With a 2-8 record during the 2025 NFL season, the team’s big offseason move trading for Geno Smith not working out in the slightest, and the rookie class either playing very little or having a minimal impact, there is not a lot to look forward to for the Las Vegas Raiders or their fan base right now.
That might sound a bit harsh, but it is not as gloomy as it seems. The team is not very tied to Geno Smith after this season, so they can easily part ways with the veteran quarterback here soon. Also, if the team would just play its young players and take those hits on the chin, it would provide two things.
One would be a better indication of what the team’s rookies look like, and the organization could make a better guess at how big a contributor they’ll be in the future. The other is that the team would probably lose out, or come very close, and get one of the top overall picks in the 2026 NFL Draft.
But with Pete Carroll and Chip Kelly in town, neither of those things seem very likely.
Raiders fans can cling to hope about major offseason staff changes
Although the Raiders are struggling yet again, owner Mark Davis has to be getting tired of the nonstop leadership changes in Las Vegas. Things are going poorly, but Raider Nation is not really expecting any major moves, as they assume this nightmare will go on for at least another season.
However, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler provided a bit of intel on Wednesday about the future of the Raiders’ coaching staff. When asked about which NFL coaches have the hottest seats right now, he provided two names from Las Vegas that will have the fan base buzzing.
“Carroll is a name to monitor because the Raiders are clearly in rebuilding mode from a roster/talent standpoint. At 74, he is in it to win now and to prove that he’s capable of turning around an organization. Those plans aren’t meshing,” Fowler wrote. “I don’t necessarily see him walking away, though he’s clearly not getting what he signed up for in January. So, a question of whether the Raiders should reset and continue the rebuild with another coach is worth asking. At least the Raiders have pillars such as Brock Bowers, Maxx Crosby and Ashton Jeanty for a hopeful turnaround in 2026. Either way, something has to change with the offense and playcaller Chip Kelly, whose name could surface for college jobs again. The 30th-ranked offense is a tough watch, especially when it involves the act of handing off the ball.”
If Carroll is gone in 2026 and Kelly is back at the college level, that would go a long way in helping Raider Nation see the light at the end of the tunnel. Carroll being gone would likely be the end of Geno Smith, which the fan base has clamored for since early in the season.
Stability is a good thing in the NFL, especially at important places like head coach, quarterback and offensive coordinator. But a team has to have the right pieces in place for its patience to pay off. You can’t have just anyone in charge.
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Carroll, on numerous occasions, has proven that he’s not the right man for the job in Las Vegas, as he all but admitted that he does not care about the team’s future. Kelly practically echoed those remarks in a recent press conference, and neither seems keen on having a youth movement.
In a way, it makes sense that both Carroll and Kelly could be on the hot seat. After all, playing young players and building for the future is something that coaches with job security do. Their insistence on winning now and immediately turning the tide begs the question of just how secure these two are.
One thing is for sure: if Carroll and Kelly are back next season for the Silver and Black, and especially if the team doesn’t have a young quarterback in the building, Raider Nation will have zero confidence in the direction of the franchise.
John Spytek can make all the wise investments that he wants, and he can bring in all the young talent that is available to him. But if the coaching staff won’t utilize these pieces, it is all for naught. Hopefully, Fowler’s prediction comes true, as the fan base would suddenly have a pulse again.
