There have been very few positives for the Las Vegas Raiders, who have been arguably the worst team in the entire league during the 2025 NFL season. While there are two other 2-12 teams, the Raiders have the bleakest outlook because those other teams have promising rookie quarterbacks.
The Raiders, on the other hand, are on an eight-game losing streak. They will likely need to finish 2-15, which would be the franchise's worst record since 1962, to receive the first overall pick and give themselves a chance to land a long-term signal caller.
As far as 2025 is concerned, there has been little for the fan base to be excited about, as many expected the team to at least be competitive. While early on it looked like the defense could potentially be a bright spot, that has simply not been the case.
Maxx Crosby has been his usual elite self, while Eric Stokes and Jeremy Chinn have been impressive. Elsewhere, the group has largely been defined by inconsistencies and all-around poor play, making Ian Rapoport's statement about Devin White one of the more shocking claims all year.
Raider Nation would be shocked if Ian Rapoport isn't off the mark with his Devin White claim
White joined the Raiders on a one-year prove-it deal this offseason after appearing in a career-low seven games in 2024. While he had an amazing game against the New England Patriots and Tennessee Titans, he has played every defensive snap and put up gaudy tackle numbers, it is hard to envision a world where he is back in his starting role in 2026.
Despite his obvious shortcomings, NFL Network's Ian Rapoport made a shocking claim about the seventh-year linebacker.
"It’s been a challenging season in Las Vegas, but the #Raiders have some success stories — LB Devin White is a big one. He has emerged as a potential Comeback Player of the Year candidate in DC Patrick Graham’s scheme, as the fifth player in team history to eclipse 140 tackles. With one sack, White would join Demario Davis as one of two players since 2019 to get 700+ tackles and 25 sacks."
Rapoport's claim that White is a potential Comeback Player of the Year candidate would be a huge shock to anyone who has paid attention to the Raiders throughout the season. BetMGM doesn't even list him on the board as an option to win the award, and for good reason.
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Yes, White has recorded 149 total tackles, 10 tackles for loss, 1.0 sacks, four quarterback hits, one interception, one forced fumble, and two passes defended. Yes, he ranks second in the league in total tackles and third in solo tackles. Those numbers, however, don't tell the full story.
White has struggled in pass coverage, allowing opposing quarterbacks to complete 77.1% of their pass attempts for 361 yards, two touchdowns, and a 91.4 passer rating with him as the primary defender.
He has also missed 18 tackles on the year, and his 42.3 Pro Football Focus grade ranks 80th out of 88 qualified linebackers.
On Sunday, White was also just called out by Crosby during Las Vegas' 31-0 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, making the timing of Rapoport's comments even more confusing. Or calculated. The Raiders have hardly had any success stories this season, and White certainly is not one of them.
While Rapoport is one of the biggest voices in NFL media and rarely misses the mark, there likely isn't a single member of Raider Nation who would agree with his assessment of White's performance in 2025. He shouldn't come back to Las Vegas, let alone be the Comeback Player of the Year.