Before this offseason began, there were two major questions at the forefront of Raider Nation’s mind: Who will be the head coach In Sin City, and who will be the team’s quarterback? Mark Davis and John Spytek were able to address both of these questions in style. Pete Carroll was welcomed to the Las Vegas Raiders organization, and he brought Geno Smith along with him to answer the questions under center.
However, there were still many glaring holes remaining on the roster.
The safety, linebacker, running back, and cornerback positions were all vacant. Although some of these spots have been filled in the meantime, there are still some concerning positions.
The guard spot could be better, for example, but many players have high potential. One such player is Jordan Meredith, who finished last season with an 80.4 grade via Pro Football Focus. This is a similar situation with the safety position and Isaiah Pola-Mao.
Question 1 – Who will be the starting linebackers?
Previously, the head of the linebackers in Sin City was Robert Spillane. In 2024, Spillane started all 17 games en route to tallying up the stat sheet. He finished with two sacks, two interceptions, and 158 total tackles. However, his days of football will now be spent with the New England Patriots.
Early in the offseason, Las Vegas signed Elandon Roberts to fill this hole. The veteran linebacker struggles in pass coverage but is stellar against the run. Additionally, the team also parted ways with their other starting linebacker Divine Deablo, as well as their first rotational linebacker Luke Masterson.
In response, the Raiders decided to invest in former Pro Bowl linebacker Devin White. Although he was notably successful in 2021, his 2024 campaign was anything but successful. Accumulating a measly 19 tackles made this past year the worst season of White’s career.
In the 2025 NFL Draft, the Raiders added Cody Lindenberg from the University of Minnesota. This team has a great amount of depth, but no clear starters.
Question 2 – the Quarterback of the Las Vegas Raiders’ Future
Obviously, Geno Smith will be the quarterback in Las Vegas for a couple years. He signed a two-year, $75 million extension in April. However, the 34-year-old will only be temporary, and Sin City needs someone to develop behind him. Many believed the team would draft Jalen Milroe or Quinn Ewers; a signal caller with the tools to potentially take the throne in 2027.
Spytek and Carroll instead drafted Cam Miller from North Dakota State. The problem is, Miller isn’t a developmental quarterback with ‘all the tools’. The 2024 FCS National Championship winning quarterback is one that’s best described as ‘high ceiling, low floor’.
Basically, Miller has all the built-up skill to spot-start today. He’s a smart quarterback who reads defenses well both pre-snap and as plays develop, and has the natural feel inside the pocket to escape when things collapse. But, the natural arm talent leaves little room for Miller to be a quarterback of the future in the National Football League; not much different than Aidan O’Connell.
For our full Cam Miller film breakdown and scouting report, click here.
O’Connell himself remains on this roster, but has established himself as a backup as well. Fortunately, the 2026 NFL Draft will have an abundance of options at the quarterback position. With the talent in the upcoming class, the Raiders may need to use a high draft pick to answer this question, should they choose to do so.
Question 3 – A Nate Hobbs replacement at slot CB
Although Nate Hobbs battled numerous injuries, he was one of the best Raider defenders on the field. During his Las Vegas tenure, No. 39 played more than 13 games in a season only once, doing so during his rookie campaign. But that doesn’t take away from his impact during that time.
With this roster, the team will either need to start an underwhelming player in comparison to Hobbs or play an inexperienced slot cornerback. Outside corner has an abundance of competition; Eric Stokes, Darien Porter, Decamerion Richardson and Jakorian Bennett will battle for these two starting spots. None of the four have much experience as a slot, however.
Darnay Holmes is the top candidate for the slot job, who posted a 54.1 grade via PFF this past season. 26-year-old Holmes will get a great opportunity to shine in 2025, but if he doesn’t take advantage, he may find himself replaced.
It’s another question for the Las Vegas Raiders heading into the new season.
*Top Photo: The Raider Ramble