Things were not going well for the Las Vegas Raiders through the first four games of the 2025 NFL season. Although they snuck a win in Week 1 against the New England Patriots, they were just 1-3 after letting a home game against the Chicago Bears slip through their fingers in Week 4.
Then, the injury bug began infecting both sides of the ball. Starting left tackle Kolton Miller was placed on the Injured Reserve, starting cornerback Eric Stokes was sidelined for a game, and star tight end Brock Bowers finally decided to rest after weeks of battling through a knee injury.
While Stokes only missed the one game, and Bowers has since returned to play in Las Vegas' last two contests, Miller has been sidelined for the last five matchups with a broken ankle and high ankle sprain. Many thought he'd miss the rest of the season if he wasn't back after the Week 8 bye.
Pete Carroll says Raiders' Kolton Miller could return this season
However, head coach Pete Carroll spoke to the media on Saturday afternoon and provided an update on that front. When asked if Miller has a chance to return this season, the veteran head coach responded enthusiastically.
"Yeah, I do (think he'll return this season)," Carroll said. "He's getting around okay, and everything is pointing toward that, yeah."
Miller's return may not matter much in the sense of Las Vegas making a postseason run, but his presence could be a major factor in the product on the field looking better for Raider Nation, and the team actually being able to make some strides toward the end of the campaign.
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Ashton Jeanty has struggled at times this season, and having the team's best offensive lineman back would be a huge benefit. Jackson Powers-Johnson is now on IR as well, but it sounds like he may not be out for the year either, so the Raiders could maybe get the gang back together for a game or two.
If Miller's return is potentially imminent, then that means Carroll and the staff may only have a few more opportunities to throw third-round rookie tackle Charles Grant into the game and see what he can do. Grant should be Miller's backup and eventual replacement, but he's currently a question mark.
Perhaps this update was just another piece of Carroll's relentless optimism, and in another lost campaign, the Raiders would not actually bring back a veteran player at the end of the year for some ultimately meaningless games. But Carroll's update was a shred of optimism that Las Vegas needs.