The Las Vegas Raiders are officially out of the playoff hunt, but that doesn’t mean their season is over-not by a long shot. With five games left on the schedule, pride, evaluation, and future planning are now front and center. And while the record sits at a grim 2-10, the final stretch still carries weight for a franchise trying to figure out what comes next.
Let’s be clear: finishing with just two wins would be a low point for the Raiders, marking only the third time in franchise history that the team has ended a season with such a tally. That’s not the kind of footnote anyone in the building wants attached to their résumé-especially not Pete Carroll.
Carroll arrived in Las Vegas with the kind of pedigree that commands respect. At 74, he wasn’t coming in to rebuild slowly-he came to win.
But this season hasn’t gone according to script. Instead of playoff contention, the Raiders are staring down a possible organizational reset.
And while there’s no official word on Carroll’s future, it’s fair to wonder whether both sides might consider parting ways if the team doesn’t show signs of life over the next month.
Still, Carroll’s a competitor. If there’s even a flicker of progress to build on, he might want to see this thing through. The next few weeks could go a long way in determining whether he sticks around or hands the reins to someone else.
One player whose future is even murkier? Geno Smith.
The veteran quarterback was brought in via trade before the season, then signed a hefty two-year extension reportedly worth north of $80 million. On paper, it looked like a bold move to stabilize the position.
On the field, it hasn’t panned out.
Smith has struggled to protect the football, tossing 14 interceptions-tied for the most in the league. While his completion rate of 67.3% shows he can still make throws, the turnovers have been costly and consistent.
For a team trying to establish an identity, that kind of inconsistency under center is tough to overcome. Given the size of his contract and the direction of the franchise, it wouldn’t be a shock if the Raiders decide to move on after just one season.
That brings us to the youth movement-because if the Raiders are going to use these final games to evaluate talent, it’s time to give the young guns a real shot. And one name that keeps coming up is rookie wide receiver Jack Bech.
A second-round pick with a high ceiling, Bech hasn’t seen much action this year. But when he has been targeted, he’s made it count.
He’s hauled in 10 passes for 114 yards, with eight of those receptions converting for first downs. That’s the kind of efficiency that should earn more looks, especially now that the stakes have shifted from wins and losses to long-term development.
Bech brings a physical presence and solid route-running ability, and while he’s still raw in some areas, the potential is clearly there. ESPN’s Ryan McFadden recently called him the team’s X-factor down the stretch-and it’s hard to argue. With the Raiders firmly out of the postseason picture, this is the perfect time to see if Bech can be a meaningful contributor heading into 2026.
The Raiders have a long list of needs to address in the offseason, and wide receiver is certainly one of them. But if Bech can show he belongs over these final five games, that could help answer at least one question before the front office starts reshaping the roster.
Next up: a Week 14 showdown against the Denver Broncos. It’s a divisional battle, and while it won’t have playoff implications, it’s still a chance for the Raiders to show some fight-and maybe, just maybe, start building something for the future.