The 2025 season marks a fresh chapter for the Raiders, whose main goal is to reestablish themselves as contenders in the AFC-especially in the ultra-competitive AFC West, home to Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs.
The first move in this culture shift was firing Antonio Pierce and bringing in veteran coach Pete Carroll as the new Head Coach. Carroll immediately approved a trade for Geno Smith to be the team’s new quarterback, reuniting with a player he coached for many years with the Seattle Seahawks.
On offense, the Raiders are shaping up to be one of the most exciting and dynamic teams to watch in 2025. Geno Smith has shown promising performances in recent seasons, and the team added Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty-widely considered the best in his class-with their first-round pick in the draft.
Raiders convert Tommy Mellott from quarterback to wide receiver
In the sixth round of the recent NFL Draft, the Raiders selected quarterback Tommy Mellott, but they plan to convert him into a wide receiver-similar to what the New Orleans Saints did with Taysom Hill.
Mellott started 41 games as quarterback for Montana and shared his thoughts on the position change: “I just want to be someone who can do everything, perfect my technique, whatever’s asked of me, and do that and more. I’m excited to give it my all and help the Raiders,” said Mellott.
The new Raider has called himself a fan of Julian Edelman, who also transitioned from college quarterback to NFL wide receiver-and became a key figure for the New England Patriots, winning three Super Bowl rings alongside Tom Brady.
In 2024, Mellott was named a First-Team FCS All-American and the Big Sky Offensive Player of the Year. He also won the Walter Payton Award, given to the top offensive player in the FCS.
It will definitely be intriguing to see how Pete Carroll incorporates Mellott into the offense. But first, the former Montana standout must earn a spot on the final roster-meaning he has plenty of work ahead during spring training with the Raiders.
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