Raiders mailbag: Are Carroll, team on the same timeline?

Raiders fans are growing restless after the team dropped to 2-5 following last week’s blowout loss to the Chiefs.

As a result, they have plenty of questions during the team’s bye week.

Here is a sampling of what arrived in this week’s mailbag:

Matt Berger (@matt_berger): I’m not calling for coach Pete Carroll’s job. I think he’s doing the best he can with what he has and overestimated the talent level of the team. But is it fair to question if a coach who recently turned 74 and a team that’s in a rebuild are on the same timeline?

Vincent Bonsignore: It’s an excellent question, but the answer is complex.

It comes down to whether Carroll is willing to concede the Raiders are not as far along as he anticipated and embrace a long-term rebuild. If he is, the team will still be in good hands under his leadership.

But if he keeps pushing for short-term solutions to try to get the Raiders to win as soon as possible, the franchise will continue to be stuck in a rut. And Carroll’s potential Hall of Fame career will end on a sour note.

Rob Ostfeld (@DrOstfeld): Do you think the Raiders have a reasonable chance to be good again with Mark Davis as owner?

Bonsignore: Yes. The Raiders have the tools to be successful, like a world-class practice facility and stadium. They just need to make smart personnel moves and give their decision makers time to figure things out.

Raider Steve (@VegasRaidersBlg): With other offensive line starters struggling besides Jackson Powers-Johnson, why do you think JPJ has been singled out over and over and over?

Bonsignore: Powers-Johnson, a 2024 second-round pick, has been inconsistent this season. He was good for a couple weeks, then terrible against the Chiefs. That got him benched for Alex Cappa.

One reason it seems like Powers-Johnson is getting singled out is the Raiders have a veteran backup behind him in Cappa. Right tackle DJ Glaze has also been inconsistent, but his backup is rookie third-round pick Charles Grant.

The Raiders will have more competition once Grant and fellow rookie third-round pick Caleb Rogers show they’re ready to play.

Serenity Now! (@RazorsEdge56): Is there any chance (offensive coordinator) Chip Kelly adjusts the offense during the bye week?

Bonsignore: The Raiders are bound to make adjustments. They could also use more healthy bodies on offense after tight end Brock Bowers (knee), wide receiver Jakobi Meyers (knee/toe) and left tackle Kolton Miller (ankle) missed the Chiefs game.

Some players, like quarterback Geno Smith, just need to be better. There are a lot of reasons the Raiders rank 31st in points per game (14.7).

Terrence Baskin 21 (@Tbizzle021): Our talent level has been subpar for years; we have not operated like a good organization. So why are fans so upset knowing that it takes time to build up an organization to a competitive level?

Bonsignore: It doesn’t help that Carroll raised expectations right off the bat, saying “we are going to win a bunch of games” before training camp.

That’s made it a lot harder for fans to accept the Raiders may be staring at another rebuild.

Raider Nation (@R8DR__Nation): If competing is priority one, and the team needs more development than Pete Carroll thought, why is he not playing the young guys so they can learn by doing?

Bonsignore: There is a balance. Coaches risk ruining young players’ confidence — or losing trust from veteran players — if they put rookies on the field before they are ready.

Andreas Dorio (@dre_dorio): How are you feeling about (defensive end) Tyree Wilson?

Bonsignore: It feels like Wilson, the No. 7 overall pick in the 2023 draft, is who he is at this point. The 25-year-old could be a decent rotational player. But he doesn’t seem likely to blossom into a star after recording 10 sacks his first 40 NFL games.

Joshua Jacopetti (@THEGOATtwo09): Why don’t they bench Geno Smith?

Bonsignore: The Raiders feel like Smith, a two-time Pro Bowler, gives them a better chance to compete than backup Kenny Pickett.

Contact Vincent Bonsignore at vbonsignore@reviewjournal.com. Follow @VinnyBonsignore on X.