The Las Vegas Raiders were among the worst teams in the NFL last season as they finished with just four wins. The franchise underwent major changes this offseason to improve, as they hired John Spytek as general manager, Pete Carroll as head coach and Chip Kelly as offensive coordinator.
They traded for quarterback Geno Smith and drafted running back Ashton Jeanty with the hopes of improving an offense that was abysmal in 2024. Meanwhile, the Raiders also revamped their defense despite it being the strong point of the team last season and keeping coordinator Patrick Graham.
While Las Vegas figures to have much more stability and talent in 2025, it remains in one of football's toughest divisions. An NFL analyst recently predicted that the Raiders will once again finish last in the AFC West.
NFL analyst predicts Raiders will finish last in AFC West in 2025
The AFC West fielded three playoff teams in 2024, with the Raiders serving as the lone outlier. Despite the improvements to the roster and coaching staff, one NFL analyst isn't sold on Las Vegas' chances of rising in the division.
Brad Gagnon of Bleacher Report discussed the Raiders' chances of going from worst to first in the AFC West, stating a few key reasons why they'll remain buried in the division.
"Smith has probably peaked at this point in his career, and the Raiders are likely to experience some growing pains with the roster and staff coming together," Gagnon wrote. "They are also stuck in a division with the juggernaut Chiefs and the surging Broncos and Chargers."
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Gagnon predicted that the Raiders could improve and finish with six or seven wins; however, he believes they will still be last in the division. While the roster does still have plenty of question marks, at least the offense figures to take a major leap this season.
Replacing Gardner Minshew and Aidan O'Connell with Smith, while bringing in Jeanty to improve a running game that finished last in the league, should both pay dividends. Additionally, having Kelly calling the plays instead of Luke Getsy could be one of the biggest coordinator upgrades in the league this season.
Finally, while Antonio Pierce was viewed as a players' coach, he lacked experience. That won't fly in a division with Andy Reid, Sean Payton and Jim Harbaugh. Carroll has the championship pedigree to match his counterparts. Although most predictions have picked the Raiders to remain at the bottom of the AFC West, the team figures to be much more competitive in 2025.