The Las Vegas Raiders were just 4-13 in 2024, leading to an overhaul of the leadership. The new duo of Pete Carroll and John Spytek revamped the defense with low-risk, high-reward deals while trading for quarterback Geno Smith and hiring offensive coordinator Chip Kelly to fix the offense.
Their poor season earned them the sixth overall pick, which they used on running back Ashton Jeanty. While he has been on the field for 67.1% of the offensive snaps, he is one of just two Raiders draft picks who have played more than half of the snaps on either side of the ball.
Las Vegas brought in 11 players during the 2025 NFL Draft, so they've got to get at least a few more first-year players in the rotation. It has become increasingly clear that Las Vegas is not ready to compete this year, so the Raiders' coaching staff must begin playing rookies and developing them.
Raiders need to give their rookie class more playing time
The Raiders' 5-17 record since the beginning of last season is tied for the fourth-worst in the league as the Cleveland Browns, New York Giants and Tennessee Titans all have four wins over that span. While each of those teams, and the New York Jets, who are also 5-17 in that stretch, have embraced a youth movement, Las Vegas has seemingly refused to do so.
They have played their rookie class just 9.1% of the offensive and defensive snaps over the first five weeks of the season. That mark ranks just 17th in the league despite selecting the aforementioned11 players, although only ten remain with the Raiders after Tommy Mellott was released.
The Kansas City Chiefs, who have reached the past three Super Bowls, and the Arizona Cardinals, whose top two picks have spent much of the season injured, are the only teams with a losing record that have played their rookies less than the Raiders.
Las Vegas must embrace a youth movement to evaluate its young talent, and thankfully, it seems like the staff is beginning to lean that way, even if it is ever so slightly.
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While Jeanty and Dont'e Thornton Jr. have both played over 60% of the offensive snaps this season, Jack Bech, Darien Porter and Tonka Hemingway all set career-highs in snaps played in Week 5. Meanwhile, Charles Grant was active for the first time, playing three snaps on special teams.
Each of those players, along with Caleb Rogers, who has not been active this season, and JJ Pegues, who has played each of the past two weeks, should receive the opportunity to be evaluated over the final 12 games of the season.
While quarterback Cam Miller, who is on the practice squad, is unlikely to see the field this season, linebacker Cody Lindenberg, who is tied for the team lead in special teams snaps, should also receive playing time on defense, especially with Germaine Pratt now gone.
The Raiders have nine rookies that they drafted on the active roster. It is now the time for them to begin the process of allowing those players to gain experience while developing them on the field, embracing a full youth movement in Las Vegas to paint a brighter picture for the future.