Will the Raiders “earn” the no. 1 pick in the draft for the first time since 2007?
They might not be playing for the pick, but the Raiders control their 2026 draft destiny and a pair of losses in the final two games of the season will guarantee Tom Brady and company the rights to Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza.
But with the Giants and Chiefs (without Patrick Mahomes) looming on the schedule, the Raiders probably shouldn’t be considered the favorites to finish with the worst record in the league – especially after the way they played in week 16 against the Texans.
Maxx Crosby has already said he doesn’t care about the draft and according to Sports Illustrated insider Hondo Carpenter, the locker room has a little extra motivation to win the final two games of the season.
“These guys are fighting for Pete [Carroll] and I know that for a fact,” Carpenter said on the Las Vegas Raiders Insider podcast. “I’ll get into more details on how I know it if they go away from Pete. But [if] they go out and win those last two, and this team shows a pulse, continues to show a pulse, it’s going to be really interesting to watch how this thing plays out. Really, really interesting to see how this thing plays out.”
“I’m telling you right now, and I am just as blunt as I can be. I believe it’s going to take Mark to save Pete’s job, but I don’t think that’s out of the question. I have no clue, even a percentage. Somebody asked me today in an interview, I was getting interviewed when I said that. What do you think the percentage is? I have no idea. I know that Pete doesn’t want to leave. I know he’s not going to retire. And so, Mark’s going to have to ask himself, do I want to eat 30 million?”
For what it’s worth, the popular opinion seems to be that Carroll is going to be fired at the end of the season, and it would appear from the outside that Brady and GM John Spytek are leaning heavily toward going in a new direction at head coach next year.
Carroll wasn’t the Raiders’ first choice a year ago, and it’s fair to wonder if the organization has its eye on someone else going into the 2026 season.
Prior to Sunday’s loss to the Texans, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler hinted that the decision makers in Las Vegas might be inclined to sign up for a youth movement at head coach in the offseason…
“Pressure is mounting on Pete Carroll in Las Vegas after the team has struggled to stay competitive at 2-12. Here’s my sense after asking around Tuesday: The Raiders knew 2025 would be a bit of a slog due to some roster deficiencies, but they hoped they would stay competitive — at least more so than this season’s horrific point differential of minus-167, trailing only the Titans (minus-169). One team source acknowledged, “It wasn’t supposed to be this bad,” and that something will need to change…
Whether removing Carroll is that change has not been crystallized. But the proverbial hot seat chatter doesn’t appear to be going away. As one source with knowledge of the Raiders’ operation noted, what the team needs is what it thought it had with Antonio Pierce — a high-energy first-time head coach with a high ceiling. The Raiders didn’t have enough patience to find out whether Pierce (who went 4-13 in his only full season in Vegas, saddled by bad quarterback play) could mature into that. Either way, the Raiders appear to be in danger of a second consecutive one-and-done in the top leadership role.”
The ONLY way to achieve success having RePete as Head Coach in 2026-27 is if The Raiders can Attract a Young yet Proven OC (either Kubiak Brother?) to Mentor a New QB with the GUARANTEE of Promotion to Head Coach upon the Retirement of Carroll. Another stipulation is that Pete Must release BOTH of his sons from the Coaching Staff. They Both Stink and Don’t even deserve Consideration as Coaches. If he doesn’t agree to the Family Purge than he can Quit!!!
The timeline for a young talented QB and an aged 74 coming 75 year old coach absolutely do not align. Trying to justify winning the last 2 games fore Pete is ludicrous. A win against an equally bad team as Raiders and another over a severely wounded KC is total BS. We need that No 1 more than 2 wins. Just low IQ thinking. I know the players want to win. The players that know they’ll be here next year ought to recognize the value in losing the next 2 games
Once again, Hondo knows something, but doesn’t report it. He should just take a job working for the Raiders, because I honestly don’t know what he contributes in his current role.
He does say he’ll report it after the season, only if Pete is let go, but that’s trademark Hondo. The number of times he’s withheld reporting he says he’s done with promises of future revelations is a common trick. I don’t know I’ve ever seen him follow through, though. Or actually burn a source that mislead him (remember “nobody in the building concerned about Wilkins’ foot” from this past offseason)Why does it matter? Either it’s true, and he knows it, in which case he should report it. Or it is not. He doesn’t work for the team. He’s not a part of the organization. I don’t get his approach at all.
He’s a hack! He knows nothing unless told by an actual insider. He’s so **** gullible that he believes everything that is told to him. It’s been going on ever since he got here.
And who cares what players on a 2-13 team are fighting for, anyway. 80% of these guys aren’t going to be on the roster next year. Their performance has been embarrassing. What they want or care about should be the least of the organization’s concerns.
Of course they are Hondo. Brady’s plan from the start was stupid. He fired AP out of jealousy, dumped Telesco for no reason, then thought “I’m Tom Brady I can get whoever I want”. Then when that didn’t work out with B Johnson, who Hondo said would suck, he just hires an old buddy & a HC he thought was tough to face 20 years ago.
Complete joke organization…here comes 2 more wins & more Pete/Brennan/Geno
Fighting for coach Biden is like the passengers on the Titanic fighting for the iceberg.
I know but Hondo is making this crap up….doesnt matter when they win the last 2 games all of this is coming back.
Think a prospective HC wants to work for Brady & the #7 pick?
The league needs to go back to the 80s & even 90s when the best teams won. The Redskins had a dynasty w/o a HOF QB, the Giants won 2 of them w/o, the Bears had an all time team & their offense was weak.
Even we won a division title with Jay Schroeder
TANK!!!!!!!
A SHIP NAMED THE “RN MARK DAVIS”
Shhhhh…….what’s that sound?? Blub, blub, blub, it is the sound of the ship named the “RN Mark Davis” taking on water.
( It’s not about Coaches or players, it’s about a man who gets involved when he should not and then does not get involved when he should. That man is this sinking ship. )
We hit the iceberg when Mark Davis did not have the anchors or strength to stand by Jon Gruden, over the lies and politics of the 1/2 an hour. ( Gruden’s law suit will prove it. ) Mark Davis allowed his team to be sabotaged by the NFL Commissioner because he took the NFL money to watch his away games at “home.” He has no strength of character, no anchors of principal, no ability to navigate this team toward success.
If the Raiders don’t tank, Dueces wild nation, deuces wild.
(2),
WESTSIDE
RN Since
1974