Raiders' 2025 Offseason Gamble Backfires: A Look at What Went Wrong in Las Vegas
The Las Vegas Raiders went all-in last offseason, reshaping their front office, coaching staff, and roster with the kind of urgency that screamed “win now.” But instead of a turnaround, they hit rock bottom - finishing 3-14 and tied for the NFL’s worst record. What was supposed to be a bold new era under head coach Pete Carroll and quarterback Geno Smith quickly unraveled, and the franchise is already moving on.
Carroll was fired the day after the season ended, a swift but expected decision. His tenure, short-lived and turbulent, never found traction.
With the No. 1 overall pick in hand, the Raiders clearly didn’t see Carroll as the right leader to develop their next franchise quarterback. And that was just one chapter in a season full of missteps.
Front Office Reset - and a Familiar Face Behind the Scenes
The Raiders’ offseason shakeup began with the firing of head coach Antonio Pierce and general manager Tom Telesco, both of whom had barely settled into their roles. The change came as Tom Brady entered his first full offseason as a minority owner, and it didn’t take long for his influence to show. Mark Davis made it clear Brady would have a hand in selecting the new leadership team.
That led to the hiring of John Spytek as general manager - a longtime friend of Brady’s from their college days and a key figure in bringing him to Tampa Bay during his Buccaneers run. Brady’s original choice for head coach, Ben Johnson, ended up in Chicago, so the Raiders pivoted to Carroll, who became the oldest head coach in NFL history.
Carroll’s hiring raised eyebrows. The Raiders were coming off a 4-13 campaign and clearly needed a rebuild.
Yet they brought in a coach better known for chasing Super Bowls than developing young talent. The fit never felt quite right - and the results proved it.
Coaching Carousel: Big Names, Bigger Problems
Las Vegas tried to stabilize things by retaining Patrick Graham as defensive coordinator and Tom McMahon as special teams coordinator. They also made a splash by hiring Chip Kelly as offensive coordinator, making him the highest-paid coordinator in league history.
But the experiment flamed out fast. McMahon was let go after Week 10, and Kelly followed him out the door two weeks later.
The offensive line was a major sore spot all year, and Carroll’s decision to name his son, Brennan Carroll, as offensive line coach and run game coordinator only added fuel to the fire. Despite drafting Ashton Jeanty with the sixth overall pick, the Raiders finished dead last in rushing yards, rushing touchdowns, and yards per carry. They also gave up more sacks than any other team in the league.
Brennan Carroll kept his job through the season, but reports suggest he was in over his head. The offensive line room, by most accounts, was one of the weakest units in the entire NFL.
Geno Smith Experiment Falls Flat
The Raiders made a bold move at quarterback, trading for Geno Smith in hopes he’d bring stability to the position. Instead, he led the league in interceptions and sacks taken - and that’s despite missing two games. Smith never looked comfortable behind a shaky offensive line, and the offense never found its rhythm.
Meanwhile, Las Vegas let several key contributors from the 2024 roster walk in free agency. Tre’von Moehrig, Nate Hobbs, Robert Spillane, Divine Deablo, K’Lavon Chaisson, and Jack Jones all departed - and several of them thrived with their new teams. The Raiders’ replacements, on the other hand, mostly struggled.
Germaine Pratt was cut after just four games. Devin White, Alex Cappa, Elandon Roberts, and Lonnie Johnson Jr. all underperformed. Only Jeremy Chinn and Eric Stokes provided meaningful impact among the new additions.
Draft Decisions Still a Work in Progress
It’s too early to fully judge Spytek’s first draft class, especially since the coaching staff limited many of the rookies' snaps. But two sixth-round picks - Tommy Mellott and Cam Miller - didn’t even make it to Week 1 on the active roster. Mellott was waived during final cuts, while Miller was stashed on the practice squad before being signed by the Dolphins ahead of Week 18.
Those misses aren’t catastrophic, but they highlight the growing pains of a front office still trying to find its footing.
Familiar Faces, Familiar Mistakes
One of the more puzzling aspects of the Raiders’ roster construction was Carroll’s reliance on former Seahawks players. Stone Forsythe, brought in after the preseason, struggled mightily and never justified his roster spot. It was part of a broader trend of loyalty over performance - a theme that haunted the team all year.
A Silver (and Black) Lining?
Despite the disastrous season, the Raiders aren’t stuck. Spytek enters the offseason with a projected 10 draft picks, including the No. 1 overall selection, and more than $100 million in cap space. That’s a lot of ammunition to reshape the roster and chart a new course.
The 2025 offseason was full of bold moves, but most of them misfired. Now, with a clean slate and plenty of resources, the Raiders have a chance to get it right.
But after a 3-14 season, there's no margin for error. The next moves will define the future of the franchise - and this time, they have to stick.