Jan 7, 2024; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Las Vegas Raiders safety Chris Smith II (29) and Las Vegas Raiders linebacker Amari Burney (56) celebrate after the Raiders defeated the Denver Broncos 27-14 at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

Will Raiders' Chris Smith Show Something in 2025?

Originally posted on Las Vegas Raiders on SI
By Michael Canelo | Last updated May 12, 2025 12:00 PM ET

The Las Vegas Raiders are looking to get things going in the right direction in 2025. The big question for the Raiders is how the defense will look next season. The Silver and Black had a lot of key players leave in free agency this offseason.

But the Raiders also made a couple of moves to get their own free agent signings to take their place. New head coach Pete Carroll and new general manager John Spytek made the decision not to overpay players who were looking for new contracts, and instead signed players that they believe will help the team win more games next season and fix the things they are trying to do in Las Vegas.

The safety position for the Raiders is going to be interesting to see. The Raiders are going with Isaiah Pola-Mao to lead the way in the secondary at the safety position.

The Raiders lost Tre'Von Moehrig in free agency. But Pola-Mao showed last season that he is ready to take the next step to be a top safety in the league. The team also brought in veteran safety Jeremy Chinn to take the other safety position.

The good news for the Raiders is that defensive coordinator Patrick Graham has done a great job in getting all his defensive players ready, and they have found success when they take the field. Graham will look to do that again with the safeties in 2025.

Our Hondo Carpenter talked about safety Chris Smith II on a recent episode of the "Las Vegas Raiders Insider Podcast."

"If I had to pick the next guy to make the roster ... The next guy has the edge because he made the 53-man last year, but to say that so far his career has not been disappointing would be unfair because it has been," said Carpenter. "He has been unable to get to a place of constant contribution. He has not been really able to put anything out there that says look I belong, he is entering his money year."

"But this is Chris Smith. We know Chris Smith can play football. We know Chris Smith is a tremendous human being ... He is smart and was selected to really be a Marcus Epps replacement. Huge football IQ like Epps ... I have not given up on Smith ... This is his prove it year now."