It’s almost inexplicable. In 2002, the then-Oakland Raiders won the AFC West with an 11-5 mark, handled the Jets and Titans in the playoffs and reached Super Bowl XXXVII. It didn’t work out well for the club as they faced their former head coach, Jon Gruden, and were picked off by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 48-21.
Tough times for a once-formidable franchise
To say that the Raiders have fallen on hard times would be quite the understatement. Including a pair of playoff losses in 2016 and ’21, respectively, the Silver and Black own an almost-unimaginable 128-230 combined win-loss record dating back to 2003. There’s been no division title nor postseason victory the past 22 seasons.
That’s the uphill climb Pete Carroll faces in Las Vegas. He’s the team’s 14th different head coach since ’03, and takes over a club that comes off a 4-13 showing—which includes a 0-6 mark vs. their AFC West rivals.
The team’s rough year means that Carroll and new general manager John Spytek have the sixth overall pick in April’s draft. At the moment, the club has a total of nine selections this year. The Raiders have at least one choice in each round, including three picks in the sixth round.
A change behind center
Of course, Carroll and the team sent a third-round choice to the Seahawks this year to obtain the services of quarterback Geno Smith. He comes off a so-so year in Seattle in which he connected on 70.4 percent of his passes and threw for 4,320 yards. Unfortunately, there were just 21 scores compared to 15 interceptions. That pales in comparison to the Raiders’ quarterback situation in 2024. Gardner Minshew, Aidan O’Connell, and Desmond Ridder combined for only 19 TD passes while teaming for 24 of the club’s 29 turnovers.
Carroll also has to address the league’s worst running attack this past season, which averaged just 79.8 yards per game. Spytek added veteran Raheem Mostert, cut loose by the Dolphins this season. On defense, safety Jeremy Chinn (Commanders) and linebacker Elandon Roberts (Steelers) were solid free-agent additions.
It’s obviously going to be quite the uphill climb for Carroll and this club. Still, a little reminder that the Chargers were 5-12 in 2023, hired Jim Harabaught, and reached the playoffs with an 11-6 record this past season.