After falling just short of the playoffs in 2023 following an 8-9 campaign that saw the team finish strong, the Las Vegas Raiders have playoff aspirations ahead of the first full season with head coach Antonio Pierce, who was 5-4 at the helm as the interim.
The Raiders bolstered their roster with the additions of eight players in the 2024 NFL Draft, with at least two of them likely to play a significant role in their first seasons in guard Jackson Powers-Johnson and tight end Brock Bowers. There's also a chance that offensive tackle Delmar Glaze and cornerback Decamerion Richardson find their way to starting roles.
While the Raiders' draft class was mostly well-received by experts, it didn't help them at all in the NFL power rankings of analysts in the wake of the draft.
Here's a look at where the Raiders landed, along with how far they fell from the analyst's last version, where available.
Raiders NFL power rankings roundup
Vinnie Iyer, Sporting News: 28 (no change)
The Raiders will be trying to win with the defense and running game again for now full-time coach Antonio Pierce. TE Brock Bowers is a fine first-round talent; he was just not what they most needed. The line and weapons got some upgrades, but now they are stuck between Gardner Minshew and Aidan O'Connell at QB, which might make that moot.
Eric Edholm, NFL.com: 23 (-1)
Once six quarterbacks -- namely Michael Penix Jr. -- went off the board ahead of the Raiders’ pick, it really streamlined their options. But getting Brock Bowers at No. 13? That’s a steal to me, until proven otherwise. Maybe Penix would have qualified as the all-time honorary Al Davis selection if the Raiders had taken a first-round gamble on him, but as a high-upside athletic playmaker, Bowers isn’t far off. Bowers can help this team, and people freaking out about having multiple quality tight ends (Bowers and Michael Mayer) will hopefully see that down the road. The QB duo of Gardner Minshew and Aidan O’Connell might not be the most spine-tingling combination, but giving them a decent cast of targets can’t hurt. The defense also should carry a fairly heavy share of the load. No, this isn’t yet a Super Bowl-caliber roster, but the Raiders have gotten better this offseason.
Pete Prisco, CBS Sports: 24 (-5)
Is it Gardner Minshew or Aidan O'Connell at quarterback? By failing to land a quarterback in the draft, that's what they are left with in a division with Patrick Mahomes and Justin Herbert.
Gary Davenport, Bleacher Report: 24
Get ready for Minshew Mania in Sin City. Well, maybe.
When the top six quarterbacks in the 2024 draft all came off the board within the top 12 picks, the Raiders were left holding the proverbial bag at No. 13. But Moton believes the Raiders did a good job of playing the hand they were dealt.
David Helman, FOX Sports: 28 (-6)
There's too much talent in Las Vegas for a ranking this low. The Raiders have a feisty defense, now headlined by Christian Wilkins along with Maxx Crosby. Davante Adams is still a top-tier receiver. But how high can the ceiling really be without a better option at quarterback? Gardner Minshew was good enough to nearly win the AFC South, but something tells me that's not going to happen in Patrick Mahomes' division.
