After a disastrous 2024 campaign in which the Las Vegas Raiders won only four games, two of which were against backup quarterbacks, owner Mark Davis had seen enough.
The team was not devoid of talent, but between a lack of preparation, bad personnel moves, and injuries piling up, the team had to make significant adjustments heading into the 2025 season. Their first move was to usher in a new era of Raiders football by hiring both head coach Pete Carroll and general manager John Spytek.
While one of their first decisions will likely involve adding a new quarterback into the mix, the Raiders have several needs on both sides of the ball. Despite a league-worst rushing attack in 2024, Las Vegas could spend big on a wide receiver in free agency, or they could trade for a disgruntled star.
Las Vegas could trade for 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel
Deebo Samuel, an AP First-Team All-Pro in 2021, recently requested a trade after spending the first six seasons of his career with the San Francisco 49ers. He racked up just under 6,000 all-purpose yards and 43 touchdowns while in a 49ers uniform and has extensive postseason experience.
Last season, Jakobi Meyers had a career year in which he recorded 1,027 yards, but the Raiders' next best wideout had only 539. Samuel, in a down year, had 670 receiving yards and 136 rushing yards despite missing two games.
Samuel's skillset could be intriguing in Chip Kelly's offense as he has both top-line speed and the ability to both catch and run the football. Not only could he be an additional weapon in the passing game, but he could provide help for the Raiders and their 32nd-ranked rushing offense.
In a way, the Raiders could recreate the success that the 49ers have enjoyed recently with Brock Bowers playing the George Kittle role and Meyers acting like Aiyuk, albeit with a little less speed. If the Raiders can find a dynamic running back in the draft like Boise State's Ashton Jeanty or North Carolina's Omarion Hampton, then they would have an ideal set of weapons to surround their next quarterback with.
Carroll and Spytek are both smart enough to know that a duo of Gardner Minshew and Aidan O'Connell will not be enough to win games in the AFC West, so priority number one is still to get a quarterback. But that should not stop the new tandem from upgrading at other positions.
Las Vegas has $95 million in available cap space this offseason, and adding Samuel at his price of around $15.8 million would not prevent them from resigning several key defenders. Samuel is just 29 years old and it should not cost the team more than a 4th-round pick to acquire him. If that's the price, the Raiders' new regime should consider it.