Silver And Black Pride
After losing to the New York Giants this past Sunday, the Las Vegas Raiders have a clear path to securing the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL draft by losing to the Kansas City Chiefs in the season finale. That will officially ignite the Raiders’ offseason rebuild, where questions about Maxx Crosby’s future in Las Vegas will ensue. In fact, that’s already a big topic of discussion when it comes to the Week 18 NFL Power Rankings.
32. Las Vegas Raiders
Last week: 32
What we learned this season: The Raiders need to embrace a full rebuild.
Coach Pete Carroll was brought in to change the culture within the organization and make the team competitive right away. The truth is that the Raiders are far from being competitive and could soon be searching for a new head coach for the third straight season. Sunday marked their 10th double-digit loss in 2025, and quarterback Geno Smith threw multiple interceptions yet again. It’s time they embrace a full rebuild through the draft and development. This offseason will provide an opportunity to do so, as ESPN Analytics gives them an 80% shot at the No. 1 pick. At the same time, it might be worth it to explore trading star defensive end Maxx Crosby, who is 28 with aspirations of winning. The Raiders have won a combined six games in the past two seasons. — Ryan McFadden
It may not be popular, but McFadden is sharing a lot of the same sentiments that I’ve been saying for a few weeks now. Trading Crosby should be on the table this offseason, and after last week’s news that he and the organization are at odds about him getting shut down for the final two games, it seems like that could become a reality in the spring. Of course, a lot can change in the coming months, and the Raiders would have to get a significant return for a trade to be worth it. But it’s safe to say that Crosby’s future in Las Vegas is, at least, in question.
32. Las Vegas Raiders
Last week: 32
Geno Smith was crushed after throwing his second interception on Sunday, replaced by Kenny Pickett, and it’s at least possible that’s the last we’ve seen of the 35-year-old quarterback in Las Vegas. The Geno experiment just hasn’t worked out as hoped, with the 34-10 loss to the Giants raising his INT total to a league-worst 17 as the Raiders moved into the driver’s seat for the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. Whether that pick lands Vegas the passer of the future or not remains to be seen, but it’s clear that it could be one of several major changes to occur. We need to see what Pete Carroll’s future is, and then there’s the whole Maxx Crosby situation. Once again, the Raiders are a near-teardown, and it’s no...
