Raiders considered ‘most likely to improve’ by analyst

This offseason, the Las Vegas Raiders had a mission to fix several key areas that tanked their 2024.

At quarterback, the Raiders made a trade for Geno Smith that guarantees the team has at least acceptable play under center. To remedy the league’s worst rushing attack, the team drafted Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty with the sixth overall pick in the draft. For better leadership on the field and in the front office, the team landed on former Super Bowl winners in head coach Pete Carroll and general manager John Spytek.

All of this was geared towards the goal of improvement, and one analyst believes they have accomplished that.

The Raiders look like a much better team on paper than they did a season ago.

According to ESPN’s Bill Barnwell, the Raiders were named as the team ‘most likely to improve’ when he placed superlatives on each team for the 2025 season.

“The quickest and most fruitful way for NFL teams to win more games is to upgrade at quarterback and head coach,” Barnwell wrote. “The 2025 Raiders hope a new coach and quarterback will propel them forward.”

What Carroll and Smith bring to the table for the Raiders is the instant chemistry that the team has lacked between head coaches and quarterbacks.

Carroll is one of the best head coaches of this century, winning championships at USC and with the Seattle Seahawks. Smith revitalized his career under the legendary coach, winning the Comeback Player of the Year award in 2022 and proving his worth as a starting quarterback in the NFL. With the two already familiar with one another, the Raiders are hoping to emulate such success to get them back towards respectability.

Carroll, Smith and several others will be hoping to make the push that gets the Raiders back to rolling in the right direction.