Silver Minings: Analyst says Raiders ‘won the offseason’

NFL.com’s Bucky Brooks is a fan of what the Silver and Black did this spring

The Las Vegas Raiders have undergone some significant changes this offseason, most notably hiring a new head coach, Pete Carroll, and general manager, John Spytek. Carroll and Spytek subsequently made several roster moves that have led to mixed reviews.

However, the Raiders have one significant supporter for their free agency and 2025 NFL draft transactions: NFL.com’s Bucky Brooks.

“The Raiders’ return to respectability is underway under head coach Pete Carroll,” Brooks wrote in a column highlighting five teams who ‘won the offseason’. “The Super Bowl XLVIII champion has installed a title-caliber blueprint that should make the Silver and Black competitive in his first season on the job. By reuniting Carroll with former Seahawks QB Geno Smith to help usher in a new culture, Las Vegas has jump-started the process with an underrated veteran who has a Pro Bowl pedigree. As rookie first-rounder Ashton Jeanty and budding superstar Brock Bowers settle into their roles as the designated playmakers in Chip Kelly’s offense, the Raiders can overwhelm opponents with an approach that repeatedly puts the ball in the hands of their best players in prime positions.

“On defense, the return of coordinator Patrick Graham and top defenders Maxx Crosby and Christian Wilkins (if healthy) could help the Raiders challenge opponents with a fast-paced see ball, get ball scheme. Given Carroll’s history of producing quick turnarounds as a team leader, the squad’s mix of teachers and talent could lead to impressive results in his first season.

“My expectation for 2025: The Raiders could emerge as a dark-horse playoff contender thanks to Carroll’s experience and expertise. The 73-year-old coach knows how to put together winning game plans, and his roster features enough talent to chalk up nine-plus wins.”

After going 4-13 last season, being a playoff contender would be a welcomed sight in Las Vegas this fall.

In Other Raiders’ Links:

• Dylan Parham on the chopping block: This week’s mailbag column explores a few roster questions, including if the fourth-year pro is a candidate to be left off the 53-man.
• Big nickel this season?: “Graham deploys the big nickel to take advantage of matchups and create confusion for the opposing offense,” Silver and Black Pride’s Ray Aspuria wrote. “...With Carroll as head honcho and being a hands-on type with defensive backs, expect the Raiders defense to not only be aggressive and opportunistic, but versatile in how they operate.”
• Brock Bowers, Maxx Crosby make Top 100 players: “Bowers led all tight ends in catches last season as a rookie with 112, showing off the ability to dominate his matchups,” CBS Sports’ Pete Prisco wrote. “He might not catch as many passes this year, but I think he’s now the best tight end in the league.”
• Chip Kelly talks Dont’e Thornton: “I think Dont’e is unique in terms of he’s just a hair under 6-5 and he ran 4.3. There’s not...