Is there more to what’s happening with the rookies that the Las Vegas Raiders refuse to play, or is there more underneath the surface?
The Raiders’ offensive line has looked like a group project where everyone shows up late and nobody brought the presentation. That much is true. But the idea that Caleb Rogers and Charles Grant are already busts because they aren’t instantly saving a depleted unit feels less like analysis and more like throwing darts with the lights off.
Yes, the line has been bad—even before injuries turned the interior into a weekly triage report. And yes, Geno Smith often has less time in the pocket than a sneeze. But using that chaos to declare two Day 2 rookies “incapable” of handling NFL complexity ignores a basic truth: this staff has turned “development” into a rumor.
What are the Raiders doing?
Rogers and Grant didn’t show up, billed as plug-and-play maulers. They were projects. Projects take time, coaching, and a plan. The Raiders currently have none of those things.
Let’s start with the coaching dynamic. Pete Carroll may have a Hall of Fame résumé, but his long-standing blind spot for offensive line evaluation is no secret. That problem only gets louder when paired with Chip Kelly, an offensive coordinator who continues to run an NFL scheme like he’s trying to win the 2013 Fiesta Bowl. Asking raw linemen to survive in this structure is like asking interns to run NASA because the adults are “seeing what sticks.”
And then there’s the part nobody wants to say out loud: Carroll handing critical development responsibilities to his sons has aged about as well as the decision to move the team to Las Vegas and call it a fresh start. Whether it’s nepotism, misguided loyalty, or simply a coaching tree with dead branches, the result is the same—the Raiders are running a developmental pipeline built out of duct tape and family dinners.
So when The Athletic reports that Caleb Rogers was considered unprepared to start on Monday night, perhaps the focus should not be on criticizing the rookies but rather on examining whether the Raiders’ offensive organization is structured effectively for their development, especially since undrafted and practice-squad players are also being given significant responsibilities.
That’s not a rookie problem. That’s a system problem.
The idea that Rogers and Grant “can’t handle NFL complexity” is also a bit rich, considering the Raiders themselves have looked overwhelmed by the basics: protections, adjustments, tempo, and cohesion. If the veterans don’t look aligned, why are we shocked the rookies don’t either?
It is valid to scrutinize Spytek’s draft evaluation. Investing back-to-back Top 100 picks on developmental linemen assumes the necessary support systems are in place. In this case, the coaching staff that received these project players has yet to demonstrate a strong track record of development.
Could Rogers and Grant be misses? Absolutely. But declaring them wasted picks in November of their rookie year feels like the kind of conclusion that belongs in social media outrage, not serious football analysis.
The Raiders don’t need to “admit a mistake” on two offensive linemen. They need to admit a mistake in how they’re teaching them.
And until this organization modernizes its offensive approach, empowers real developers instead of legacy hires, and stops expecting rookies to fix problems they didn’t create, no draft pick—raw, polished, or somewhere in between—is going to look ready for the NFL.
Sometimes the question isn’t whether the players are good enough.
Sometimes the question is whether the environment is.
Right now, the answer in Las Vegas isn’t flattering.
Related: The Raiders Are Wasting Maxx Crosby’s Efforts
*Top Photo: John Locher/Associated Press