The Las Vegas Raiders are at the point of the season where they’re merely playing for draft position. They are 2-13 and have been eliminated from the playoffs for weeks.
Head coach Pete Carroll and players on the team have stated that they aren’t tanking and they couldn’t care less about their draft position. However, the Raiders have made some tough decisions that will hurt the team’s play on the field in the next two games.
According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, star tight end Brock Bowers and starting safety Jeremy Chinn are being placed on Injured Reserve, which will end both of their seasons.
Bowers has been dealing with a knee issue all season and had to miss three games earlier in the year. The hope is to get him 100% beofre the start of next season when the Raiders are playing in games that matter.
Chinn has played and started in all 15 games for Las Vegas. He has been one of the most important defensive backs. He’s under contract for next season, so the Raiders likely want him 100% for 2026, as well. Losing Bowers and Chinn are big blows to the offense and defense. While it won’t help the team’s play this year, it will help them get closer to landing the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Raiders Not Trying to Tank
The Raiders control their destiny when it comes to the No. 1 pick. If they lose in Week 17 to the New York Giants, they will be in position to get the top pick with one more loss against the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 18.
While many in the Raiders’ fan base are hoping for the team to lose their final two games, Maxx Crosby doesn’t care and is going to keep trying to win.
“Yeah, I don’t give a (expletive) about the pick, to be honest,” Crosby told reporters Tuesday. “I don’t play for that. That’s not my job. My job is to be the best defensive end in the world. That’s what I focus on every day. Being a great leader, being an influence. Being that guy on a consistent basis for my team.”
Crosby is leaving the draft talk to the higher-ups in the organization.
“That’s their job. That’s the front office, the coaches, they do that,” he continued. “That’s got nothing to do with me. I’ve learned my lesson in the past. You can’t control everything. That’s not my job description. My job is to be the best in the world at what I do. And that’s wrecking the game.”
Will No. 1 Pick Fix the Raiders?
The Raiders haven’t had the No. 1 pick in nearly two decades, and that was the last time they drafted a quarterback in the first round. The quickest way to turn around a struggling franchise is to find a franchise quarterback.
The best way to do that is with the No. 1 pick. Nothing is guaranteed, but the Raiders getting the top pick would go a long way in turning around the franchise. Not only do they get the first pick of the draft, but they’d also have the first pick in every round.
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