The Las Vegas Raiders have stumbled out of the gate in the 2025 NFL season, scraping together just two wins through the first two months. As November dawns and the team shakes off the dust from their Week 8 bye, there’s a glimmer of hope for a turnaround—a chance to salvage respectability, if not a playoff miracle. But hope alone won’t cut it in the brutal world of pro football. The Raiders must have used that bye week for some brutal self-reflection, identifying weak links that could drag them down further. With roster tweaks on the horizon, here are five Silver and Black standouts whose futures in Vegas hang by a thread. It’s time to demote, trade, or outright release these underperformers before it’s too late.
1. Zamir White, RB
Zamir White’s tenure in Las Vegas feels like a dead-end road. Handed multiple chances to solidify his spot as a reliable backup, he’s fumbled every opportunity—literally and figuratively. His lackluster production has left the Raiders’ backfield gasping for air. A potential trade for a veteran like Raheem Mostert could muddy the waters at the deadline, but based on sheer output, it’s clear: the team needs to hunt for fresh legs elsewhere. White’s upside has evaporated; it’s time to move on and inject some speed into the run game.
2. Chris Smith II, S
Chris Smith II burst onto the scene with a stellar preseason, raising eyebrows and expectations alike. But once the regular season kicked off, he vanished like a ghost in the Nevada night. Newcomer Tristin McCollum—handpicked by the current regime—has leapfrogged him on the depth chart, and with Lonnie Johnson Jr. poised to return from Injured Reserve, Smith’s role is shrinking fast. If he can’t reclaim his spark, his days patrolling the Raiders’ secondary could be over. The defense demands reliability, and right now, Smith isn’t delivering.
3. Chip Kelly, OC
If the axe was going to fall on offensive coordinator Chip Kelly, the bye week seemed like the perfect moment. Yet here we are, still waiting for the veteran schemer to ignite an offense that’s been stuck in neutral. Owner Mark Davis isn’t known for patience with mediocrity, and if Kelly’s play-calling remains as uninspired post-bye as it was before, heads will roll. The Raiders’ attack needs innovation, not stagnation—mixing things up at OC could be the jolt this team desperately craves to flip the script in the second half.
4. Isaiah Pola-Mao, S
Isaiah Pola-Mao’s spot on the roster isn’t in immediate jeopardy, but his performance at free safety has been a glaring vulnerability for the Raiders’ defense. Part of the blame falls on how he’s been deployed—misused in schemes that don’t play to his strengths. However, if the coaching staff refuses to adapt and he keeps hemorrhaging plays, it’s time for a serious rethink. Starting him week after week in a mismatched role is a recipe for disaster. The Silver and Black need a lockdown presence in the backfield; if Pola-Mao can’t evolve, someone else must step up.
5. Kyu Blu Kelly, CB
In a secondary stacked with promising young talent, Kyu Blu Kelly stands out—for all the wrong reasons. He’s been a walking liability this season, torched by receivers and exposing the defense time and again. With hungry cornerbacks waiting in the wings, there’s zero excuse to keep rolling him out there. This is the low-hanging fruit for head coach Antonio Pierce (wait, the original says “Carroll,” but that might be a typo—assuming it’s Pierce, as he’s the current coach). Bench Kelly now, or face the wrath of a fanbase already on the edge. It’s a no-brainer move to tighten up the pass defense and build for the future.
The Raiders’ path forward demands tough decisions. Clinging to these five could doom the season to more misery, but cutting ties might just spark the resurgence this franchise needs. As November heats up, all eyes are on Vegas—will they clean house and rise, or limp toward irrelevance?