Raiders Offseason: What Are The Biggest Surprises Thus Far?

The Las Vegas Raiders‘ roster has changed in many ways this offseason. It started with an unexpected move when Pete Carroll quickly brought in his old friend from Seattle, Geno Smith, to address the quarterback position. Ashton Jeanty, the Raiders’ first-round pick this year, may be the offense’s most important new player, not Smith.

On the defensive side of the ball, plenty of change occurred. Several old faces left, and many new ones joined. The nucleus of the defense is going to look much different than it did in 2024, which could be a good thing or a bad thing. We can confidently say that this roster has undergone significant changes compared to last year.

There were also some surprising moves that didn’t occur. As the draft approached, many believed they had a solid understanding of what Las Vegas aimed to achieve. These were the most unexpected events involving the Raiders this offseason, although there were many other topics to discuss.

Surprise No. 1: Raiders Trade For Geno Smith

With Smith occupying the most critical position on the field and being an unexpected addition, it’s hard not to focus on him here.

The Raiders held the sixth overall pick in the 2025 Draft, and with Tom Brady’s connections to Shedeur Sanders, many initially believed the team would pursue him. However, wanting to quickly address their quarterback needs, they traded a third-round pick to Seattle in exchange for Smith.

This move was surprising given the quarterback market at that time. Notable free agents included Aaron Rodgers, Justin Fields, Sam Darnold, and even Russell Wilson, along with various options available in the draft. Geno Smith seemed to be off the market, as the Raiders’ trade marked the first indication that the Seahawks were willing to part ways with him.

As we approach the 2025 season, the Raiders are pleased to have achieved some stability at the position. It’s their first sense of stability since Derek Carr left a couple of years ago. Finally, we get to see what this Raiders offense can look like with some consistent quarterback play.

From a broad perspective, this offense has the potential to cause significant damage. Bowers had a sensational rookie year, Jakobi Meyers comes back, and Las Vegas added both Jack Bech and Dont’e Thornton Jr. in the draft. If those two especially have outstanding rookie seasons, this group could quietly become one of the better pass-catching units in the league. With Ashton Jeanty’s influence on the offense as well, Chip Kelly and Geno Smith are going to have a lot to work with.

Surprise No. 2: The Massive Changes On Defense

The Raiders’ defense will undoubtedly look significantly different in 2025. Several key names left this offseason via free agency. Those include Robert Spillane, Nate Hobbs and Tre’Von Moehrig. The Raiders did keep some of their better defenders around, but a large part of the core of this unit, one that’s been successful over the last couple of years, is now gone. It was unrealistic to expect all of them to return, given some of the contracts they received. However, to see all three of those names leave was surprising.

However, all is not lost for that team. There were a few new additions, and some of them could play key roles. First was Jeremy Chinn, a talented safety who came in shortly after Moehrig signed elsewhere. Then, there was Elandon Roberts. He’s best in run defense, something he did well as a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers last year. And finally, just recently, the Raiders brought in Germaine Pratt after the Cincinnati Bengals released him. He’s another player that should be strong against the run.

Taking everything into account, the Raiders’ defense might appear unfamiliar when the season starts. Several familiar faces have left, but the Raiders hope their new additions can fill that void quickly. One reason for positivity is Patrick Graham. Despite having a unit that had to deal with an offense constantly putting them in bad positions over the last two years, Graham has done a good job with what he’s had. He’s quietly coached some of the better defenses in recent memory for the Raiders in the last two years. Managing to keep him this offseason was a big plus for the Raiders.