Second Chances Have Become a Theme for the Raiders

The Las Vegas Raiders have added numerous players this offseason looking to rejuvenate their careers. The Silver and Black have offered multiple players another chance at establishing themselves.

Jan 1, 2023; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll, left, talks with quarterback Geno Smith (7) during a fourth quarter timeout against the New York Jets at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images | Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images

The Las Vegas Raiders are looking to rebound from a challenging past few seasons. The Silver and Black have seen more than a few things go wrong over the past two seasons, as they enter next season with their third head coach in the past three seasons.

The Raiders lost nearly half of their defensive starters, forcing them to make corresponding moves. Many of those moves brought in veterans who are looking for a fresh start or looking for an opportunity to reestablish themselves as serviceable-to-starting caliber players.

The Raiders signed Eric Stokes, a former first-round pick who, after a productive rookie season with the Green Bay Packers, suffered a serious injury that derailed his career. While he appeared in every game last season, he had only played 12 games over the past two seasons combined.

Las Vegas signed safety Jeremy Chinn to replace the departing Tre'von Moehrig. Chinn is a solid piece for any defense when he is on the field. However, he has missed 11 games over the past two seasons. Like Stokes, Chinn is looking to reestablish himself.

The Raiders signed several other free agents, who also have had to overcome significant adversity. However, at the NFL owners' meetings, head coach Pete Carroll noted that sometimes players need another chance to learn from their previous mistakes and grow as players.

"In the first chance of it, you have to figure out who they are, and figure out what they bring, what they offer in that opportunity that time in their life, and then try to maximize that. And it's no different. It's the next step and the next chance you get another guy, and you bring a guy in that's been around or whatever," Carroll said.

"You've got to figure out who they are. It isn't any different than any aspect of my program. I've got to know everybody in this program. I've got to figure out who they are, what makes them extraordinarily unique, and then see how we can celebrate that uniqueness by the way we position them and ask them to do what they do. And so, it doesn't matter whether it's a young guy or an old guy or where they come from."

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