Would Raiders Season Be Different if Not for Injuries?

Many Las Vegas Raiders fans may be considering what could have been in 2024.

Sep 29, 2024; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Las Vegas Raiders defensive tackle Christian Wilkins (94) celebrates after getting a sack against the Cleveland Browns during the third quarter at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images / Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

The Las Vegas Raiders have had a downright disastrous season in 2024. Very little has gone right for the Silver and Black. 

The Raiders are 3-12, have one of the worst records in the NFL, and have watched the Los Angeles Chargers and Denver Broncos pass them in the standings to become playoff teams. 

Things have been bad for Coach Antonio Pierce, but he should have 2025 to turn them around. This offseason should be exciting for the Raiders, as they have a top 2025 NFL Draft selection and lots of cap space for General Manager Tom Telesco to work with. 

While this Raiders season has been rough on the surface, it is hard not to think about what could have been had things not gone off the rails. 

The Raiders suffered multiple significant injuries to several starters this season, including defensive end Malcolm Koonce, who never played a game in 2024. They have also spent considerable time without Christian Wilkins, Maxx Crosby, Marcus Epps, Gardner Minshew II, and Zamir White.

All these players were expected to contribute to this Raiders team in 2024. Las Vegas finished 2023 strong thanks to them, and additions like Minshew and Wilkins were supposed to boost that production. 

Imagine this: a defensive line with Koonce and Crosby off the edges and Wilkins on the interior wreaking havoc. It could have been one of the best defensive lines in the NFL if not for injuries. 

It also has not helped that Epps, one of the Raiders’ stable presences in the secondary, tore his ACL early in the season. White’s quadriceps injury has not helped Las Vegas’ run game, as he had a strong finish to the 2023 season. 

If the Raiders had not lost so many significant contributors, they could have made more of their season than just three wins and a 10-game losing streak. 

While it is fun to imagine what the Raiders could have been if they kept their starters healthy, the reality is that those players got injured and did not have them. Injuries are part of the game of football, and good teams adapt to them. The Raiders did not. 

The team’s only hope is that those players remain healthy in 2025 and the team fights for a playoff spot with them all on the field.

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