The Raiders have reached the point where the trade deadline says as much about them as the standings do.
At 4-5, Las Vegas has already shown enough to prove it is no longer the league’s worst team. But the last nine games have also made the gap obvious: this roster has improved, just not enough to stand toe-to-toe with the NFL’s best. After Sunday’s loss to the San Francisco 49ers, the Raiders are back at the same crossroads they’ve been circling all season, with less than 24 hours left before the deadline.
There’s no denying the progress. Las Vegas has gotten better at center, linebacker, safety and quarterback, and the coaching staff has taken a clear step forward too.
The offseason overhaul was significant enough that the Raiders have already passed last season’s win total in less than half a year. That alone says the work done this summer mattered.
But the rough edges still show up fast, especially against winning teams. The Raiders’ young roster is learning just how demanding it is to compete week after week with the league’s top clubs, and that lesson has been delivered in full through their five losses.
The biggest needs remain easy to spot: interior defensive line, cornerback and the offensive line. They could also use help at offensive guard. Those holes are real, and they’ve been part of the reason the Raiders have looked sharp in some moments and overmatched in others.
Even so, there’s a strong case for standing pat. The front office already did plenty in the offseason, and it has every right to decide that this group is simply going to finish the year with what it has. The Raiders have enough talent to keep developing this season without chasing another deal at the deadline.
That said, they do have players other teams would want. Maxx Crosby and Jackson Powers-Johnson are the names most likely to draw interest if Las Vegas decided to move someone. Kirk Cousins is no longer part of that conversation, with the Raiders reportedly not fielding any calls on him.
Around the league, several players have already been dealt to fill needs, but the Raiders were not reported to be involved in many, if any, of those moves. That matters when trying to read the tea leaves on what they might do next. Right now, the signs point toward caution.
Klint Kubiak’s answer on Monday when asked about possible deadline activity only reinforced that feeling. It made a move seem unlikely, even if nothing is completely off the table.
For now, the Raiders look like a team exactly where their record says they are: improved, competitive at times, but still a long way from contending with the league’s elite. Their remaining value this season may come less from adding more pieces and more from developing the ones already in the building.
And if Las Vegas does decide to think bigger, there’s at least an argument for it. Trading away top talent for future assets would fit a team that wasn’t built to chase a playoff spot this year. But that would also run against the approach the front office has taken so far.
In Other News...
Raiders-49ers Game Turned Ugly In A Way Fans Hate
What should have been a routine preseason-style afternoon between the Raiders and 49ers at Levis Stadium instead drew attention for all the wrong reasons, with fan violence breaking out both inside and outside the venue. The scene forced Santa Clara police into a heavy response as they worked to restore order around the stadium and keep the situation from escalating further.
Police are still sorting through what happened in several separate confrontations, and they have urged witnesses to come forward as part of the investigation. For a rivalry game that already carries plenty of edge, the ugly scenes left officials focused less on the football and more on accountability, with authorities making clear they intend to pursue criminal conduct wherever it is identified. [Read more 🡒]
Raiders Ground Game Just Hit An Ugly New Low
The Raiders running game has been stuck in the mud for a while, but Sundays loss to the 49ers offered another grim snapshot of just how far off track it has become. Ashton Jeanty led the backfield in rushing with 25 yards on six carries, while Mike Washington managed negative three yards on six attempts, leaving the offense with little push between the tackles and even less room to breathe.
Jeanty also was heavily involved as a receiver, but the production never followed the touches in a game that underscored the lack of efficiency across the board. For a team already struggling to find any rhythm on the ground, the bigger concern is that the season-long numbers keep sliding in the wrong direction, and there is no easy fix in sight. [Read more 🡒]
Tom Brady's Fox Return Creates An Awkward Raiders Question
Tom Brady is back in Foxs NFL booth, and his return has already revived one of the more unusual side stories around the Raiders. As a part-owner in Las Vegas, Brady brings a different kind of baggage than the typical analyst, which is why his schedule has been watched closely ever since he rejoined the networks game coverage. So far, though, he has not been assigned to call a Raiders game, leaving the obvious question hanging over his broadcasting comeback.
The issue is less about Bradys comfort on camera than the awkward overlap between his new role and his team stake. Fox can work around plenty of broadcast quirks, but a Raiders assignment would invite scrutiny in a way most games would not. Brady has already shown he can still lean into the lighter side of NFL banter, recently making a playful remark about the Patriots current quarterback, but the bigger question is whether the network and league will ever want him in a booth for a game involving Las Vegas. [Read more 🡒]