There is no way around it. The Las Vegas Raiders are in between a rock and a hard place. Las Vegas’ roster has significant holes that must be filled over the next few offseasons, as its turnaround will likely take at least two. They are in prime position to land the No. 1 draft pick in the upcomind draft.
All the Raiders have to do is lose to the New York Giants on Sunday, and their chances of securing the pick increase. Landing the No. 1 pick would put the Raiders in a position to either secure their quarterback of the future or trade the pick for a significant haul in return from another team.
Raiders’ Outlook
The Raiders lies precisely in the fact that losing would be what is best for the organization long term, but professional football players are not in the business of trying not to win. That is the elephant in the room that has already been publicly addressed by the players this week.
Las Vegas finishing the season with the No.1 pick would give them the top pick in the NFL Draft and among the most money to spend in free agency of any team in the league this offseason. It would be hard for the Raiders to enter the offseason under better circumstances, all things considered.
It is rare for losing to be in a franchise’s best interest, making the Raiders’ situation even more unique. Yet, just as much as the players know that is Las Vegas’ reality, Raiders Defensive Coordinator Patrick Graham reminded his players of another fact of life in the National Football League.
Some have referred to the NFL as ‘Not For Long,’ for a reason.
Dec 21, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Las Vegas Raiders head coach Pete Carroll reacts after a play during the second half against the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
“I can’t speak for those guys, but I would assume anytime you stay stagnant in this league or get complacent, you’re going to get passed by. It’s a young people league. I mean, that’s what it is. I mean, they draft a whole bunch of guys in April, but they draft a whole bunch of guys to come in here to replace these guys for their jobs,” Graham said.
“So, if you get complacent, like, and they’re cheaper. So, that’s the nature of the business. So, if you get complacent, you’d better be thinking about the next thing. Take care of the moment, but you’d better be trying to get better than you were the day before. Because, I mean, just the nature of the business, they’re trying to replace you, because the young guys are cheaper and they’re younger.
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