Raiders named one of most improved teams of 2025 offseason

The 2024 season felt like a lost one for the Las Vegas Raiders, with many of the same old problems resurfacing.

Despite Brock Bowers exceeding expectations in his rookie year, too many issues kept flaring up. The signing of Gardner Minshew was a flop, injuries all along the defense lead to an inconsistent group, and the inability to get anything going on the ground forced the offense to play one-dimensional. As a result, the Raiders went 4-13, lost ten consecutive games, and fired both head coach Antonio Pierce and general manager Tom Telesco days after the season concluded.

There was nowhere to go but up for the Raiders in the eyes of the NFL world, and it appears that new head coach Pete Carroll and general manager John Spytek have rose to the challenge.

The Raiders have impressed many around the league with their offseason moves.

According to Around the NFL writer Nick Shook, the Raiders were named one of the NFL’s most improved teams heading into the 2025 season.

“The March trade for quarterback Geno Smith improved the Raiders drastically and would have been enough by itself to earn them consideration for this piece. But they didn’t stop there, going on to draft a much-needed replacement for Josh Jacobs (whose departure via free agency last offseason left a void at running back in 2024) with the sixth overall pick (Ashton Jeanty) and adding receiver Jack Bech in Round 2 (No. 58 overall),” wrote Shook.

“Guard Alex Cappa brings high-level experience from his time with the Buccaneers and Bengals, while DL Leki Fotu, LB Elandon Roberts, S Jeremy Chinn and CB Eric Stokes should bolster a defense that lost S Tre’von Moehrig in free agency. The jury is out on the overall outlook on that side of the ball, but frankly, again, Smith’s arrival alone will make me want to watch the Raiders in 2025.”

It was clear from the moves made that the Raiders aimed to fix many of the problems that plagued them last season.

Along with improved health from many of their top players, the Raiders focused on getting stronger and deeper at many positions. While the headlining new acquisition in Las Vegas is Jeanty, Carroll and Spytek had a clear plan in place with the moves made. The late signing of linebacker Germaine Pratt and the visit of cornerback Shaquill Griffin indicate that they are not finished making moves yet, but bringing in players at key positions should help considerably.

In just a few months, the Raiders will get to see if the new infusion of talent translates to more wins in the standings.