Raiders plummet to last place. A disastrous season fuels the fight for the top draft pick, and questions swirl around coaching and quarterback decisions.
After their 24-17 Week 14 loss against the league-leading Denver Broncos, the Las Vegas Raiders are officially at the bottom of the league in Bleacher Report’s latest power rankings. At a 2-11 record, the only thing that can bring impact out of this season for Las Vegas is ending up with the number one overall draft pick in next spring’s draft.
As it stands now, the Raiders will be the owners of the top pick in the draft, followed closely by the New York Giants and Tennessee Titans, who also share a 2-11 record. Because the Raiders own the tiebreaker against both teams to get the higher pick, the ball is fully in the hands of the Raiders for who finishes the year in the top position.
A ranking at the No. 32 spot in the NFL signifies the state the Raiders are in. Heading into the 2025 season, there were expectations of a winning team that could even sneak into the playoffs if the cards played out in their favor. It has been the exact opposite for the Raiders, however, as their season has been one of the most disappointing in franchise history, with poor outings week after week.
“It may be time for a full reset in Las Vegas; this roster clearly isn't working,” the Bleacher Report NFL Staff wrote alongside the ranking. “As outlandish as this may sound, Pete Carroll shouldn't be coaching this team in 2026. The decision to hire him and sign [quarterback Geno] Smith has been another fiasco from a franchise that has specialized in fiascos for years.”
It's been the type of season that fans will be desperate to forget. The front office made clear mistakes in bringing in Carroll and Smith. Carroll signed a three-year deal with an option on a fourth year to return to NFL coaching in Las Vegas. With how he’s failed to change the losing culture in Las Vegas, it wouldn’t be a surprise if Carroll ends up a one-and-done as the head coach.
The Raiders will also be faced with the question of how they deal with Smith after this season. They traded a third-round pick for the now 35-year-old back in March, but he’s been extremely underwhelming in the silver and black. He has thrown just 16 touchdowns compared to 14 interceptions in 13 games.
Still, Carroll has refused to give up on Smith at quarterback, holding back the Raiders from any signs of life, instead opting for weekly disappointing performances. After Smith’s shoulder injury on Sunday, however, maybe the Raiders will finally give Kenny Pickett a chance under center after he filled in impressively for the injured Smith.
At this point in the season, however, it’s far too late for correction. If the goal is to keep their spot at the first overall selection in the draft, why not keep Smith under center? That decision has already gotten them there, and it’d be a shame if Las Vegas finally shakes things up when the path towards somewhat of a bright spot in a horrible 2025 season suddenly gets taken away.