Nov 23, 2025; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Las Vegas Raiders head coach Pete Carroll looks on in the first half against the Cleveland Browns at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
When you are having a season like the Raiders are having right now, there are certain things you do towards the end to look into the future.
All players should still be working hard and going out there and competing their butts off, no matter the record or what kind of season they are having. Truth be told, that is not true about every player. Most play hard for the whole game because they are still playing for something. They are showing why they want to be here or why another team should sign them.
Another thing most teams do when they are having a down year is make sure they are getting a view and seeing what their rookies and young players could do in live regular-season game reps. These are important reps that these players will get when a season is not going right. But they are so important for the following season. That is usually how it does. But the Silver and Black have not done that, and that is something that has caused major concern around this franchise this season.
Nov 17, 2025; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Las Vegas Raiders head coach Pete Carroll during the second half of the game against the Dallas Cowboys at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images | Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images
Raiders Decision Making is Questioning
At this point, the Raiders are 2-9 and not going to make a playoff push. You've got to see what you've got on this roster for next season. The Raiders have been hesitating to play their rookies, whom they drafted in the early rounds of the 2025 NFL Draft.
“For a second, Caleb Rogers, the third-round pick out of Texas Tech started to walk out onto the field. That is what Raiders’ fans have been clamoring for,” said CBS Broadcaster Ross Tucker when Jordan Meredith went down with an injury last week.
Jun 10, 2025; Henderson, NV, USA; Las Vegas Raiders offensive tackle Caleb Rogers (76) during a drill at Las Vegas Raiders Minicamp at Intermountain Health Performance Center. Mandatory Credit: Candice Ward-Imagn Images | Candice Ward-Imagn Images
“But they haven’t played the third-round offensive lineman. They don’t throw the ball very often to [Jack] Bech or [Dont’e] Thornton, and so when you talk with Raiders fans, that’s kind of their frustration. It’s like ‘OK, get it. We’re not going to have a good season. We’re not a good team, but let’s at least develop these young guys.'”
“When we asked Pete Carroll about that,” Tucker continued, “and he said you either have a philosophy or you don’t, and his philosophy is you compete to do whatever you can to win and he said if you’re asking me if I’m going to develop guys just to develop them, I ain’t for that.”
Nov 2, 2025; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Las Vegas Raiders head coach Pete Carroll looks on during the second half against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
The Raiders have six games remaining and that is going to be closely watched for this team until the end. The young players need to play and it is all about giving them the opportunity because you do not have nothing to lose by putting them on the field.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/nfl/raiders/onsi as Making Sense of One of the Biggest Mysteries of Raiders Season.