Why Raiders Continue to Trend the Right Direction

The Las Vegas Raiders have made enough progress since the end of last season to reasonably expect an improved team this season.

Ranking the Raiders

The changes the Raiders have made has led to various thoughts on just how much they have improved.

Vinnie Iyer of the Sporting News appears to be a believer in the Raiders, as he ranked Las Vegas as the 20th-best team in the National Football League.

"The Raiders are relying a lot on their coaching experience with Pete Carroll and Chip Kelly to somewhat remain competitive in the loaded AFC West. Geno Smith and Asthon Jeanty can help stabilize the offense, but the D beyond Maxx Crosby is what truly puts them behind the rest of the West," Iyer said.

Nate Davis of USA TODAY ranked the Raiders as the 27th-best team in the league heading into the season. Davis noted this could be the season many of the Raiders' prior moves all pan out at once.

"Maybe first-round RB Ashton Jeanty justifies the hype. Maybe Tyree Wilson, their top pick in 2023, is finally ready to help DE Maxx Crosby. Maybe QB Geno Smith won't have to give way to recently obtained Kenny Pickett. Notice a theme of maybes?" Davis asked.

Following training camp, Carroll explained how well Wilson is coming along, as he is set to enter his third season in the league.

"Steady progress. The whole camp he's been doing a solid job. We've called on him in a number of ways to keep going and keep pushing. We're really trying to make sure that we put him in the right spots that take advantage of his skills and in his comfort and so that he can play at his best. So we have moved him around quite a bit, so that continues. He's a really talented kid, and we just got to get him out there where he can do some good stuff," Carroll said.

Mike Clay of ESPN ranked the Raiders as the 30th-best team in the league heading into the season. Clay's ranking seems a bit low, but the Raiders enter the season with plenty of unknowns, which makes Clay's ranking fair until further notice.

"Perhaps Pete Carroll can coach this team out of the basement, but even with the additions of QB Geno Smith and RB Ashton Jeanty on offense and the presence of edge Maxx Crosby on an otherwise shaky defense, this roster has too many weak points. I had them ranked last at wide receiver and 30th overall in my positional group rankings," Clay said.

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