The Raiders Have a Significant Hurdle to Overcome

"Chiefly (no pun intended), it's the division. If Kansas City's nine-year claim to the AFC West is to come to an end in 2025, the Los Angeles Chargers and Denver Broncos – both returning playoff outfits – would be the natural candidates to assume the top spot," Middlehurst-Schwartz said.

"Las Vegas was one of only two teams to go winless in its division last season, and an overall talent deficiency will be hard to compensate for. That particularly seems like the case on defense, where a unit that doesn't offer much beyond Maxx Crosby will be relying on several veteran stopgap solutions to make up for several free agency losses, which Carroll admitted the group couldn't afford.

Shortly after being named the Raiders' new offensive coordinator, Chip Kelly expressed his eagerness to lead an offense against the Chiefs and the other teams in the AFC West.

The Chiefs have won the division the past nine seasons and the AFC West sent three teams to the playoffs last season. As improved as the Raiders are, they still have a tall task ahead of them this upcoming season.

"The Chiefs and what Jim [Harbaugh] is doing with the [Los Angeles] Chargers, and obviously Sean Payton is a Super Bowl champ himself over in Denver. And I heard that from some people, do you really want to go in that division? But I think if you're a competitor, you do. And if you have a chance to win that division, then that means you beat the best, and the best that's playing in football right now is the Chiefs. They are the reigning Super Bowl champs, and they're back in the game again," Kelly said.

"So, if that's your goal and you want to get there, you're going to have to beat them. So, that's what our focus is on, is to win this division. That means you're in the playoffs and you get a chance to compete for the whole thing. So, there's really good coaches in this division, but just like there is across the NFL. You don't get to be a coach in the National Football League if you don't know what you're doing. So, all of the competition every single week in this league is hard, but to be in this division, I think you're going against the best, and that's what you want to do if you're a competitor." 

The Chiefs have won the division the past nine seasons, and the AFC West sent three teams to the playoffs last season. As improved as the Raiders are, they still have a tall task ahead of them this upcoming season.