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3rd-year pro is special teams mainstay but veteran Lonnie Johnson Sr. can take that role

Finding a niche as a special teams mainstay isn’t necessarily the sexiest way to go about an NFL career.

But for a late-round draft pick, that career path can lead to a long career as special teams is the easiest and most prolonged way in ensuring you’ve got a 53-man roster spot year in, year out.

This is where Las Vegas Raiders safety Chris Smith II finds himself. Entering his third year in the league after being taken in the fifth round (170th overall) in...

Diving into the seventh-round pick’s game

It took until the seventh round and their final pick of the 2025 NFL Draft, but the Las Vegas Raiders addressed their need at linebacker with Minnesota’s Cody Lindenberg.

The Raiders’ defense needed some help on the second level after losing Robert Spillane in free agency, and Lindenberg is a quality run defender who could fill Spillane’s shoes. The former Golden Gopher ranked eighth among Big 10 linebackers with a 79.3 PFF run defense grade last season, due in part to racking up 24 defensive stops against the run.

On top of that, he’s...

Las Vegas hires another member of the Eagles’ front office

New Las Vegas Raiders general manager John Spytek continues to reconstruct the team’s front office after the draft.

ESPN reported Thursday morning that the Raiders are hiring Brandon Hunt to be their vice president of player personnel. The team later announced Hunt’s hiring.

Hunt was last the Philadelphia Eagles’ senior director of scouring. He’s been with the Eagles since 2022. Prior to that, Hunt was the pro scouting director of the Pittsburgh Steelers from 2009-22.

Hunt is the second front-office member of the Super Bowl-winning Eagles that Spytek has brought...

Some interesting aspects of Las Vegas’ regular-season slate

The Las Vegas Raiders’ 2025 regular-season schedule was released Wednesday night. We are some initial thoughts on it:

Interesting first game:

The Raiders open the season at the New New England Patriots. Yes, it’s a road trip and a long one. But the team will be fresh for the early-season trip and weather shouldn’t be a problem. The Patriots were one of the worst teams in the league last season and have made a lot of changes. So, it may take them a while to put it together. This is a winnable...

Fielding Raider Nation’s questions for the week

The offseason is winding down as the 2025 NFL Draft is in the rear-view mirror and free agency, for the most part, is over. Meanwhile, the Las Vegas Raiders’ rookies hit the field for practice last weekend, and the veterans will join them soon as OTAs begin on Monday. That means training camp is just around the corner and will be here before you know it!

We also had some other significant news last weekend as the Raiders’ All-Time passing leader, Derek Carr, announced he’s retiring after suffering a shoulder injury last season,...

Young Raiders receiver didn’t get a lot of great passes come his way

We all now Tre tucker didn’t have a great second season in 2024 and he played starter’s time for much of the season.

The speedy third-round pick in 2023 from Cincinnati was inconsistent and put up underwhelming numbers most weeks. He ended the season with 47 catches for 539 yards, which is pretty underwhelming for a player who was a starter for most of the season. Tucker was targeted 81 times, so his 47 receptions was is not impressive.

But perhaps there was a reason for Tucker’s...

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Las Vegas heads to New England and faces former head coach Josh McDaniels

The 2025 NFL Schedule was released on Wednesday night, and the Las Vegas Raiders will hit the road to begin the 2025 season for a Week 1 matchup against the New England Patriots. According to our friends at FanDuel Sportsbook, the Raiders will open the season as 1.5-point underdogs.

Both teams struggled during the 2024 campaign, both finishing with a 4-13 record. As a result, New England and Las Vegas have new head coaches, meaning Mike Vrabel and Pete Carroll will be looking for their first win...

Here is the Raiders’ 2025 regular-season schedule

The Las Vegas Raiders 2025 regular-season schedule has been released.

Raiders 2025 Preseason Schedule (All times Pacific)

Week 1 at Seattle Seahawks, TBA

Week 2 San Francisco 49ers, TBA

Week 4 at Arizona Cardinals, TBA

Raiders 2025 Regular Season Schedule (All times Pacific)

Sept. 7 at New England Patriots, 10 a.m., CBS

Sept 15 Los Angeles Chargers, 4 p.m., ESPN

Sept. 21 at Washington Commanders, 10 a.m., FOX

Sept. 28 Chicago Bears, 1:25 p.m., CBS

Oct. 5 at Indianapolis Colts, 10 a.m., FOX
Oct. 12 Tennessee Titans, 1:05 p.m., FOX

Oct....

Now-retired quarterback was a complicated figure in team lore

Derek Carr hasn’t been a part of the Las Vegas Raiders’ organization since the team released him in February, 2023, ending a nine-season run as the team’s starting quarterback.

Yet, because Carr is arguably the most polarizing player ever to suit up for the Silver and Black, he remained a topic for the fan base. Now, that Carr has suddenly announced his retirement, after the past two seasons with the New Orleans Saints, at the age of 34, we have a final question about Carr for the Raiders’ fan base.

How...

The Chiefs strengths and weaknesses after free agency and the draft

It’s always important to keep an eye on the Las Vegas Raiders’ rivals, and recently, I received a mailbag question about what the other teams in the AFC West's weaknesses and/or question marks are after free agency and the 2025 NFL Draft. But the answer is long-winded and deserving of an offseason review series, starting with the Kansas City Chiefs.

Free Agency

Key Additions: OT Jaylon Moore (SF), CB Kristian Fulton (LAC), S Mike Edwards (TB)

*Key Losses: OL Joe Thuney (via trade to CHI), S Justin Reid...