ESPN Gives Raiders Eye-Opening Grade Ahead of 2025 Season

The Las Vegas Raiders made some major changes this offseason that should pay dividends. The offensive coaching staff is completely different, Pete Carroll is now the head coach and Geno Smith is the starting quarterback.

While those things might not guarantee an immediate Super Bowl, they almost certainly guarantee the Raiders will be a better team in 2025 than they were in 2024. ESPN’s Seth Walder went through and graded every team’s offseason. He thought the Raiders did enough to earn a “B.”

“It’s an all-new Raiders team. Pete Carroll is in, with offensive coordinator Chip Kelly and general manager John Spytek in tow,” Walder wrote. “And Smith, for whom the Raiders made a shocking trade for in early March, as the new QB. Carroll and Smith are both in the latter stages of their careers. But the Raiders believe the duo can right the ship. They each ought to be an upgrade.

“It’s in that vein that I think the Smith trade was worthwhile. Yes, he’s 34. And yes, he’s coming off a weaker statistical season in which he ranked just 21st in QBR (albeit having to work behind a suspect Seattle offensive line and with a lackluster running game). But the Raiders surrendered only a third-round pick, and his contract averages $37.5 million and would be even less if the Raiders move on before a non-guaranteed 2027 season. That’s worth it.”

A “B” isn’t the best grade, but it’s a major step in the right direction for Las Vegas.

ESPN Didn’t Love Every Raiders Move

While Walder liked the Carroll and Smith additions, there were a couple of other moves he wasn’t a fan.

“I was not a fan of paying Alex Cappa $5 million considering he ranked last among 64 guards in pass block win rate last season. I also take issue with the drafting of Jeanty at No. 6,” Walder wrote.

“Jeanty is a thrilling player, don’t get me wrong. But it’s bad to take a running back that early considering he’ll only provide surplus value if he is elite because his contract is already expensive compared to the position. The opportunity cost of taking a player at a premium position (it’s much harder to find an elite tackle, wide receiver or edge rusher in free agency) is so high.”

There is a good chance that Cappa ends up being a bust for the Raiders, but it’s hard to argue against the Jeanty pick. It was a weak draft at the top this year, so why not take a potentially generational talent?

Can Raiders End Playoff Drought?

If the Raiders were in a weaker division, they’d likely be a popular pick to get to the playoffs. However, the AFC West might be the hardest division in the NFL.

In Carroll’s first year, it seems like the Raiders can win between seven and nine games. That’d be a big improvement over last season, but likely not enough to get to the playoffs. This year is more about getting the train back on the tracks, and 2026 should be the year the Raiders really go for it.