Why Pete Carroll Is Finally Embracing Raiders' Youth Movement

Las Vegas Raiders head coach Pete Carroll said before the start of the season that the team was not scared to play their young, talented players. They were going to see what the completion was like in practice, and if they were better, they would be the ones starting.

Fast forward to the regular season, and it has been a terrible one for Carroll and the rest of the Raiders organization. Carroll did not think his first season in Las Vegas would have gone down like this.

When teams are having down years, and when it is certain that they are not going to be making a serious push to the playoffs, that is when they start unleashing the rookies and other young players to get them the important reps and see what they have on the roster for the following season. That was not the case for the Raiders over most of the season. They were not moving in the youth movement, and Carroll said some were not ready, and some are not showing up in practice.

Nov 17, 2025; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Las Vegas Raiders head coach Pete Carroll on the sidelines against the Dallas Cowboys during the first half at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Whether that was his call or not, it remains a mystery. At the end of the day, he is the head coach and the one who makes the final decision. Over the last few weeks, we have seen young players get more playing time and get important reps in the game. Last week, we saw their third-round pick, Caleb Rogers, get his first start on the offensive line. This week, that is something we are going to get a closer look at.

Pete Carroll Comments on Youth Movement

"Yeah, everybody's got a chance to be a starter of our guys, and that's a really good trait," said Carroll about his first draft class for the Raiders. "And so, we just want to keep them growing and keep them being part of what's going on here. And so, they become familiar with the game, and they're comfortable with it. And so, when we come back around and it's the next turn for these guys, they'll feel like they've played a lot of football. So, that's the whole idea."

Aug 23, 2025; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Las Vegas Raiders guard Caleb Rogers (76) against the Arizona Cardinals during a preseason NFL game at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

"Yeah, that is on the high end. I don't remember our numbers back when we started in Seattle, but that would be freshmen and sophomores playing all that time at USC, and we've never been that heavy. So, it shows you that the roster is competitive, and we're trying to give guys an opportunity to show where they fit. And I want everybody alive in the planning as much as we can to keep them going, to keep them driving, to make their spot."

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