Las Vegas Raiders
Record: 4-13-0 (Last in AFC West)
Head Coach: Antonio Pierce (1st Year—Fired post Week 18)
Making the Right Choice:
A season and a half after deciding to hire Josh McDaniels over Rich Bisaccia, the Las Vegas Raiders fired McDaniels, replacing him with another well-liked personality: Antonio Pierce. After leading the Raiders to a 5-4 record, including a dominant 63-21 win over the Los Angeles Chargers, it was etched in stone that Antonio Pierce would be the Raiders next head coach.
With Pierce being named the Raiders head coach, Pro Bowl edge rusher Maxx Crosby decided he wanted to stay in Las Vegas. While expectations were low for on the field play, it seemed that a culture was forming in Las Vegas. Combined with a start to the draft, with Brock Bowers and Jackson Powers-Johnson, Raiders fans had something to be excited about entering the 2024 season, even if Gardner Minshew was the starting quarterback.
The Worst Run Game:
The Raiders got off to a good start to the 2024 season, going 2-2 in their first four games. Despite losses to the Los Angeles Chargers and Carolina Panthers, the Raiders defeated the Cleveland Browns and upset the Baltimore Ravens.
Despite the 2-2 start, cracks were already showing in the Raiders game. In their first four games since losing Josh Jacobs in free agency, Las Vegas rushed for 299 yards on 84 carries (3.5 yards per carry). In the same span, Gardner Minshew was sacked 13 times. The inability for the running backs to be efficient and sacks were both trends that continued throughout the season.
The Raiders ended the season with the fewest rushing yards in the league, 1,357. Alongside having the worst run game in 2024, this year’s incarnation of the Raiders had the second worst running offense of the 17-game era, with just 49 yards more than the 2022 Buccaneers (Statmuse).
In the Air:
The unwritten ideology of the NFL is that the run game opens up the pass game, but despite the woes on the ground, the Raiders were surprisingly solid in the air. Wide receiver Jakobi Meyers continues to prove that the Patriots should have given him the deal they gave JuJu Smith-Schuster, as he recorded his first 1000-receiving yard season despite suboptimal quarterback play.
Undoubtedly, the best story for the Raiders in 2024 has to be first round pick Brock Bowers. The 13th overall pick set two records this season, recording 1,194 yards and 112 receptions, breaking the records of Mike Ditka and Puka Nacua respectively (ESPN). A candidate for Offensive Rookie of the Year, Bowers role only increased when the Raiders traded wide receiver Davante Adams to the Jets after week 6 (More on the Jets season tomorrow).
Questions About the Culture:
Adams was the first inkling that something was going on behind the scenes for the Raiders. When looking back to the offseason, Antonio Pierce was hired because he was the culture guy. Maxx Crosby even requested to be traded if Pierce wasn’t named the head coach (Dajani). Whatever happened between January and October clearly led to frustrations, and CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones reported that the Raiders held a team meeting during the bye week, as their losing streak reached five games. “Players had issues with the schedule not being efficient. There was a lack of organization and “wasting time,” and there was a “lack of discipline and accountability.” (Jones, CBS Sports). Despite changes to the staff, the Raiders losing streak extended to 10 games, before two late wins led them to finish the season off with a record of 4-13.
While the Raiders certainly had some positives in 2024, the decision was made that Antonio Pierce would not return as the head coach and Tom Telesco would not return as general manager in 2025, providing an air of uncertainty surrounding the Raiders for next year.
Black Hole in 2025
Undoubtedly, the worry for the Raiders now is whether or not Maxx Crosby will remain in Las Vegas. He was adamant on being traded without Pierce as head coach last season and this year can’t be any different. The team has gotten worse—most apparent in the run game. Outside of Maxx Crosby, the defense wasn’t appealing, and the Raiders might be on pace for the worst all-around roster in the NFL.
The new head coach and GM need to improve that roster somehow. The only running back on the roster after this season will be 6th round pick Dylan Laube. Even if Laube has a breakout 2025 and becomes the next Christian McCaffrey, the Raiders will need to have a number two option just in case. A name like Najee Harris comes to mind. Harris will be a free agent after the season and with four 1,000-yard rushing seasons under his belt, he could have a good payday in March or April.
Could the Vikings be a team to look at Sam Darnold this free agency? The former 3rd overall pick has had a career resurgence under Kevin O’Connell in Minnesota, and with J.J. McCarthy expected to return to the field in 2025, Darnold could be forced out for the less expensive option. Looking at the draft, the Raiders currently hold the 6th overall pick.
For a team that has plenty of holes, the Raiders have plenty of options in the draft. Cornerback Will Johnson, EDGE Rusher Abdul Carter, Offensive Tackle Will Campbell, Wide Receiver Tetairoa McMillan, and more could fall into the Raiders arms. My favorite pick for the Raiders would be Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty. Running Backs going inside the Top-10 is an increasingly rare occurrence, but Ashton Jeanty’s legendary 2024 could see him become just the 7th running back taken inside the Top-10 since 2015.
Whatever pick the Raiders make in the 2025 NFL Draft, it should be an improvement to their roster. Unfortunately, the Raiders just aren’t predictable enough until they hire a new head coach/general manager.
