The Las Vegas Raiders completely revamped both their coaching staff and roster last offseason. The expectation was that the team would be competitive right away after they made several big-time moves at key positions, including head coach and quarterback, where they brought in Pete Carroll and Geno Smith, respectively.
The moves did not work out for the franchise, as they finished tied for the league's worst record at just 3-14. The Raiders have already cut their losses, firing Carroll the day after the season ended, as they decided he is not the right coach to develop whoever they select with the No. 1 overall pick.
It was no surprise to anyone paying attention as the head coach seemed to be at odds with general manager John Spytek for much of the season. While Las Vegas has already admitted several mistakes, there were plenty of them made in the offseason.
The Raiders had a laundry list of poor decisions hinder them in 2025
The Raiders' first offseason decision came when they fired Antonio Pierce and Tom Telesco, giving the duo just one full season in their respective roles as head coach and general manager before pulling the plug. It was not much of a surprise, as Tom Brady was entering his first offseason as minority owner, and many figured he'd put his stamp on the organization.
That turned out to be true as Mark Davis revealed he would play a role in choosing the new leadership duo. Later in the offseason, Spytek, who played college football with Brady and played a role in bringing the future Hall of Famer to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, was named the new general manager.
After Brady's original target, Ben Johnson, accepted the Chicago Bears' head coaching vacancy, Las Vegas pivoted by naming Carroll the head coach. The decision was somewhat surprising as the team was coming off a 4-13 season and a rebuild appeared necessary, while he would become the oldest head coach in NFL history.
While Patrick Graham and Tom McMahon retained their roles as defensive coordinator and special teams coordinator, respectively, the Raiders brought on Chip Kelly as offensive coordinator, making him the highest-paid coordinator in league history. The front office admitted their mistakes, as they fired McMahon after Week 10 and Kelly two weeks later.
Las Vegas added several players to the roster, with Smith, who was acquired in a trade with the Seattle Seahawks, serving as the big-time acquisition. It was yet another move that didn't work out as he led the league in interceptions thrown and sacks taken despite missing two games.
They also let several key players from 2024 walk in free agency, including Tre'von Moehrig, Nate Hobbs, Robert Spillane, Divine Deablo, K'Lavon Chaisson, and Jack Jones. While some of those players went on to have very good seasons for their new teams, the Raiders' free agent class mostly struggled.
Germaine Pratt lasted just four games before being released, while Devin White, Alex Cappa, Elandon Roberts, and Lonnie Johnson Jr. all struggled. Las Vegas did add two impact starters in Jeremy Chinn and Eric Stokes, however, the decisions made in free agency largely hurt the franchise.
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While it is too early to judge both Spytek and his rookie class, who had their snaps limited by the coaching staff, two of his sixth-round picks are no longer on the roster, rendering the decision to draft both questionable, at best. Tommy Mellott and Cam Miller were both waived as part of the final roster cuts. The latter was re-signed to the practice squad, where he spent most of the year before being poached by the Miami Dolphins ahead of Week 18.
Ultimately, the offseason was filled with plenty of decisions that wound up hurting the team in 2025. The construction of the roster, which included Carroll giving far too much leniency to players from his days with the Seattle Seahawks, notably Stone Forsythe, who joined the team after the preseason, also hindered the team.
Carroll's decision to name his son Brennan Carroll the offensive line coach and run game coordinator was another factor in the Raiders' struggles. Despite drafting Ashton Jeanty sixth overall, the team ranked last in rushing yards, rushing touchdowns, and yards per carry, while giving up the most sacks in the NFL.
The younger Carroll was able to retain his job despite leading, arguably, the worst position room in the entire league. There have since been plenty of reports that he was in over his head in the role, which was not a surprise to anyone paying attention.
Fortunately, many of the decisions made by Las Vegas last offseason were not franchise-altering. Spytek will have a projected ten draft picks, including the No. 1 overall selection, and over $100 million in cap space to help turn things around this offseason.