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A veteran on the Las Vegas Raiders roster spoke about the team’s new culture and why it’s unlike any other organizational philosophy. Also, cornerback Kyu Blu Kelly may be inching closer to locking down a starting job.
Raiders Daily explores the shared vision of general manager John Spytek and Pete Carroll for the team and highlights a potential pivotal moment for an unheralded player.
Since their Super Bowl 37 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2003, the Las Vegas Raiders have been trying to re-establish a winning culture. Front-office executives, head coaches and players have come and gone through a revolving door over the previous 22 years.
Running back Raheem Mostert told Yahoo Sports’ Jason Fitz and Caroline Fenton that the franchise’s direction under consultant/influencer Tom Brady, general manager John Spytek and head coach Pete Carroll feels different from any other team he’s played for in 11 years.
Amazing transparency from @Raiders Raheem Mostert regarding the culture, this locker room and what he sees from the inside regarding this team. Check it out and keep watching @YahooSports Daily every weekday from 9-11 am eastern! pic.twitter.com/WhlNswNo9a
— jason fitz (@jasonfitz) September 10, 2025
Mostert specifically mentioned the intent to win while in rebuild mode. Most teams choose one path or another, but the Raiders will try to do both to sustain success.
Ironically, Mostert talked about contributing to the franchise’s turnaround, but he didn’t suit up for last Sunday’s game. The Raiders listed him as a healthy scratch and opted to dress Zamir White and Dylan Laube as backups for Ashton Jeanty.
Regardless of the reasons to keep Mostert on the sideline, the 33-year-old running back has bought into the plan of the current administration. Still, it’s worth monitoring his status because teams that need a pass-catching running back may call the Raiders about his availability.
Read: Has One of the NFL’s Most Beloved Franchises Finally Turned the Corner?
On Wednesday, the Raiders released their unofficial Week 2 depth chart. It didn’t feature any changes from the previous week, which indicates that Kyu Blu Kelly could draw consecutive starts at cornerback.
After the game against the New England Patriots, head coach Pete Carroll praised Kelly for his performance and recognized his hard work from mid-summer into the season opener.
#Raiders coach Pete Carroll on CB Kyu Blu Kelly
"There was a shift…coming out of the offseason, I didn't see it coming…He's just done a really good job. He's using his overall sense and experience that he has, just ball sense."
— Jesse Merrick – Silver & Black Sports Network (@JesseSBSN) September 8, 2025
Going back to training camp, Kelly has garnered attention as an unheralded riser on the depth chart, which helped him earn snaps with the first-team defense late in the preseason.
According to Pro Football Focus, Kelly...
