The Las Vegas Raiders have lacked continuity as they have had five head coaches and general managers over the past five seasons. That has led to plenty of roster changes, as Kolton Miller, Maxx Crosby, Malcolm Koonce, A.J. Cole, and Daniel Carlson are the only players to spend that entire time on the team's roster.
The constant turnover has led to several talented players slipping through the cracks and blossoming elsewhere, before they had a chance to fully develop. It has also made some key players leave the organization, as Las Vegas has failed to put together competent rosters over that stretch.
Raiders fans have had to sit and watch as six key pieces that left the franchise over the past two years were still playing football during the Wild Card round of the postseason. While half of those players began their offseason this weekend, two names stood out as key contributors as their teams advanced to the Divisional Round.
2 former Raiders showcase what the team is missing in the Wild Card Round
Davante Adams' stint in Las Vegas was short, but sweet, as he became the first Raiders wide receiver to earn All-Pro honors since Tim Brown in 1997. The future Hall of Famer lasted just over two seasons with the franchise he grew up rooting for, however, as the front office was unable to build a winning roster.
He eventually asked for a trade, which was granted as he was sent to the New York Jets midway through the 2024 season. Adams' time in the Big Apple was even shorter as he joined the Los Angeles Rams as a free agent in the offseason.
He played well in his first game in nearly a month, finishing with 72 receiving yards on five receptions, also drawing a 15-yard penalty for targeting that directly led to three points. Additionally, 39 of his yards came in the fourth quarter on two drives that led to Rams touchdowns in their 34-31 victory over the Carolina Panthers.
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K'Lavon Chaisson was the former Raider who truly stood out, however, as he terrorized Justin Herbert in the New England Patriots' 16-3 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers. He filled up the stat sheet, finishing with three total tackles, two solo tackles, two tackles for loss, 2.0 sacks, three quarterback hits, and one forced fumble that put the game away midway through the fourth quarter.
Unlike Adams, Las Vegas likely could have kept Chaisson. He set a new career-high in sacks in his lone season with the Raiders and appeared to be on the verge of becoming a true impact player. After signing a one-year, $3 million prove-it deal with the Patriots, he did exactly that.
Both players having strong starts to the postseason are a reminder of just how poorly the franchise has been managed. Despite growing up a Raiders fan, Adams asked out due to the dysfunction. Meanwhile, the constant turnover allowed a player like Chaisson to slip away in free agency despite Las Vegas easily being able to match his current contract.