The Las Vegas Raiders were overdue for a major culture change, and when it came down to it, there was not a better choice to lead that change than head coach Pete Carroll. He brings energy players can't help but mirror, while setting the kind of overall standard his predecessors could not set.
Las Vegas' roster could not be overturned completely in one offseason, but the first major move of the Carroll era was the trade for quarterback Geno Smith. Las Vegas needed an upgrade under center, and when Smith became available, no time was wasted to reunite him with Carroll.
Simply because he's the quarterback and has the inherent value of the most important position on the field, it's impossible to overstate Smith's importance to the Raiders' success this season. Having consistent quarterback play for the first time since Derek Carr will make a massive difference. But when ranking the most important players for the Raiders in 2025, Smith is low-hanging fruit.
Raiders most important player is abundantly clear
Jared Dubin of CBS Sports went a little deeper to tab the most important non-quarterback for each NFL team heading into the 2025 season. Getting down to it, the choice for the Raiders had to be pretty easy, and Dubin did not need to offer deep analysis.
"When you invest a top-six pick into a running back, he damn well better be dominant right away," Dubin wrote.
Dubin is, of course, talking about rookie running back Ashton Jeanty. After having a historically bad rushing attack last season, the Raiders were inevitably going to draft a running back early to be the centerpiece going forward.
RELATED: Former Raider stirs drama by siding with AFC West rival over Ashton Jeanty
They could have waited to take one from a very deep class at the position, but Jeanty was an easy and obvious fit all along. Even if there are still some positional value truthers out there who will take the opportunity to lament using a top-10 pick on a running back, there was no need to complicate things if the Raiders saw Jeanty as their guy.
Carroll and Chip Kelly needed a young workhorse back to be the centerpiece of their offensive philosophy, and Jeanty fit the bill.
With no disrespect to star edge rusher Maxx Crosby or All-Pro tight end Brock Bowers, Jeanty is the single most important player on the roster for the 2025 NFL season.