Raiders Rookies Took Their Lumps Against the Eagles - And That’s Exactly What They Needed
Let’s call it what it is: the Las Vegas Raiders are in the middle of a reset. Whether it's Pete Carroll or someone else leading the charge long-term, this team won't take a serious step forward until they find the right head coach-quarterback duo. That’s the NFL formula, and the Raiders are still searching for theirs.
But that doesn’t mean these final weeks of the 2025 season are meaningless. Far from it.
In fact, they might be the most important stretch of the year - not for wins and losses, but for evaluation. This is the time to see what the young guys are made of.
And in Sunday’s 31-0 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, the Raiders’ rookie class got a crash course in what it takes to compete at the highest level.
The Score Was Ugly, but the Reps Were Gold
This wasn’t a game the Raiders were expected to win. The defending Super Bowl champs came in loaded with talent, and they played like it.
But for Las Vegas, the scoreboard wasn’t the story. The real value came in the matchups - and the lessons learned.
Let’s start with the wideouts. Jack Bech and Dont’e Thornton Jr. were thrown into the fire against two of the best young corners in the game, Cooper DeJean and Quinyon Mitchell.
That’s a tough ask for any rookie, and the results showed it. Bech played 34 snaps but only hauled in two catches for 17 yards.
Thornton saw just eight snaps and wasn’t targeted. Not eye-popping numbers, but the tape will be valuable - especially when it comes to route separation and timing against NFL-caliber coverage.
On the offensive line, Caleb Rogers had a long day. He was tasked with blocking longtime Eagles stalwart Brandon Graham and rising star Jordan Davis.
Rogers gave up two sacks to Graham, a reminder that technique and leverage still matter - even against an aging vet. These are the growing pains that often come before the breakthrough.
Darien Porter had his hands full in the secondary, matched up with the elite duo of A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith.
That’s not just a welcome-to-the-NFL moment - that’s a “here’s what greatness looks like” moment. Porter was flagged once, missed two tackles, allowed three catches for 71 yards, and was involved in a miscommunication that helped spring Brown for a touchdown.
It wasn’t pretty, but it was real, and that’s what matters.
Up front on the defensive line, Tonka Hemingway and J.J. Pegues battled against a veteran Eagles interior featuring Cam Jurgens, Landon Dickerson, and Tyler Steen.
Hemingway logged one tackle and one miss in 13 snaps, while Pegues didn’t register a stat in 16 plays. Their Pro Football Focus grades - 33.4 for Hemingway and 53.6 for Pegues - reflect the struggle, but again, this is about development.
You don’t get better watching from the sideline.
Even Charles Grant got into the action, lining up against edge rushers like Jaelen Phillips and Jalyx Hunt. That’s a tall task for any young blocker, but it’s also the kind of experience that pays off in the long run.
The Loss Doesn’t Matter - The Lessons Do
Let’s be clear: nothing the rookies did on Sunday would’ve flipped the outcome. This was a mismatch on paper and on the field. But the fact that they were out there, competing, making mistakes, and learning in real time - that’s a win for the Raiders' long-term outlook.
These reps are priceless. They offer a real-time look at how these young players respond to adversity, how they adjust, and where they need to improve. It’s one thing to evaluate talent in practice or preseason - it’s another to see how they hold up against a Super Bowl-caliber roster in December.
That’s why these final three games matter. Not for playoff positioning or pride, but for progress.
The Raiders need to head into the offseason with a clear understanding of who can be part of the foundation moving forward. That starts with giving the rookies meaningful snaps now - even if it means taking a few on the chin.
Growing Pains Today, Growth Potential Tomorrow
No one’s sugarcoating Sunday’s performance. The Raiders got outclassed.
But that’s part of the process. You don’t build a contender overnight, and you don’t develop young talent without letting them take their lumps.
What matters now is how these rookies respond. Do they bounce back?
Do they clean up the mistakes? Do they show signs of growth in the next three weeks?
That’s what Raider Nation should be watching for - not the final scores, but the flashes of potential that point toward a brighter future.
Because if this team is going to turn the corner, it’ll be with a new core. And right now, that core is getting forged in fire.