The Las Vegas Raiders are 1-3 through four weeks of the 2025 National Football League season.
There have been some ups and a lot of downs so far. Let’s start with the positives:
Quarterback Geno Smith has shown flashes of greatness under center for head coach Pete Carroll, including a 362 passing-yard debut in the Week 1 win over the New England Patriots.
Rookie running back Ashton Jeanty finally had his breakout NFL game, scoring three total touchdowns with 155 scrimmage yards against the Chicago Bears in Week 4.
Star defensive end Maxx Crosby recorded his first career interception in Week 4, deflecting a Caleb Williams pass up in the air and to himself.
Second-year tight end Brock Bowers has looked good, but he isn’t fully healthy, and his production has dipped because of it. Receiver Tre Tucker has four touchdowns on the season, scoring on 27 percent of his catches.
Now let’s get into the negatives:
Smith throws way too many interceptions. He has more interceptions than passing touchdowns (6:7 TD to INT ratio) and has been part of the reason the Raiders have lost three out of four games.
The offensive line hasn’t protected Smith well and hasn’t created lanes for Jeanty to run through. In fact, Jeanty is contacted at or behind the line of scrimmage more than 50 percent of his carries. That’s a major problem.
The defense, outside of a couple players like Crosby and Devin White, has been quite weak. The Raiders have allowed 24.8 points per game and have seemingly been dominated for most of the season.
Cornerbacks are a weak point for the defense; Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox thinks the Raiders could be potential suitors for Cleveland Browns CB Greg Newsome II.
“Cleveland still appears to be going nowhere in 2025, which is why trading cornerback Greg Newsome II ahead of the deadline would make sense,” Knox wrote Monday.
“Yes, Newsome has started all four games this season for a defense that is the one unit on which the Browns can hang their hat. However, having a fantastic defense means little when the offense and special teams are struggling as badly as Cleveland's.
“The reality is the Browns need to find difference-makers for their offense. Moving Newsome, who is an impending 2026 free agent, might help them do that, albeit in the 2026 draft.”
Newsome is highly talented, even if he isn’t always on the stat sheet. He would be a great addition to Las Vegas and Knox predicts it would cost a conditional 2026 fourth-round pick.