The Las Vegas Raiders only won four games last season, and it was another forgettable season for Raiders Nation. 2024 was a part of a multi-year skid for the franchise, where they haven't been able to be above .500, not since 2021.
Every year, the team has made small adjustments, but it's only led to their record worsening and worsening, but heading into 2025, there's a light at the end of the tunnel. The Raiders' front office knew that they had a golden opportunity to change their franchise around with the sixth overall pick, and they did everything in their power to prepare themselves for success next year.
It all starts at the top, and while Antonio Pierce showed flashes of bringing back Raiders culture when he was the interim head coach, given a full year, it was clear that he wasn't the guy moving forward. They replaced him with a legendary head coach in Pete Carroll, as well as firing Tom Telesco and bringing in John Spytek.
These two hirings would set the tone for what would later become one of the best off-seasons from any team in the NFL. The Raiders must've had a feeling that Ashton Jeanty would've been available with the sixth overall pick, so they go out and get a head coach who isn't afraid to run the ball and has found plenty of success with it in the past.
Not only do the Raiders have a lot of synergy and cohesion with which direction they want to head in, but they also nailed the rest of the draft, and by trading for players like Geno Smith, their entire roster has been loaded with talent.
Ben Arthur is an NFL reporter, and in an article published on FOX Sports, he details whether he thinks each NFL team's stock has gone up or down through free agency and the draft. For the Raiders, he is buying into their stock and believes they have improved from last season.
"The Raiders still have questions on defense, but the additions of quarterback Geno Smith and first-round running back Ashton Jeanty on offense raise Las Vegas’ floor substantially".
The Raiders will be one of the most improved teams next season, and it's because of their roster construction, but also how well they've handled the offseason. They finally have an identity to lean back on, and could be a sneaky playoff team in 2025.
