2025 NFL Season Thread

[troutman]

Originally Posted by Senator Clay Davis

Stefanski out in Cleveland, would expect he's hired by someone else very quickly.

Was hoping Steelers would lose last night and fire Tomlin. Perhaps he is safe now.

Garrett endorsed Schwartz, so maybe Browns just need a good OC.

QB room is a big problem if nothing changes: Watson, Sanders and Gabriel. Winning last two games and now drafting sixth not ideal.

Stefanski very likeable, but Browns have been terrible at protecting the ball, discipline and special teams.

[Jiggy]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

I will forever remember Pete Carroll for delivery of a badly needed 1st overall pick to a perennial bad franchise that is never bad enough to pick top 3. Every Raiders season for decades has been meaningless but this one matters as the organization at the very least can finally attempt to address the QB situation through the draft. Mendoza may or may not be a great NFL QB but I'm happy to have something to be excited about for at least one offseason. Also thanks to Geno Smith for being the worst NFL QB to start almost an entire season for a team in 2025. Without his badly timed interceptions and sacks, the Raiders would probably be picking around 10th and once again entering a season with no promise at the QB position.

Just in time to pick their JaMarcus Russell equivalent.

[GirlySports]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

I will forever remember Pete Carroll for delivery of a badly needed 1st overall pick to a perennial bad franchise that is never bad enough to pick top 3. Every Raiders season for decades has been meaningless but this one matters as the organization at the very least can finally attempt to address the QB situation through the draft. Mendoza may or may not be a great NFL QB but I'm happy to have something to be excited about for at least one offseason. Also thanks to Geno Smith for being the worst NFL QB to start almost an entire season for a team in 2025. Without his badly timed interceptions and sacks, the Raiders would probably be picking around 10th and once again entering a season with no promise at the QB position.

Geno Smith seems like a case study in QBs being far more nurture than nature than people want to believe.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by Jiggy

Just in time to pick their JaMarcus Russell equivalent.

Not worried at all as there has not, and will never be an equivalent to Russell.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by GirlySports

Geno Smith seems like a case study in QBs being far more nurture than nature than people want to believe.

IMO it's a case study of mid-30's level QB's and how they need to be in the right situation for any level of success. That said Smith is just not very good. Sure the Raiders offensive line is bad but he held on to the ball well too long and just doesn't see the field well enough. Most of his interceptions were of the "what was he seeing or thinking variety". If the Raiders benched him earlier in the season and started AOC they would not be drafting first overall. Smith was that bad.

[Jiggy]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

Not worried at all as there has not, and will never be an equivalent to Russell.

Do you think they take Mendoza first overall?

[Sylvanfan]

Originally Posted by trackercowe

^ Taylor and Director of Player Personal Duke Tobin both being retained by the Bengals. CBt be too surprised with how cheap their owner is. I wonder how much longer until Burrow requests a trade, or will that happen this off-season?

With how many good defensive minds are around as HC candidates that is surprising...but your point about ownership is valid.

If a guy like Robert Saleh had a QB like Burrow and those weapons...he could easily get a sharp mind from that Shanahan tree to come with him and than get their defence in order. But looks like they are happy to just waste Burrow.

[Sylvanfan]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

Not worried at all as there has not, and will never be an equivalent to Russell.

I can always hope....

Although I will be pretty surprised if it didn't end up being Mendoza. But the draft is months away and plenty of time for teams to overanalyze the holy hell out of everyone. The fact that he sounds more like a baseball player will make some NFL scout crazy enough to try and convince himself that Mendoza is not the right guy...just the way that business is

[Senator Clay Davis]

If the last few years have taught us anything it's something we likely already knew. But most young QBs are not gonna be successful in very bad situations. The Raiders didn't go 3-14 by accident, they were comically non-competitive in the majority of their games. Yes, the need a QB, but they also need about a dozen other things. Strengthening their OL and DL isn't gonna be as sexy, but it's just as essential as a QB, arguably more so.

I mean we're watching Bo Nix, Sam Darnold and some of these other QBs trying to win the Super Bowl this year by basically not ####ing up rather than driving their teams success. Conversely, if you get a Mahomes sure he can cover up a lot of deficiencies, but even he can only do so much as this year showed. And, of course, he sat a year and had an ideal situation. Raiders ain't that right now.

[puffnstuff]

Brady names himself starting qb of the Raiders

It could happen

[Sylvanfan]

Yeah but Bruce Young and Caleb Williams both have their teams in the playoffs this year despite being top picks who's coaches got fired in year one. Same for Drake Maye.

Look at this year's playoff teams. Outside of Purdy and Hurts it's all first round picks and a lot of guys in the top 6. Darnold is the one guy who bounced around a bit...Rogers is just old, and Stafford was dealt in a blockbuster trade. Outside of them the other 9 teams are there with a QB they drafted. Maye and Williams have 2 seeds, and Nix is a top seed in their second uear. That's going to compel teams to draft QB.

It's still a position that teams need to draft and offensive lines can be fixed with a bit of money like the Bears did. If you have a young QB with upside it does help attract a better coach...even if it doesn't happen off the hop.

[Senator Clay Davis]

Panthers are in the playoffs because of their wonderful division, not Bryce Young. Bears had a losing record in their division (and were very close to going 0-6 in it), so while Caleb might be decent they look like last place schedule merchants more than anything. The Raiders still need a QB, not suggesting they don't, but there are no Andrew Luck level players in this draft. Basically I'm saying don't pass up a better player at another position just for a QB, Raiders are very bad and need as much help as possible.

[ResAlien]

Without a QB you have nothing, just look at historically dominant Myles Garrett and the garbage team he plays for if you need a current example. They have to take a swing at 1 for a QB, any other choice is choosing to continue being trash.

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by Jiggy

Just in time to pick their JaMarcus Russell equivalent.

Guy threw the ball 100 yards (like actually) he just had no dedication to the game. You never know with prospects but Mendoza will put the work in he had a very different upbringing and isn't about the cars and women.

Raiders have also drafted very well lately....they have 3 absolute top end guys at their position already

need a QB, an offensive line

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by Senator Clay Davis

If the last few years have taught us anything it's something we likely already knew. But most young QBs are not gonna be successful in very bad situations. The Raiders didn't go 3-14 by accident, they were comically non-competitive in the majority of their games. Yes, the need a QB, but they also need about a dozen other things. Strengthening their OL and DL isn't gonna be as sexy, but it's just as essential as a QB, arguably more so.

I mean we're watching Bo Nix, Sam Darnold and some of these other QBs trying to win the Super Bowl this year by basically not ####ing up rather than driving their teams success. Conversely, if you get a Mahomes sure he can cover up a lot of deficiencies, but even he can only do so much as this year showed. And, of course, he sat a year and had an ideal situation. Raiders ain't that right now.

Crosby, Bowers, and Jeanty are pretty nice pieces, 10 draft picks in April and the 2nd most cap space in the NFL. It's not a total disaster or anything as the team probably would have won at least 6 games if AOC started the entire season. Having the worst rated NFL QB start 16 games is going to tank even a good roster. Smith was horrifically bad this season. Worse than Minshew or Garoppolo in previous seasons.

I don't expect a Broncos type of turnaround as the Raiders don't have that defense to prop up a young QB but Mendoza/Moore will have some nice pieces to work with. Obviously they need to get the next coach hire right and have a good draft and free agency but I see this as one of the better situations for a 1st overall QB pick as this isn't like Young in Carolina his first season with an old Adam Thielen as his top target or Cam Ward working with a bunch of receivers that wouldn't start on most NFL rosters. Hopefully JPJ and Miller will be healthy next season on the OL and I expect they will probably sign a veteran RT and guard.

QB's are always an iffy proposition so even if the pieces are in place, it won't matter if the guy's a bust. At least Raiders fans have hope, which is something we really haven't had for a while.

[dino7c]

Mendoza is ranked #1 in the draft not just the #1 QB

they really don't have a choice here...if he busts its not "stupid Raiders" this is the pick

[Sylvanfan]

Originally Posted by dino7c

Guy threw the ball 100 yards (like actually) he just had no dedication to the game. You never know with prospects but Mendoza will put the work in he had a very different upbringing and isn't about the cars and women.

Raiders have also drafted very well lately....they have 3 absolute top end guys at their position already

need a QB, an offensive line

Bowers, Jeanty and who else? Crosby was drafted in 2019...that ain't recent.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by dino7c

Mendoza is ranked #1 in the draft not just the #1 QB

they really don't have a choice here...if he busts its not "stupid Raiders" this is the pick

I think that Mendoza will be the pick but a lot can change over the next three months. Maybe one of them clearly looks better in the Peach Bowl, I don't know but I don't think you can't count out Moore as the #1 pick depending on how the pro days and interviews go. A lot of draft pundits think Moore has a higher ceiling but needs more time to develop. I think Mendoza is the safer pick because I don't know if teams have patience to develop QB's and recent young QB's that needed time in Richardson and McCarthy don't look so good today meanwhile more ready QB's with high floor/lower ceilings like Nix (and to a lesser extent Dart) have looked pretty decent.

NFL is so year to year and it's tough for young QB's as they need to continually improve as Daniels for example was the toast of the town this time last season and this season was a disaster as he wasn't playing well even before he got hurt. He was considered the best QB of the 2024 class this time last season and now I don't know who's taking him over Maye or even Williams.

[SuperMatt18]

Really for the Raiders depends if they think somebody in 2027 is the better QB, which I think some of the pundits do believe.

Because in that case you might be better off trading back for a haul, sucking for another season in what's a tough division, and trying to improve the situation around the QB (especially the OL) and drafting the QB in 2027.

Like if you mimmic the Bryce Young trade and what if Cleveland offers you 6, 28, 39, and 70 or something like that.

I think you have to do that if you're the Raiders and you just wait to get your QB next year.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by SuperMatt18

Really for the Raiders depends if they think somebody in 2027 is the better QB, which I think some of the pundits do believe.

Because in that case you might be better off trading back for a haul, sucking for another season in what's a tough division, and trying to improve the situation around the QB (especially the OL) and drafting the QB in 2027.

Like if you mimmic the Bryce Young trade and what if Cleveland offers you 6, 28, 39, and 70 or something like that.

I think you have to do that if you're the Raiders and you just wait to get your QB next year.

I don't think you can kick the can down the road and expect that the team will draft at the top next season. There were seven teams with 5 or less wins this season and a team needs to be in the top 3 typically to have a chance at the top QB's. Raiders won't make the playoffs next season but if things go well they could win 5 or 6 games which isn't going to likely net them a franchise QB unless it's one of those special drafts where elite QB's are a plenty. They already have 10 picks in the 2025 draft and have over $100 million in cap space and can easily upgrade the OL and address a few other positions but free agency isn't going to solve their QB issue.