The Raiders need to add more offensive weapons to maximize Geno Smith ahead of the 2025 NFL season.
The Las Vegas Raiders had a dreadful 2024 season. Las Vegas only won four games and ended up firing head coach Antonio Pierce after just one year. Thankfully, 2025 is a brand new year and Raiders fans already have plenty to get excited about.
The Raiders replaced Pierce with legendary head coach Pete Carroll, who joined on a three-year contract. They also brought in John Spytek from the Buccaneers to replace Tom Telesco as general manager. Las Vegas now has a respectable front office, along with minority owner Tom Brady participating in important team decisions. This is the kind of braintrust that can get Raiders fans excited about sustained success.
Las Vegas has not wasted much time in improving the team. The Raiders made a big move just before the first week of NFL free agency, trading a third-round pick for Seahawks QB Geno Smith.
Smith now reunites with Carroll in Las Vegas and has the chance to lead the team for the foreseeable future. Geno may not be what every fan considers a franchise quarterback, but he is undoubtedly a capable starter at this point in his career.
Smith has thrown for at least 3,600 passing yards and 20 touchdowns in each of the past three seasons. In 2024, he had one of his best career seasons with 4,320 yards and 21 touchdowns, though he did have 15 interceptions.
Regardless, this is a big upgrade for Las Vegas over their quarterback situation from 2024.
Now the question becomes, who do the Raiders need to add next to become a competitive team in 2025?
Below we will explore the biggest need the Raiders need to address after the first week of NFL free agency.
Raiders need to surround Geno Smith with offensive weapons
The Raiders have already made several moves after the first week of NFL free agency. However, none of them really move the needle all that much.
Las Vegas primarily added players on the defensive side of the ball. They bolstered the secondary by adding Darnay Holmes and Eric Stokes on one-year deals. The Raiders also invested a two-year contract in veteran safety Jeremy Chinn.
The Raiders also re-signed some defensive players, including Malcolm Koonce and Adam Butler.
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As for the offense, Las Vegas did not make any big additions. They brought in guard Alex Cappa as offensive line depth and gave running back Raheem Mostert a one-year deal.
Looking ahead to the rest of the offseason, the Raiders need to focus on adding offensive weapons. Geno Smith needs playmakers who he can work with to create big plays on offense. More to the point, the Raiders need player who can threaten opposing defenses and force them to adjust their game plans. Otherwise, teams will spend all of their resources erasing Brock Bowers and sending pressure at Geno. That is a recipe for disaster.
Thankfully, the Raiders are not literally starting from square one. We already mentioned Bowers, who is now the focal point of the entire offense. Bowers and Michael Mayer give the Raiders a pair of versatile tight ends that represent the strength of the offense at this time.
Mostert is a capable rotational running back, but he is currently the best the Raiders have. Zamir White disappointed in 2024 and was outworked by the likes of Sincere McCormick. Youngster Dylan Laube has also failed to make any real impact.
The 2025 NFL Draft includes a star-studded running back class, headlined by superstar Ashton Jeanty. The Raiders have become a trendy pick to select Jeanty with the sixth overall pick, and it is easy to understand why.
If the Raiders do not pick Jeanty, they should spent a mid-round pick on a different back. There are no other running backs in free agency that are worth pursuing in my opinion.
The receiver position is also pretty rough.
Jakobi Meyers is a solid WR2, but he is not a WR1. The only other receiver who inspires confidence behind Meyers is Tre Tucker, though he is primarily a role player. As a result, the Raiders should seriously consider picking a starting-caliber wide receiver in the draft.
Tetairoa McMillan and Luther Burden III are two of the top receiver options in this year's draft. Both are almost guaranteed to still be on the board when the Raiders pick at sixth overall. A player like McMillan could make a huge impact in his rookie season if he lands in Las Vegas. Raiders fans should keep an eye on which receivers their team scouts during the rest of the pre-draft process.
The Raiders could look to add more depth in free agency, but they are unlikely to find a starter.
