Jun 10, 2025; Henderson, NV, USA; Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Geno Smith (7) runs during a drill during Las Vegas Raiders Minicamp at Intermountain Health Performance Center. Mandatory Credit: Candice Ward-Imagn Images / Candice Ward-Imagn Images
The Las Vegas Raiders are getting set this week for their second preseason game. The Silver and Black will host the San Francisco 49ers at Allegiant Stadium. The Raiders will look to continue building their momentum towards the regular season. The Raiders had a lot of new pieces come in this offseason, and that is why they want to get all the reps in training camp and, if possible, in their preseason games.
In week two of the regular season, Raiders head coach Pete Carroll wants to play his starters again. In their first preseason game, the starters did not have the game they wanted. Most of them only played one or two series, and the coaching staff still wants to see more. It makes sense for a team like the Raiders, with all their new pieces on both sides of the ball, to play their starters in the preseason.
Every preseason, there is always a debate about whether NFL teams should play their starters or not. Some do not like playing their starters in a game that does not count towards their record. And they also do not want any starters to get hurt before the start of the new season. Other teams play their starters for a little bit to make sure they are not coming out rusty when they take the field in Week 1.
This preseason in the first week, many teams played their starters at least a series.
The Raiders want to see more, and they need to figure out who the best players are to go out on the field each week and give them the best chance to win. And the only way they can figure that out is by getting player reps in the game.
Our Hondo Carpenter and Ezekiel Trezevant talked about the starters playing on a recent episode of the "Las Vegas Raiders Insider Podcast."
"It did not take him [Pete Carroll] long to come out and say it. But I think that speaks to what we have been saying, really, the whole time. It is not just the Raiders, right? They have to work on their timing and there is no better way to work on your timing than playing live against another team. I do think it is going to be significant, and I think it makes sense."