The Raiders‘ run game last season was absolutely brutal. So, when they finished the 2024 season with a 4-13 record under former head coach Antonio Pierce, they knew they had plenty of holes to fill. Their road to resurrection started with hiring Pete Carroll as the new head coach. After a short one-year break, Carroll is back in charge.

And he knows there’s a lot of work to do; the offensive line needs fixing. And the defense needs some teeth. The real work starts with the draft at the end of this month. This time, the Raiders have a ‘run-heavy offense’ written all over them.

For their RB needs, the rumors are that new GM John Spytek is eyeing Ashton Jeanty as their potential pick. Jeanty, the 2024 Heisman Trophy runner-up, comes from Boise State and is one of the standout prospects this year. For now, the Raiders have Sincere McCormick, Raheem Mostert, and Zamir White on the RB depth chart.

However, the idea of adding more depth by drafting fresh talent remains tempting for Pete Carroll.

During the 2024 season, the 21-year-old racked up 2,601 rushing yards and scored 29 TDs. Jeanty had 374 rushing attempts and averaged 7.0 yards per carry. And it’s not just his stats that are tempting Spytek and Pete Carroll to draft the RB. There’s another reason, too.

And that has something to do with Raiders GM John Spytek’s son. In a recent interview with Sirius XM NFL Radio, Spytek revealed his son has given him an ultimatum to draft Ashton Jeanty. “My son has made it no secret that if we don’t pick Ashton Jeanty at No. 6, he’s walking out of the family, and he’s gonna find somebody else,” Spytek shared, laughing. 

So, while the Raiders’ draft strategy seems to be shaping up, another major decision looms. It has nothing to do with rookies.

Pete Carroll and the Raiders: Still evaluating Geno’s Future

On March 13, the Seahawks traded Geno Smith to the Raiders, reuniting him with head coach Pete Carroll. Initially, rumors swirled that the Raiders were eyeing Matthew Stafford as their top QB target. However, after Stafford and the Rams worked out a deal to keep him in Los Angeles, the Raiders pivoted and landed Geno in exchange for this year’s 92nd overall pick. The QB was in the final year of his $75 million contract with the Seahawks.

Since the trade, the team has been in contract negotiation talks with the two-time Pro Bowler. According to multiple reports, Smith is asking for a deal between $40 and $50 million annually. Analysts hoped the two would reach an agreement by March 16, but it has been weeks with no contract extension announced. So, is the team having second thoughts about offering the veteran QB a long-term extension?

According to SI’s Albert Breer, there’s no major issue, just the usual back-and-forth negotiations between the team and Smith’s camp. Breer believes the Raiders wouldn’t have traded for Smith if they weren’t confident they could reach a deal with him. As per Breer, the main issue could be the guaranteed money ($27.3 million) in Smith’s contract.

John Spytek, at the NFL annual meeting, shared that the deal will be done soon. “We look forward to having him not just this year, but for the years to come.“

So, whether Smith gets his big payday or has to play on a short-term deal remains to be seen.