Instant reactions to Raiders' humiliating loss to Bengals

It's a bad year to be bad

Sunday was a great day for the Raiders' draft position.

Not only did Las Vegas lose, but both the Tennessee Titans and Carolina Panthers won. Both of these teams are sure to draft a quarterback in the first round of the 2025 draft, and the more they win, the less competition the Raiders have for choosing their quarterback of the future.

But while many fans -- and perhaps some in the organization -- have fully embraced the tank, it would still behoove the Raiders to be a bit more competitive.

Whether the Raiders try to lure a new head coach to Las Vegas or attempt to acquire free agents in the offseason, the lack of close games is sure to deter a handful of talented individuals.

All of that would be fine, however, if the team was guaranteed to have the first overall pick and a young quarterback to build around.

But Las Vegas picked a bad year to be at the bottom of the barrel because they are not the only team in the cellar of the NFL.

Several other teams are in contention for the first pick in next year's draft, so the Raiders may not have a free run at the player they want.

Not only do the Silver and Black have to lose, but they need other teams to win and help them out.

The team should be sellers at the deadline, and any sort of draft capital that can be gained in order to maximize the odds of getting the first overall pick should be welcomed.

Rooting for the Raiders to lose feels counterproductive, but it is the only way the team will ever be good again.