The Las Vegas Raiders have found themselves in a bit of unfamiliar territory this offseason. The national media seems to be surprisingly high on the Silver and Black, which is a nice change of pace, but Raider Nation is certainly not used to this level of praise.
After an absolutely abysmal campaign in 2024, Mark Davis brought in general manager John Spytek and head coach Pete Carroll to right the ship. These two came to Las Vegas with a winning pedigree, so, overall, the offseason has been largely applauded.
While media approval does not mean that the Raiders are going to suddenly win a Super Bowl, it could be a sign that they are finally headed in the right direction. After years of dysfunction, things may be looking up for once. It is impossible to win over everybody, but one NFL.com analyst is hopping on the hype train.
NFL pundit thinks Raiders are set for massive improvement this year
NFL.com's Nick Shook recently named seven teams that he felt were the most improved this offseason ahead of the 2025 season. To no surprise, the Raiders made the list, and the acquisition of quarterback Geno Smith was a major factor in this distinction.
"The March trade for quarterback Geno Smith improved the Raiders drastically and would have been enough by itself to earn them consideration for this piece," Shook said. "But they didn't stop there, going on to draft a much-needed replacement for Josh Jacobs (whose departure via free agency last offseason left a void at running back in 2024) with the sixth overall pick (Ashton Jeanty) and adding receiverJack Bech in Round 2 (No. 58 overall)."
This is a ringing endorsement for Smith, and the Raiders as a whole. While there will need to be a solution for life after Smith within the next few years, it is a breath of fresh air to be excited about the Raiders' quarterback and overall direction of the team.
Shook went on to discuss the additions on defense as well. While he wasn't as bullish on that side of the ball, he surmised that the Raiders would be at least more exciting to watch.
"DL Leki Fotu, LB Elandon Roberts, S Jeremy Chinn and CB Eric Stokes should bolster a defense that lost S Tre'Von Moehrig in free agency," Shook wrote. "The jury is out on the overall outlook on that side of the ball, but frankly, again, Smith's arrival alone will make me want to watch the Raiders in 2025."
While Las Vegas may still fall short of the playoffs this season, the Autumn Wind is indeed a Raider, and it seems to be blowing in the right direction.
