John Spytek, the Raiders’ GM, isn’t shy about leaning on Tom Brady for advice. After all, as he put it, he’d have to be a “special kind of idiot” not to. The two go way back to their Michigan days, where Spytek was a freshman when Brady was a sophomore. They even shared the field as Wolverines. And now, decades later, Brady and John are teaming up again to take the Raiders to new heights. Brady, who owns a minority stake in the team, isn’t just a silent partner, he’s actively involved. And Spytek isn’t wasting that resource.
The Raiders’ offseason started with bringing in new HC Pete Carroll. Brady’s fingerprints were all over that decision. On March 13, the Raiders reunited their HC with his QB Geno Smith via a trade with the Seattle Seahawks. But the team is not only focusing on strengthening the player squad this offseason. Brady and Spytek are making sure that the coaching staff stands out too. And for that, the team has hired a member for HC Pete Carroll. On Saturday, the team added Ryan Paganetti to their coaching squad. “The Raiders hired Ryan Paganetti to the coaching staff as Head Coach Research Specialist. His role will include game management,” reported ESPN writer Seth Walder.
The Raiders hired Ryan Paganetti to the coaching staff as Head Coach Research Specialist. His role will include game management.
He was most recently the Jaguars Director of Football Analytics and previously worked for the Eagles, including when Raiders OC Chip Kelly was there.
— Seth Walder (@SethWalder) March 22, 2025
Ryan will be reuniting with OC Chip Kelly, as the duo worked together during their time with Philly. Paganetti was recently working with Shad Khan’s Jaguars as the Director of Football Analytics. Growing up, Ryan was a Pats and Bill Belichick fan, and he also played as an RB during his college days. Paganetti is all excited to start his new journey with the Raiders under HC Pete Carroll. “Incredibly grateful for this opportunity! #RaiderNation,” he penned down on X, expressing his excitement.
On the other hand, the Raiders are also looking to add more strength and some RB depth.
John Spytek and Brady still cooking: Raiders eye more RB power
In February, the Dolphins released RB Raheem Mostert from their squad. A month later, Mostert found a new home in Las Vegas as the Raiders inked a $2.1 million one-year deal with him. But here’s the thing with the former Dolphins RB, Raheem will soon be turning 33 in April. While it’s good to have a veteran on the squad, you know you can’t rely on them as a long-term option. Other than Mostert, the team has Zamir White, who is coming off an injury-plagued season. So clearly, Brady and John Spytek need to add more depth to the RB position.
So, it’s possible that the Raiders could look for an RB next month in the draft. But Bleacher Report’s Moe Moton is of the view that Spytek will look for a trade instead. The NFL analyst and columnist predicts that Las Vegas will try to land Seattle Seahawks RB Kenneth Walker III. The Michigan State alum is reportedly on the trade block, which is no surprise as every franchise is rebuilding its roster. “Las Vegas has arguably the worst backfield. Raheem Mostert, who turns 33 in April, leads the unit,” writes Moton. If the trade goes through, analysts expect Kenneth Walker’s contract to be valued at around $41 million.
“Raiders head coach Pete Carroll can call his former team and inquire about Kenneth Walker III. Seattle may be willing to move on from the 24-year-old because of his declining production and recent injuries. He’s seen a drop-off in his rushing numbers since his 2022 rookie season,” added Moe. Kenneth, too, is coming off an injury-haunted season. The 24-year-old was dealing with injuries throughout the 2024 season. Walker managed to rack up only 573 rushing yards, with 7 rushing TDs and one receiving TD. In December, following an ankle injury, Kenneth was sidelined for the rest of the season.
But during his first two years, he showed promise. Walker racked up over 1,000 rushing yards and nine TDs in his rookie year. During his second season, the RB had 905 rushing yards and eight TDs. With the Raiders, he will have a fresh start under Pete Carroll’s mentorship. For now, it’s all coming together on paper for Las Vegas. It will be interesting to see how it translates on the field.
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