Jan 27, 2025; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Las Vegas Raiders general manager John Spytek (left), owner Mark Davis (center) and coach Pete Carroll pose at press conference at Intermountain Health Performance Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Raiders Are Turning Things Around with Signings & Trades

Originally posted on Las Vegas Raiders on SI
By Michael Canelo | Last updated Mar 25, 2025 5:30 PM ET

The Las Vegas Raiders have done something very different this offseason that we have not seen from them in recent years. The Silver and Black have been very aggressive in going after players they need most at important positions. That is why it was important to bring in a head coach in Pete Carroll who has great experience in the NFL and knows what it takes to win in the league.

The Raiders paired him with one of the best up and coming general managers in the National Football League, John Spytek. Both of them knew that they cannot be successful without addressing the most important position and that is why they traded for veteran quarterback Geno Smith.

The new regime was not going to wait around to take a quarterback in the draft because, like we have seen before, the Raiders tried to do that, and it has back fired. They have Smith for next season and we are going to see what he can do with the Silver and Black.

The Raiders have also made other moves on both sides of the ball that indicate that Carroll and Spytek are trying to win in 2025 and not wait around to get things going. They signed veteran players as well to fit the culture they are trying to build in Las Vegas.

NFL Network's Senior National Columnist Judy Battista named the Raiders one of the teams in line for a turnaround in 2025 based on their offseason moves.

"The trade for quarterback Geno Smith was one of the stunners of this March, and it also was one of the clearest upgrades at any position," said Battista.

"Tight end Brock Bowers was an All-Pro as a rookie -- he caught 112 passes for nearly 1,200 yards despite substandard quarterback play -- so imagine what he should do with Smith, who completed 70 percent of his passes last year. The presence of Pete Carroll means a proven system will be in place, the kind of organization that has been lacking for this franchise."

"Las Vegas still needs a lot more pieces, but with Maxx Crosby fully onboard, Tom Brady having input on decisions -- and acting as a recruiter -- and Carroll bringing his vaunted culture, the seeds have been planted for the Raiders to finally build something sustainable."

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This article first appeared on Las Vegas Raiders on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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