ClutchPoints
The Las Vegas Raiders have carried themselves with purpose this offseason, bringing in Pete Carroll to serve as head coach, trading for quarterback Geno Smith and grabbing Heisman Trophy runner-up Ashton Jeanty with the No. 6 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. These moves, besides revamping an offensive unit that lacked depth and production, communicate a clear plan. This organization is intent on returning to relevance after suffering through three straight losing campaigns and a deluge of bad optics.
But when a franchise focuses on getting competitive quickly, it becomes susceptible to error. The Raiders’ emphasis on the present, which became obvious after they hired a 73-year-old to man the sidelines, could prevent them from building a more sustainable football product. This fan base earnestly deserves a respectable NFL season, and management is working hard to deliver on that front. The future must still be a priority, however.
Las Vegas signed Smith to a two-year contract extension worth $66.5 million guaranteed after acquiring him in a deal with the Seattle Seahawks. He is the unquestioned starter going into the 2025-26 campaign, but there are risks to fully committing to this veteran QB. The two-time Pro Bowler will turn 35 years old in October and is coming off a year in which he threw 15 interceptions and only 21 touchdown passes in 17 games.
I am perfectly aware that the Seahawks’ offensive line operated as an easily accessible portal to the quarterback last season, allowing 233 pressures and finishing near the bottom of the league in total performance. But who is to say the Raiders’ protection unit will be adequate, either?
They were slotted 26th in Pro Football Focus’ end-of-season rankings. Vegas general manager John Spytek made some additions — signed veteran guard Alex Cappa and drafted Caleb Rogers and Charles Grant, but none of them are guaranteed to be more than depth pieces.
Smith has a come a long way in his NFL career. His resurgence, which was formally recognized with the 2022 Comeback Player of the Year award, is what many embattled signal-callers should look to for inspiration. We cannot ignore the potential dangers that come with this move. Although he is a clear upgrade, it is possible the team left better long-term options on the table.
When talking about long-languishing franchises like the Silver and Black, it can feel silly to become preoccupied with the term “ceiling.” Before a squad even thinks about sustained playoff success, it needs to put together a couple of winning campaigns in a row. That Raiders have not achieved such a feat in more than 20 years. However, if the organization implements the right blueprint, fans should be willing to endure a bit more turbulence.
Losing en route to a promising future is a necessary part of many grand revivals, but losing without maintaining any sense of direction is abject failure. Mark Davis’ squad has shamefully lived in the latter category for much of...
