Will Raiders Overcome Depth Issues?

In a recent episode of the Las Vegas Raiders Insider Podcast, Hondo Carpenter addressed a lack of depth for the 2025 Silver and Black.

"This is not a deep Raiders team. There are some places that have good depth. Offensive line, good depth. Defensive line, good depth. I think you can even make an argument that quarterback has good depth. I think you can make an argument that running back has good depth, and you can make an argument [that} tight end has good depth. But outside of that, depth is a real issue on this team", explained the Senior Writer for SI.

Carpterner recalled, "I asked a very well known NFL Coach one time when you're looking at teams, what are some things you look for when you're thinking who the Super Bowl contenders are? And he goes, 'There's one that I bet will come to the mind of every championship coach, [It's]depth.' And this is back before the NFL played 17 games, but he said, that there are so many years you're not winning a Super Bowl if you don't have depth. He said you're not winning it. You're just simply not going to win it if you don't have depth. He said [that] there's been teams he's seen going into the season [that] were maybe fifth, sixth, seventh-best team. He said, but because of depth, everyone said, 'Oh they surged'. At the end, he goes, they didn't surge, they just had the depth to outlast the process".

"The Raiders are not a deep team. It's why I said to you, you know, I expect them to get to nine wins. 10 is the ceiling. Uh, seven to me if, if they take a, you know, blunt injury. But I'd expect them to get to nine and miss the playoffs. And depth is that big issue. Now, there's a lot of young players on this team that are coming, and if they continue to draft and add pieces the way they have, I think they are a team that is on the precipice of becoming a consistent playoff team, but that comes with depth. Look at the Steelers. They lose Spills [Robert Spillane], and they bring in a Elandon [Roberts]. [They] lose Elandon, and next guy up. Spills, moves on too and Elandon comes to the Raiders. The teams that are always in the playoffs are teams that have depth. Howie Roseman, the job he's done with Philadelphia is nothing short of amazing. And the big reason is is because of depth."

"They [the Raiders] don't have the depth to get there. Could I see a scenario where they sneak into the playoffs? Absolutely. Do I think it's probable, no. Possible, yes. But they are a team that's better than last year, but depth is what's truly separating them. But you got a team here that has to think about that depth on the two most important positions outside of quarterback, offense and defensive line. So the the key parts are there. They still have to add more depth. I told you before, when mini camp was over, I thought there could be one to possibly four new players on the roster that make the 53 man. There's been one added. I still think there could be more," offered Carpenter.

John Spytek and Pete Carroll are making strides with this Raiders team. With more time and more depth, who knows what heights Vegas can reach?

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