The Las Vegas Raiders are in the first year of the Pete Carroll and John Spytek era, so there is still a bit of experimenting to do. The roster had tons of turnover this offseason, and unlike past regimes, this tandem is trying to build a long-term winner instead of patching up the team every offseason.
This means that an abundance of younger players are in the building, and there are only a handful of high-dollar veterans like Maxx Crosby or Geno Smith. The rest are simply cheap additions or reclamation projects that the team is not tied to on a long-term deal.
After Week 1, it seemed like this Raiders team was ready to compete in the AFC right away. But a brutal fall from grace in the last two games now has fans thinking that, if they lose to the 1-2 Chicago Bears at home in Week 4, the franchise may have some soul-searching to do once again.
Raiders may have youth movement with another flop vs. Bears
If Las Vegas comes up short against the Bears this Sunday, they'll drop to 1-3 with the currently undefeated Indianapolis Colts on the horizon in Week 5. Dropping to 1-4 would already make Raider Nation feel like the season is over, and that the team should start building for next year.
Fortunately, Las Vegas has plenty of impressive young players who simply need trial by fire to adjust to the NFL level. The Raiders can stave off playing these players with a win to keep things competitive in 2025, but with a loss, it may be best to start having an eye toward the future.
This would include decisions like rotating rookie cornerback Darien Porter and second-year player Decamerion Richardson in more for Kyu Blu Kelly, and undrafted rookie slot corner Greedy Vance Jr., who was active for the first time last week, subbing in for veteran Darnay Holmes.
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Similar changes could come on the defensive line as well, with pieces like defensive tackle Leki Fotu, who does not factor into the team's future, relinquishing snaps to rookies like J.J. Pegues and Tonka Hemingway.
Second-round pick Jack Bech could also rotate in more at wide receiver, especially if the team begins to sputter and decides to deal star Jakobi Meyers at the trade deadline for a pick or another promising young piece.
Of course, Raider Nation would much prefer the team win and stay in contention for the 2025 season, and let the young players mix in more organically. But things could change dramatically for the worse depending on the kind of performance Las Vegas puts together in Week 4 against Chicago.
Another uninspiring effort could easily trigger a youth movement for the Raiders, as Carroll has made it known that he loves playing rookies. This may not be the best formula to win right away, but it could be the best thing for the future if the team doesn't look competitive yet again.