tackle or guard going forward. Outside of those three, the Raiders have to look into adding a left guard, and then either a right guard or right tackle pending on Glaze. The team drafted Caleb Rogers and Charles Grant this season in the third round and while both have the future to play on the offensive line, neither have seen snaps this season (outside one snap from Grant on a kneeldown in the Raiders 33-0 blowout loss vs the Chiefs where he did what you should do on a kneel). Las Vegas needs to see what they have in Grant and Rogers going forward, and if neither are getting developed that’s a massive issue for the future. In addition to the offensive line, which will need to be addressed likely in a collection between free agency and the draft, Las Vegas has to address their wide receiver room as well. The Raiders drafted TCU standout Jack Bech in the 2nd round of the 2025 NFL Draft and Bech has seen limited snaps having his role taken over by veteran Tyler Lockett. Bech has looked good in his very very limited role, including multiple 20+ yard receptions and also averaging 1.71 yards of separation which would be third on the Raiders behind Tre Tucker and Brock Bowers while also ranking 22nd in the NFL if he was qualified. Speaking of Tre Tucker, the third year receiver from Cincinnati has come into a breakout role this season with 38 receptions, 502 yards, and 5 touchdowns with 1.98 yards of separation, a 2.1% drop rate, and a 67% contested catch rate which are all career highs. Tucker won’t be a standout top of the line wide receiver but he’s showing the ability to be a high end second receiver and the Raiders need to add a front of the rotation guy to supplement with him. Outside of Tucker and Bech 2025 4th rounder Dont’e Thornton has struggled to get open, win contested catches, and run good NFL caliber routes which will limit his time on the field.
The Raiders must address their receiving room in addition to the offensive line this off-season to help set up a rookie quarterback with the necessary protection and weaponry to be successful. The Raiders are solidified at tight end with superstar Brock Bowers and quality depth with Michael Mayer. At runningback Ashton Jeanty has shown the ability to be a game breaking running back, though the Raiders offensive line has prevented the 2025 first rounder from being effective despite Jeanty ranking 7th in elusiveness, 12th in breakaway rate, and 4th in forced missed tackles. Jeanty will need a running mate this off-season but that’s down the line of needs. In addition to their offensive needs, the Raiders must address their defensive extensively adding to the pass rush, linebackers, cornerbacks, and safeties with good variety. The Raiders consistent reliance on “veteran rebuild” players has to stop the frequency (it’s fine in short bursts but solely relying on it will not win you games). As a result, the Raiders have lacked young talent on their defense for a while, and the first step there is to retain the young talent you do stumble across. Las Vegas has the money and draft capital to really turn things around in one year and become at minimum a competitive team that can win 7-9 games with the right coaching staff.
Speaking of coaches, the Raiders focus going forward should not be on retread head coaches but young upcoming coordinators deserving their chance. Las Vegas has attempted the rehire with Jon Gruden, Josh McDaniels, and now Pete Carroll and they flat out haven’t been successful in doing so. Hiring a young innovative head coach on either side of the ball, ideally offensively, is the route that successful teams end up taking and one the Raiders should have followed a long time ago. The coaching world in the NFL is filled with young talent on both sides of the ball, and Las Vegas must try and attract one though the job likely won’t be the best given their lack of a franchise QB and unless they secure a top 3 selection that opportunity could be unlikely in year one. The Raiders aren’t going to turn things around in one year, but they have the ability to put the roster and the franchise on the right path this off-season, getting young at quarterback is the key but building around that quarterback for success will put them into competitive natures for longer than just one to two seasons.
