1 Reason to be Optimistic About the Raiders' Future

It is debatable how good a situation the Las Vegas Raiders have for potential players and coaches. After finishing 3-14 and securing the top pick in the NFL Draft, the Raiders enter the offseason with significantly more questions than answers after taking a step backwards this season.

It would be fair to be skeptical about where the Raiders are headed. Still, Josh Edwards of CBS Sports believes every team has reasons to be optimistic heading into this offseason. Even the Raiders have reasons to be excited about what the future may hold, assuming they make the proper moves.

Analyzing the Raiders' Offseason Ahead

"Las Vegas made all the wrong moves last offseason. The Raiders aggressively invested in a roster that was not built to contend. The byproduct of those decisions, however, is the ammunition to potentially find a quarterback of the future," Edwards said.  

"If Indiana's Fernando Mendoza is the pick at No. 1, then it is exciting to think about the collection of young skill players, including running back Ashton Jeanty and tight end Brock Bowers. Sure, there are big needs to fill along the offensive line and on the defense, but teams like Washington and Houston have shown in recent years that finding the quarterback can rejuvenate a franchise overnight. 

The Raiders have had a rocky and subpar past few seasons. Las Vegas is a combined 15-36 since the 2023 season. Including interim coordinators, the Raiders have had a total of six offensive coordinators, and they have started seven different quarterbacks over that time.

Shortly after Las Vegas Pete Carroll last week, Raiders General Manager John Spytek noted that there are several examples of teams in a similar situation as the Raiders turning things around after nailing the No. 1 pick in the draft.

"The league is littered with when you get the top pick right, those guys are franchise altering players. There's probably no more important hire in an NFL organization than the head coach. They're the daily guy. They set the vision, they set the cadence. They are what touches the players every day and demand excellence from players. And the players are the ones that have to go out there and do it,” Spytek said.

“And the more good players you have, and the better person at the helm that you have steering that ship, my experiences is, the more successful you are. And you look at, are there two more important hires in an organization than a quarterback and a head coach? I think we probably all would agree that those two men usually steer the ship, and that's out in front of us right now."

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