The Las Vegas Raiders officially came to their senses on Monday when they parted ways with head coach Pete Carroll. This marks the end of a short, unsuccessful and incredibly frustrating era for the Silver and Black, and it is time to get rid of the stink that he left in the building.
Carroll's reluctance to play the team's young players or mix things up in any way, despite being out of range for the playoffs, frustrated the fan base like no other. It also rubbed Raider Nation the wrong way that he continued to encourage John Spytek to sign former Seattle Seahawks players.
Bringing former players along for the ride can certainly be a good thing, but Carroll essentially staked his claim on a contingent of has-been Seahawks who Seattle didn't even want back. As a result of Carroll's firing, these five players don't have much of a chance to stick around in Sin City.
These 5 Raiders won't last in a post-Pete Carroll era in Las Vegas
1. Geno Smith, QB
How can we not start the list with Geno Smith? Carroll was willing to die on the Smith hill for the entire season, and with Smith's play, he killed Carroll's career, as well as his own. Carroll and Smith arrived as a package deal, and they should leave that way. Neither should expect to have a similar job next year.
2. Tyler Lockett, WR
Lockett looked like a wasted signing at the time, and he proved to be. Success was hard to come by in the Raiders' offense, but Lockett continued to get chances because of his history with Carroll and Smith. With Carroll gone and Lockett being a free agent, he may join his longtime coach in retirement.
3. Jon Rhattigan, LB/ST
Rhattigan is another former Seahawk who joined the fold partway through the season. He never got on the field as a linebacker, and although core special teamers are important, it is doubtful that Rhattigan will be a priority re-signing for Spytek without Carroll in his ear.
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4. Kyu Blu Kelly, CB
Kelly got a long leash from Carroll, and although he had some high points, he mainly rode the struggle bus. Kelly will be cheap, but he also needs to recover from a knee injury, and it wouldn't shock anyone to see Spytek invest in guys like Darien Porter and Eric Stokes, whom he brought to Las Vegas.
5. Stone Forsythe, OT
Forsythe did not perform well in Seattle, but Carroll wanted to prove himself right and finish the project that he started. His abysmal play in 2025 would have had him benched on every other NFL team, but he got a pass due to his status as a former Seahawk. But that holds no weight now.