Jan 27, 2025; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Las Vegas Raiders owner Mark Davis speaks at press conference at Intermountain Health Performance Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

NFL Showing Raiders Respect With Primetime Games

Originally posted on Las Vegas Raiders on SI
By Michael Canelo | Last updated May 20, 2025 8:00 AM ET

The Las Vegas Raiders are one of the teams that had one of the best offseasons in the National Football League.

The Silver and Black have made a lot of moves to be better in 2025 than they were in 2024. The Raiders were not a good team last season, but this offseason, they have pushed all the right buttons to change that and put the organization in the best position to be successful.

The team has a new leader in head coach Pete Carroll, who will bring a lot of knowledge of the NFL game to the Raiders. He will also bring his veteran leadership and the ability to get the most out of his players. Carroll will be critical for the Raiders' success next season, and that is why owner Mark Davis brought him in to help the franchise get back heading in the right direction.

New general manager John Spytek has made his mark this offseason as well. Spytek and Carroll have brought in veteran quarterback Geno Smith from Seattle to give the Raiders the stability they have been looking for at the most important position in the league.

The two also have a good 2025 NFL Draft class, led by top running back Ashton Jeanty. The Raiders did not have a good run game last season, but now with Jeanty, that will change.

All the Raiders' moves this offseason have been noticed by the NFL, which is why the Raiders will have more primetime games than last season.

Our Hondo Carpenter and Matt Hladik of The Spun discussed the Raiders' schedule on a recent episode of the "Las Vegas Raiders Insider Podcast."

"First of all they get three primetime games, which to me is a testimony of a couple of things," said Carpenter. "I always said the schedule tells you the respect the league has for you."

"I think you get the two back-to-back obviously in November," said Hladik. One of them against the Cowboys, which are two of the marquee brands of the league. I think you are certainly seeing some respect given to the Raiders brand and the fan base. There is a little more belief from the NFL, that you know, that there is something built there. Especially giving them two divisional games in prime time."