With owners delaying Tom Brady‘s approval as a Raiders minority owner for over a 12 months, Mark Davis‘ plan to put in the all-time QB great/FOX lead analyst as his top football exec was on hold. This delay brought each good and bad news for the Raiders’ 2024 power structure. Davis removed Antonio Pierce‘s interim tag and arranged a shotgun marriage with ex-Chargers GM Tom Telesco. Brady’s first months in charge, nevertheless, led to each being fired and yet one more batch of latest Raider leaders being brought in.
The Raiders’ latest reboot soon brought a full-on Seattle feel, as recent HC Pete Carroll added three-year Seahawks starting quarterback Geno Smith in a trade. Because the Raiders try and raise their floor with Carroll and Smith, Brady and recent GM John Spytek created some long-term questions with their decisions this offseason.
Coaching/Front Office:
We covered in last 12 months’s Raiders Offseason In Review effort how unusual the Pierce promotion was, as the previous Super Bowl-winning linebacker’s experience level was unlike nearly any modern HC hire’s. That turned out to be a problem for the Raiders, who trudged through a 4-13 season, losing the momentum their Pierce-led 2023 stretch created. Pierce, who drew HC interest from other teams last 12 months, fired his OC hire (Luke Getsy) halfway through the season and couldn’t stave off an ouster himself. No team has hired the previous Arizona State DC this offseason.
Pierce and Telesco didn’t see eye to eye at quarterback; an eventful (for the improper reasons) season transpired. Pierce was closely linked to preferring a blockbuster trade-up to reunite with Jayden Daniels, but Telesco was believed to be unready to part with the draft capital that will have been essential to make that occur. Each power brokers paid the value, and while the Raiders were likely the one team that made the Commanders a proposal for No. 2 overall, it never gave the impression of Washington would have made that trade.
The Raiders finding themselves shut out after not making any move up the board (from No. 13) created a predictable QB issue. At the same time as Brock Bowers dominated, Telesco paid for not addressing the QB situation last 12 months.
Not wanting Pierce’s substitute tied to a holdover GM, Brady orchestrated Telesco’s ouster. Davis was not exactly displeased with Telesco’s draft, because it produced a record-setting tight end season and two O-linemen (Jackson Powers-Johnson, DJ Glaze) poised to begin this 12 months, however the Christian Wilkins signing — and the deal given to stopgap Gardner Minshew — worked against the longtime AFC West exec. The Raiders fired Telesco lower than 13 months after a Pierce-led 63-21 demolition led to Telesco’s Chargers ouster. No team has hired since hired Telesco.
Connections to Bill Belichick and Deion Sanders emerged, but no real traction got here regarding either college coach. Mike Vrabel also turned down a gathering along with his former Patriots teammate as a consequence of being set on returning to Latest England. These weren’t probably the most notable “what if?” regarding this Raiders coaching search.
Brady’s presence convinced Ben Johnson to provide the Raiders serious consideration, whereas the high-demand candidate was otherwise prepared to pass on an interview. The optics of Brady calling Lions games, including their playoff loss to the Commanders, for FOX and concurrently eyeing him for the Raiders created an obvious conflict of interest. Brady just isn’t leaving the booth, nevertheless, and he used the time to scout Johnson for a Vegas pitch.
While the Raiders prepared a giant offer for Johnson, a later report indicated they never actually made it. Johnson ended up backing out of the Raiders and Jaguars’ searches, informing the Bears he would mentor Caleb Williams. The Raiders’ lack of a surefire quarterback option at the moment hurt their cause, and Brady and Co. soon accomplished about as drastic a pivot as possible. They’ve gone from attempting to rent a 39-year-old to selecting Carroll, who will turn into the oldest HC in NFL history after turning 74 in September.
Carroll didn’t advance as far on last 12 months’s HC carousel but rocketed back for what shall be his fourth NFL HC opportunity. The previous Jets, Patriots and Seahawks leader didn’t overlap with Brady in Foxborough, being fired as Robert Kraft engineered the 2000 Belichick hire/trade, but faced him with the Seahawks. Carroll said Brady’s part-owner status became a draw for him. While other teams had interviewed Carroll since his Seahawks ouster, it is usually fair to say the Super Bowl-winning HC was not an in-demand candidate.
Few coaches receive fourth probabilities, separating Carroll from most of his peers. His 4 AFC East seasons notwithstanding, the veteran leader will obviously be best remembered for his Seattle stay. The ex-USC national champion HC held final personnel say with the Seahawks, and while John Schneider has seen more credit for the team’s draft finds (Kam Chancellor, Richard Sherman, Bobby Wagner, Russell Wilson), Carroll held the hammer.
The Seahawks went 170-120-1 under Carroll. That regular-season win total sits seventeenth all time; he can move to 14th with a four-win season. The Raiders will expect more, because the defense-oriented coach never posted fewer than seven wins in a season in 14 Seattle years.
Wilson’s prime and the Legion of Boom’s presences raised the Seahawks’ ceiling, and the organization capitalized on the previous’s rookie contract to complement the Sherman, Chancellor and Earl Thomas extensions. That formula produced considered one of the NFL’s best Twenty first-century teams, because the 2013 Seahawks demolished the Broncos — who had Spytek on staff on the time — in Super Bowl XLVIII before a banged-up successor fell just short to Brady’s Patriots a 12 months later.
The Seahawks became the primary team for the reason that mid-Fifties Browns to steer the NFL in scoring defense in 4 straight seasons, running that streak from 2012-15. But Carroll’s unit step by step declined to the purpose it became a weakness in the course of the Smith years. The Seahawks ranked twenty fifth in points allowed in 2022 and ’23, and so they Ken Norton Jr.– and Clint Hurtt-run units were twenty sixth or worse 4 times from 2019-23.
While Carroll deserves some credit for providing key input to tailor an offense around Wilson’s skillset, the Seahawks hovered across the .500 mark in the course of the coach’s final three seasons. Carroll lobbied to maintain his job in 2024, but ownership disagreed and moved on with Schneider on the controls (and the NFL’s youngest HC — Mike Macdonald — on the sideline).
Marv Levy and George Halas were each 72 after they coached their final seasons; Romeo Crennel was an interim Texans HC at 73. This season, Carroll shall be two years older than another full-time HC in NFL history. That invites obvious questions on the Raiders’ plan, because it encompasses a shorter coaching contract (three years) compared to plain deals. Kelly and Graham would make unusual successors, and it’s fair to wonder if the Raiders have Carroll’s substitute on staff. A rumor indicating Brennan Carroll might be in that blend definitely proved interesting. How the Raiders plan to transition after this short-term Pete Carroll run shall be a central storyline for so long as this partnership lasts.
The third pillar within the Raiders’ power trio carries by far the bottom Q rating, but Spytek has a novel relationship with Brady. The 2 were teammates at Michigan, greater than twenty years before Spytek resided in a Buccaneers front office that wooed the QB legend to Tampa. Spytek, 44, moved from national Broncos scout to Bucs player personnel director after Denver’s Super Bowl 50 win. The Bucs assembled pieces that eventually attracted Brady as a free agent, and Spytek was integral to that combination delivering the franchise’s second Super Bowl championship.
The veteran exec also helped the Bucs establish a four-year NFC South title streak — albeit in a quite down period for that division — despite Brady’s retirement making a $35MM dead money bill in 2023. Tampa Bay still managed to re-sign and extend its key players, producing winning records each with Brady’s dead cap bill on the books (2023) and after Baker Mayfield received a significant pay raise (2024).
Carroll doesn’t hold full personnel control in Vegas; it’s unclear who’s making the ultimate calls. Brady has described himself as a sounding board — a great nominee for undersell of the 12 months — while Carroll has said he, Spytek and Brady are involved within the decision-making.
Kelly became a borderline reviled presence in Philly by 2015, when his power grab nearly led Howie Roseman out of town. Kelly’s 2016 49ers stop led to the 49ers cleansing house a 12 months later. Each teams became NFC powers after firing Kelly. Still, the previous UCLA HC-turned-Ohio State OC received interest in one other try. This included Raiders OC interest in 2024, making it interesting they circled back — after one other regime change — this 12 months.
The Raiders interviewed Kelly twice in 2024, and it undoubtedly cost more to rent him a 12 months later as a consequence of the Buckeyes’ national championship season. Kelly, 61, made the bizarre transition from HC to OC at the school level. Ohio State’s ascent to a title — 14 years after Kelly’s Oregon squad fell short to Cam Newton‘s Auburn team — after losing Marvin Harrison Jr. led to interest from a couple of teams.
The Raiders’ $6MM salary — believed to be the best for an lively coordinator — brought in Kelly, as Brady and his ownership group partners are helping deliver funding into a historically cash-poor franchise.
Graham, 46, has been on the HC carousel for a bit. This 12 months didn’t produce as much attention, even with the Jaguars having Graham as an option behind top alternative Liam Coen. The Jags and Bengals, though, did consider Graham for DC. This got here after a Graham-led bounce-back gave the Raiders their first top-16 scoring defense (ninth) for the reason that Super Bowl XXXVII 12 months.
Dating back to Al Davis‘ final decade in charge, the Raiders have been unable to depend on their defenses. This included last 12 months, when Graham’s unit regressed to twenty fifth in points allowed. Graham has no history with Carroll, but he was on the Patriots’ staff during seven Brady years.
Signaling their latest fresh start, the Raiders rehired each Olson and Woods. Olson had been the Silver and Black’s OC for six seasons across a two-stint stretch (from 2013-14 and again from 2018-21). Olson took over after Raiders play-calling after Jon Gruden‘s forced resignation. The Raiders’ DBs coach in 2014, Woods joined Spytek in collecting a hoop with the 2015 Broncos — before three DC opportunities (in Denver, Cleveland and Latest Orleans) followed.
Trades:
One among many teams to enter the offseason with a QB need, the Raiders passed on free agency and a lowly regarded draft class on the position. While Las Vegas was linked to each a Wilson-Carroll reunion and being in on Sam Darnold and Justin Fields, the team made a preemptive strike.
Because it turned out, Brady didn’t want the Raiders to herald Darnold. But they joined the Giants in making a robust push for Matthew Stafford. Each teams had agreed to offer the aging signal-caller with a large guarantee package — from $90-$100MM. (The Raiders, nevertheless, weren’t going to trade their No. 6 overall pick at the same time as the Rams sought a first-rounder for his or her centerpiece player.) Brady and Stafford met at a ski resort in Montana, after the Rams had given their starter permission to debate trades, as Davis’ recent ownership weapon appeared to provide the team a lift in QB recruitment.
Reminding of Brady’s Ben Johnson pursuit, the mission brought intrigue from the courtship’s object but ultimately failed when Stafford — as might be expected given his importance to the Rams and fit with Sean McVay — regrouped and stayed in L.A. Stafford heading from the friendly confines McVay has created in L.A. for Vegas uncertainty at 37 would have been a giant gamble.
Smith’s value had sunk so low the Seahawks had cut him while they rearranged their roster in August 2019. That began a three-year stint as Wilson’s backup, but when Carroll signed off on the March 2022 Wilson blockbuster trade, Smith beat out Drew Lock for the ’22 Seattle gig.
Smith’s stunning turnaround captured attention and brought a considerable raise. However the Seahawks paused on committing true franchise money to their Wilson substitute. That pattern persisting in 2024 and into this offseason opened the door for the Raiders, who obtained Smith for a modest trade price.
Additionally they acquired the QB’s Seahawks-designed three-year, $75MM contract. Agreed to in Carroll’s final Seattle offseason, the deal’s true numbers had placed Smith in no-man’s land on the position. Hovering a pair tiers south of the brand new franchise-QB market and well above backup money, Smith had pursued a Seahawks extension in 2024. Talks a few deal this 12 months led to the trade, because the Seahawks and Smith’s camp didn’t see eye-to-eye on value.
The final result of the Raiders’ subsequent Smith negotiations proved interesting, because the Thirteenth-year passer’s AAV sits seventeenth on the position. Smith did pass Derek Carr‘s Saints contract — still lively on the time the Raiders prolonged Smith — and Baker Mayfield‘s midlevel Buccaneers accord, but he didn’t clear the $40MM-per-year bar he hoped to in Seahawks talks. The NFC West team had proposed Smith numbers much like the Darnold contract (three years, $100.5MM); he declined. Darnold’s deal carries a year-to-year structure; the team offering that to Smith illustrates hesitancy despite a solid three-year starter tenure.
Smith collected much more fully guaranteed money from Vegas than he did on his 2023 Seattle raise ($27.3MM), however the Raiders contract would bring no dead money if the team moved on in 2027. This deal gives the team a security net while one other long-term QB search commences.
Considering Smith shall be 37 in 2027, the Raiders have a runway to seek out his substitute. For now, though, the ex-Jets draftee brings five years of Carroll familiarity and a considerable upgrade on what the Raiders had deployed since they cut Carr.
Although Smith’s interception issues (15) plagued the Seahawks last 12 months, he played behind a below-average offensive line and for an OC (Ryan Grubb) Macdonald fired after one season. Seattle being fantastic replacing Smith with Darnold doesn’t paint an image of tremendous confidence within the discarded QB, but Smith topped his Comeback Player of the 12 months numbers in 2024 in completion percentage (70.4) and yardage (4,320). A Twenty first-place QBR finish accompanied those marks, and Smith may also go from targeting D.K. Metcalf, Tyler Lockett and Jaxon Smith-Njigba to throwing passes to Bowers and a receiving corps appearing to own far less firepower.
Extensions and restructures:
The Seahawks asked the Raiders for Crosby in a trade that will have sent each Smith and Metcalf to Vegas; the Silver and Black predictably balked. For a second time, a Raiders regime that didn’t draft the previous fourth-rounder paid him. This deal got here with two seasons remaining on the four-year, $94MM extension Crosby signed early within the Josh McDaniels-Dave Ziegler tenure. Telesco signed off on a remodeling for the All-Pro pass rusher last 12 months; the Spytek-Brady-Carroll troika bettered that to display a firm commitment to a player who had been in trade rumors.
Teams asked about Crosby on the past two deadlines, because the Raiders’ fortunes had worsened for the reason that fluky Wealthy Bisaccia-overseen playoff campaign. Mark Davis shut down inquiries, but Crosby looked to have modified his stance on being a one-team player, making comments about an absence of desire to be a part of one other rebuild last 12 months. The Raiders responded by making the impact EDGE (briefly) the NFL’s highest-paid defender at $35.5MM per 12 months. That passed Nick Bosa‘s pact and set the table for Myles Garrett‘s $40MM-AAV extension.
Crosby, 28 in August, has stood because the team’s franchise player for years. He kept producing elite disruption numbers despite the Raiders’ plans to enrich him fizzling. McDaniels and Ziegler’s Chandler Jones reunion combusted quickly, after the previous All-Pro had delivered an uninspired 2022 season, and complementary piece Tyree Wilson has made 4 starts in two seasons. Telesco’s top investment, Christian Wilkins, went down with a foot fracture five games into last season. That occurred barely a month after Malcolm Koonce‘s ACL tear.
Crosby’s 62 tackles for loss since 2022 lead the NFL by five. That’s 16 greater than T.J. Watt and 19 greater than Micah Parsons in that span. Each Watt and Parsons have rather more help, whereas Crosby has racked up these numbers as a one-man show of sorts for mostly struggling teams. He also compiled them after missing five games to shut last season.
Free agency additions:
- Jeremy Chinn, S. Two years, $16.26MM ($12.25MM guaranteed)
- Alex Cappa, G. Two years, $11.02MM ($5.5MM guaranteed)
- Germaine Pratt, LB. One 12 months, $4.26MM ($3.75MM guaranteed)
- Eric Stokes, CB. One 12 months, $3.5MM ($2.99MM guaranteed)
- Elandon Roberts, LB. One 12 months, $3.01MM ($2.5MM guaranteed)
- Leki Fotu, DL. One 12 months, $1.42MM ($568K guaranteed)
- Lonnie Johnson Jr., S. One 12 months, $1.69MM ($175K guaranteed)
- Raheem Mostert, RB. One 12 months, $1.6MM ($175K guaranteed)
- Jaylon Smith, LB. One 12 months, $1.26MM
- Collin Johnson, WR. One 12 months, $1.17MM
- Devin White, LB. One 12 months, $1.17MM
Chinn’s deal represents the one notable contract the Raiders gave out in free agency. Just missing the cut for PFR’s top 50 free agents, Chinn fared a lot better than he did coming off a down Panthers contract 12 months. The previous Defensive Rookie of the 12 months runner-up helped the Commanders to a shocking NFC championship game berth. After playing for $4.1MM in 2024, Chinn — a player the Eagles strongly considered taking up Jalen Hurts in 2020 — boosted his value.
More ‘tweener than deep coverage presence, Chinn gives DCs options. The ex-Carolina second-rounder played extensively at safety and linebacker as a professional. Last season, he logged 412 snaps within the box, 299 at free safety and 202 within the slot. Chinn delivered a predictably versatile season, notching 117 tackles (a career-high seven for loss) to go along with two sacks, two fumble recoveries and five pass deflections. He also mixed in a forced fumble and an interception.
Stokes operated as a first-stringer in the course of the Raiders’ offseason program, a development that each highlights the cornerback’s ability when healthy and maybe a skinny Raiders CB group. Running a sub-4.3-second 40-yard dash coming out of Georgia, Stokes didn’t realize his potential as a Packer. Foot trouble felled Stokes midway through 2022, and the previous first-rounder attributed his 2023 hamstring issues to overcompensating. Stokes, 26, returned to play 17 games (seven starts) for last season’s Packers.
Cappa, 30, began 31 regular-season Bucs games during Brady’s tenure and overlapped with Spytek throughout his Tampa stay. Cappa missed Super Bowl LV as a consequence of injury, however the Bengals liked the previous third-rounder’s form enough to make him a part of a 2022 O-line overhaul.
Cappa didn’t miss a game as a consequence of injury in Cincinnati but is coming off a down 12 months and release. Out of 77 guard regulars in 2024, Pro Football Focus graded Cappa 71st. The Raiders will still turn to the 96-start player, who looks to have locked down a starting job as Jordan Meredith and Dylan Parham battle for the opposite guard gig.
A 3-year Cappa Cincy teammate, Pratt became a late cap casualty. The Bengals used Pratt on a career-best 1,078 defensive snaps last season, however the Lou Anarumo-era player didn’t check enough boxes for Al Golden. Pratt, 29, joined a team in need on the position. PFF rated Pratt as a top-20 off-ball LB in 2022 but slotted him outside the highest 50 in 2023 and ’24.
Starting over at linebacker, the Raiders are set to have two retreads manning starting posts. That is team No. 4 for Roberts, a Brady teammate in Latest England. The 2-time Super Bowl winner also played under Graham in Miami, providing considerable familiarity for the Raiders. Roberts, 31, began 29 games for the Steelers over the past two years. He has 105 for his profession; Pratt brings 88 to Vegas. Each players profile as short-term fixes for the Raiders, with White — whose value has nosedived over the past two years — continuing the run on ex-Brady teammates heading to Vegas.
Mostert also finds himself a stopgap, signing with the Raiders weeks before their Ashton Jeanty decision. The rare 33-year-old running back, Mostert remains to be lively since the NFL deemed him a special-teamer during a nomadic first 4 years. Two seasons faraway from leading the NFL in touchdowns (21), Mostert saw De’Von Achane usurp him in Miami last season.
The speedy RB also rejoins Kelly 10 years after the then-Eagles HC/temporary personnel czar added him as a UDFA. The previous 49ers starter will complement Jeanty, and with only 752 carries on his resume (854 fewer than Josh Jacobs), Mostert should still have juice left.
Re-signings:
Effectively delivering only a half-season of notable production on his rookie contract, Koonce did well to parlay that potential into an eight-figure guarantee. The previous third-round pick combined for 2 sacks over his first two seasons, playing behind Jones and Yannick Ngakoue in that point. Jones’ 2023 antics and Tyree Wilson not being ready opened a door, and Koonce capitalized. Pierce’s interim HC stretch featured all eight of Koonce’s 2023 sacks; this included a five-sack spurt over wins against the Chargers and Chiefs.
Koonce was unable to construct on this as a consequence of an ACL tear occurring in practice days before the season. That capped the Buffalo alum’s value, allowing the Raiders to afford his “prove it” 12 months.
Butler has quietly excelled as a Raider. Last season’s Wilkins injury opened more playing time, and the previous Patriots and Dolphins cog took advantage. Playing on a one-year, $1.8MM deal, Butler was amongst only 4 D-tackles to complete in the highest 20 in pass rush win rate while also rating in the highest 10 in run stop win rate. Butler tallied five sacks for the second straight season and posted a career-high 10 QB hits last 12 months, aiding a depleted Raiders front.
Butler joins Roberts, Cappa, White and Jakobi Meyers in being a Brady teammate (in Latest England from 2017-19). At the same time as the Raiders had attempted to transition from Patriot Way mantra that failed under McDaniels, they’re back in that place as a consequence of Brady’s presence.
Notable losses:
- Ameer Abdullah, RB
- Harrison Bryant, TE
- Amari Burney, LB
- Matthew Butler, DL (waived)
- K’Lavon Chaisson, OLB
- Divine Deablo, LB
- Marcus Epps, S
- Nate Hobbs, CB
- Andre James, C (released)
- John Jenkins, DL
- Jack Jones, CB (waived)
- Terrace Marshall, WR
- Luke Masterson, LB
- Alexander Mattison, RB
- Gardner Minshew, QB (post-June 1 cut)
- Tre’von Moehrig, S
- Andrus Peat, T
- Desmond Ridder, QB (nontendered)
- Janarius Robinson, OLB
- Robert Spillane, LB
- DJ Turner, WR (nontendered)
- Cody Whitehair, G
Carroll spoke of interest in keeping Koonce, Hobbs, Moehrig and Spillane; only Koonce got here back. As Vegas added Stokes from Green Bay, the Packers poached Hobbs on a four-year, $48MM deal. Spillane also collected eight figures per 12 months, signing a three-year deal price $33MM with the Patriots. Moehrig fared the most effective here by scoring a three-year, $51MM Panthers deal that topped all safeties on this 12 months’s market.
Hobbs joined Crosby in being a Day 3 Gruden-era find, mostly manning the slot in Vegas. As some CB investments didn’t pan out, Hobbs had worked because the team’s top corner for many of his rookie contract. The Raiders rebuffed trade interest in the previous fourth-rounder, but at the same time as Carroll retained Graham, they cut costs at corner.
Moehrig’s market soared, surprisingly surpassing Jevon Holland‘s endpoint, after the previous third-rounder ranked in the highest 15 amongst safeties when it comes to INTs and compelled incompletion rate (per PFF) over the past two seasons. Epps’ season-ending injury allowed Moehrig to make more plays near the road of scrimmage, however the Raiders replaced him with Chinn at a lower rate.
Spillane and Deablo’s departures have the Raiders rebooting at linebacker. Spillane went from not making it out of a PFR “Minor NFL Transactions” post (granted, on a busy day) in March 2023 to commanding a $20.6MM Patriots guarantee. The Raiders’ green-dot player played at the least 97% of the Raiders’ defensive snaps in each of his two Vegas seasons, combining for five INTs, 5.5 sacks and 11 passes defensed. PFF viewed Spillane as a much better run defender than coverage player, nevertheless.
A converted safety, Deablo began 42 Raiders games on his rookie deal. The Falcons gave the Gruden/Mike Mayock third-rounder a two-year, $14MM deal. Even that dwarfs what the Raiders now have allocated to their LB troops.
James had spent the past 4 seasons because the Raiders’ center starter. His release will pave the best way for Powers-Johnson, the 2023 Rimington award winner. The Raiders had shifted the Bo Nix college blocker to protect as a rookie, but he is about to snap to Smith this season. This cut marked a fast change for the Raiders, who gave the Gruden-era pickup a three-year, $24MM deal under Telesco last March. James is now a Charger on a vet-minimum deal.
Illustrating how bleak the Raiders’ QB situation had turn into since Carr’s December 2022 benching, their Week 1 starters in 2023 and ’24 received post-June 1 cut designations the next 12 months. Pierce surely fearful being stuck with Minshew, who had signed a two-year deal price $25MM, would weaken his job security. The overmatched HC continued to bench Minshew after which reinstall him within the lineup, as the previous sixth-round find endured his worst season.
Minshew posted a 9-10 TD:INT ratio and experienced his worst yards-per-attempt number (6.6) of his profession, following Jimmy Garoppolo out the door. Like Garoppolo, Minshew landed as a low-cost backup (with the Chiefs) after his Raiders release.
Draft:
- Round 1, No. 6: Ashton Jeanty (RB, Boise State) (signed)
- Round 2, No. 58 (from Texans): Jack Bech (WR, TCU)
- Round 3, No. 68: Darien Porter (CB, Iowa State) (signed)
- Round 3, No. 98 (from Dolphins)*: Caleb Rogers (G, Texas Tech) (signed)
- Round 3, No. 99 (from Giants through Texans)*: Charles Grant (T, William & Mary) (signed)
- Round 4, No. 108: Dont’e Thornton (WR, Tennessee) (signed)
- Round 4, No. 135 (from Dolphins)*: Tonka Hemingway ((DT, South Carolina) (signed)
- Round 6, No. 180: J.J. Pegues (DT, Ole Miss) (signed)
- Round 6, No. 213*: Tommy Mellott (QB, Montana State) (signed)
- Round 6, No. 215*: Cam Miller (QB, North Dakota State) (signed)
- Round 7, No. 222: Cody Lindenberg (LB, Minnesota) (signed)
Although the Raiders once more were connected to a possible trade-up for a quarterback, caring for that need with Smith moved that off the front burner — even when the team hosted Jaxson Dart and Shedeur Sanders on visits (QB visits have been quite common for the Raiders post-Carr).
The Jaguars climbing from No. 5 to No. 2 cleared a path to Jeanty, after Jacksonville-Jeanty buzz circulated (in what turned out to be a smokescreen), and the Raiders pounced after the Browns passed. Coming off some of the dominant seasons at any position in college football history, Jeanty will arrive as a belated Josh Jacobs substitute — after the low-cost Alexander Mattison move didn’t work.
Travis Hunter narrowly edged Jeanty for the 2024 Heisman, however the latter definitely had the most effective season at one position in Division I-FBS. Jeanty made a legitimate push at Barry Sanders‘ hallowed FBS rushing record, ending with 2,601 yards. Yes, Jeanty did this in 14 games in comparison with Sanders’ 11 (YouTube some 1988 Oklahoma State highlights; they’re good), but he established himself because the clear RB1 in a deep class on the position. While Jeanty did most of his damage on the bottom during his Heisman runner-up season, he showed plus receiving skills as a sophomore by totaling 569 yards through the air.
Jeanty accrued 830 touches at Boise State but won’t turn 22 until December. The faculty workload mustn’t be a significant concern for the Raiders, who can keep him on his rookie deal until 2029 via the fifth-year option. Jeanty is a greater prospect in comparison with Jacobs, at the same time as concerns about competition level understandably surfaced. Though, it just isn’t like Boise State towered over the Mountain West; Jeanty ran behind a mid-major O-line while eluding defenders on this level.
Linked to Cooper Kupp and Tyler Lockett, the Raiders stood down at receiver in free agency. They’re counting on this rookie class to complement Meyers, who’s in a contract 12 months. Vegas had Thornton playing over Bech at minicamp, representing an interesting development as a consequence of their respective draft positions.
NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah didn’t have Thornton in his top 150; he rated Bech 52nd. Thornton, though, reminds a little bit of Carroll draftee Riq Woolen in running a 4.30-second 40 time with a 6-foot-5 frame. Thornton also goes 214 kilos. He averaged an eye-popping 25.6 yards per catch at Tennessee last season, though the Giants’ struggles developing ex-Volunteers deep threat Jalin Hyatt must be mentioned re: Thornton’s early buzz. An LSU transfer, Bech posted a 1,034-yard, nine-touchdown season at TCU last 12 months. The Raiders need at the least considered one of these players to hit early, as Meyers — his quiet 1,000-yard season notwithstanding — is on the low end for No. 1 wideouts.
Porter joined Stokes as starters in the course of the Raiders’ offseason program. A 3rd-round rookie and an injury-prone free agent signing serving as such represents a risk, at the same time as Carroll has developed second- and third-day CBs (Sherman, Woolen, D.J. Reed, Byron Maxwell, Shaquill Griffin) recurrently. Porter spent six years at Iowa State and can turn 25 just after Week 18. That calls Porter’s long-term outlook into query, though he remains to be fairly recent to cornerback. He transitioned from wideout to corner before the 2022 season and only carried seven starts on his Cyclones resume.
The third-round O-line moves, after multiple second-round trade-downs, are interesting since they got here a 12 months after Powers-Johnson (Round 2) and Glaze (Round 3) arrived. At the same time as Glaze and Powers-Johnson are expected to begin, it is vital to notice how each were drafted by a one-and-done regime. Rogers and Grant coming in under this one should give them upward mobility. Grant coming from the Division I-FCS level makes him more of a long-term play in comparison with Rogers, and the William & Mary prospect’s status shall be price monitoring as Kolton Miller enters a contract 12 months with an uncertain future.
Other:
Mayer has now come up in trades at multiple junctures. The Raiders were believed to be dangling the McDaniels/Ziegler draftee before free agency. No trade commenced, and the team now envisions a much bigger role for a player who went through a lost second season. The previous No. 35 overall pick hung out on the reserve/NFI list last season, totaling just 156 receiving yards in 11 games. Two-tight end sets appear in store alongside Bowers this season, because the Dolphins — a team tied to Mayer — have since agreed to amass his predecessor (Darren Waller) in a trade to interchange Jonnu Smith.
Nothing positive has emerged re: Wilkins this offseason. The Jones fracture he suffered in Week 5 last season still has him on the mend, with a walking-boot photo surfacing recently. Carroll called Wilkins’ rehab difficult, and a reserve/PUP list stay appears squarely on the radar. This could be a blow to a Raiders team that made Wilkins the NFL’s second-highest-paid D-tackle — in AAV and guarantees — last 12 months.
Outside of a robust contract 12 months, Wilkins’ resume doesn’t warrant such status. But Dolphins cap issues last 12 months and Chris Jones being taken off the market on the eleventh hour opened the door for a Wilkins windfall. The foot injury threatens to make Wilkins one other D-line miss for Las Vegas.
Top 10 cap charges for 2025:
- Geno Smith, QB: $40MM
- Maxx Crosby, OLB: $38.15MM
- Christian Wilkins, DT: $18.14MM
- Kolton Miller, LT: $15.68MM
- Jakobi Meyers, WR: $14.96MM
- Malcolm Koonce, OLB: $10MM
- Tyree Wilson, OLB: $6.82MM
- Jeremy Chinn, S: $6.63MM
- Ashton Jeanty, RB: $6.53MM
- Daniel Carlson, K: $5.15MM
Davis is the common denominator here, and his ownership tenure (since 2011) has included 10 HCs, seven GMs/de facto GMs and two one-and-done playoff journeys. The Raiders are in dire need of a stabilizing force. As Davis has Brady installed as his coveted ownership-tier football-side czar to steer a turnaround, Carroll becomes the team’s bet on restoring order after countless instability. This latest reboot comes because the Broncos and Chargers made strides in 2024, while the Chiefs have an unprecedented five conference championships in six seasons.
Carroll’s Vegas trek gives the AFC West historic coaching muscle, as five Super Bowl rings and 10 appearances (six belonging to Andy Reid) are on the present leaders’ respective resumes. Carroll’s age will undoubtedly make this a brief tenure, however the Raiders are counting on he and Smith to at the least make the team a competitive operation before longer-term replacements are tabbed.