The Las Vegas Raiders went all-in on offense this offseason.
After luring former Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll out of retirement, the Raiders pulled off a blockbuster trade to reunite their new head coach with his former quarterback, Geno Smith, and then got down to work adding potentially dynamic weapons around him.
The Raiders have significant ground to make up on the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC West, and second-year quarterback Bo Nix has the Broncos dreaming of an insurgent run to the division championship, but Las Vegas’ offense might hold the key to turning the franchise’s fortunes around this fall.
Optimism Surging for Las Vegas Raiders Offense
Smith’s presence should provide some much-needed consistency at the most important position in sports, but adding former Boise State electrifying running back Ashton Jeanty has the potential to not only throw coordinator Chip Kelly’s playbook open, but elevate the Raiders’ ceiling in 2025.
Pro Football Focus analyst Dalton Wasserman put together one key takeaway for each team, so far this offseason, including the Raiders being primed to boast a “drastically improved offense.”
“The Raiders finished near the bottom in nearly every offensive metric last season,” Wasserman points out for PFF. “Ranking 31st in team passing grade and dead last in rushing grade. That should change quickly after two major additions: the trade for quarterback Geno Smith and the selection of running back Ashton Jeanty. Jeanty capped off his Boise State career with a perfect 99.9 rushing grade and forced an astounding 284 missed tackles over three seasons — the kind of dynamic runner Las Vegas has been missing.
“The Raiders also bolstered their receiving corps with Jack Bech and Dont’e Thornton, two athletic, high-upside options who could carve out roles early. While the defense remains a work in progress, this offense is positioned to be one of the most improved units in the NFL in 2025.”
In addition to Jeanty, Bech is a smooth route runner capable of creating separation on the perimeter and could be the kind of receiver who brings out the best in Smith.
The Raiders are quickly building a dynamic collection of weapons with Jeanty, Bech, and emergent superstar tight end Brock Bowers who could be the foundation of the passing game and the offense making major strides.
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