What we've learned about the Las Vegas Raiders so far this season

The Kansas City Chiefs had no stress to their weekend. KC is undefeated at 5-0 and atop the AFC West division as their bye week gives them a chance to refresh. Assuredly, the Chiefs have some areas where they would still like to improve. But in comparison to others in the division, Kansas City is sitting much more comfortably. With the bye week taking place, it gives us a great chance to look towards a division rival.

Where do things stand with the Las Vegas Raiders? The play on the field, while not sound in its own right, is once again not the only talking point. The Raiders lost on Sunday to the Pittsburgh Steelers, which makes them 2-4 with a couple of losses in a row.

All told, what are the top things we have learned about the Raiders so far this season? Here are three items that stand out for Las Vegas.

Future At QB Still Unsettled

Gardner Minshew failed to find any sort of comfort in his starts for the Raiders. At the same time, he was routinely turning the ball over. Aidan O'Connell will likely get a chance to show what he can do throughout a good chunk of what is left of this season. But in terms of an answer for the future, it is completely unsettled for the Raiders at quarterback.

They are a main candidate to potentially draft a signal caller next April. Some puzzle pieces have been put together already about Las Vegas possibly being linked to one specific QB prospect. Even if Vegas looks to draft a new passer, many questions still surround the draft-eligible QBs for 2025. Until this spot shows any improvements, the Raiders are simply punching up at the rest of the division.

Another Year With Mixed Emotions Inside Locker Room

A lot of the Raiders players were excited about the future of playing for head coach Antonio Pierce. His connection with the team last year as interim coach helped fuel a solid finish for Las Vegas to end 2023. But in 2024, there are already mixed emotions inside the locker room. Regardless of the coaching staff, this has been a routine thing every couple or few years with this franchise. For Pierce specifically, though, the fun that the team was having with him late last year is visibly absent in most situations.

The Davante Adams trade situation has left Las Vegas at a crossroads from a business-decision standpoint. Maxx Crosby's comments on the trade rumors were certainly interesting as well. Knowing who truly wants to be part of the Raiders long-term is anyone's guess, as Las Vegas continues to stay in mediocrity this century.

Lack Of Roster Depth Already Being Tested

Injuries have opened up opportunities for others early on this season. But to say that those openings have been attacked tremendously, it would be a major fib. The pass catching group without Adams has been mostly hit or miss. Rookie Brock Bowers has arguably been the most consistent of the group. With those pass catchers being up and down, it does not help that the running game is one of the worst in the league (30th in rushing entering Week 6).

Defensively, the group upfront will be without Christian Wilkins for some time. The Raiders have failed to assemble a well-rounded secondary for years, to boot. That area has regressed from where they finished last season, even with the lack of true talent overall. These Raiders do not have the ability to rely on many players singlehandedly, due to very few pillars on the roster.