The Las Vegas Raiders are back to the drawing board after falling short against the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday. Las Vegas' offseason moves were enough to elevate their roster from the league's worst to possibly closer to the middle of the pack.

The season's first nine games have solidified the Raiders' improvement and their need for more. Las Vegas' roster has taken steps in the right direction, but it still has another level to reach. Their highs and lows have summed up precisely where they stand with the trade deadline less than 24 hours away.

Las Vegas has improved at center, linebacker, safety, and quarterback. Their coaching staff has vastly improved as well. Improvements have been made elsewhere. The Raiders made enough progress in one offseason to surpass last season's win total in less than half a season.

Still, their need for improvement has been glaring, especially against teams with winning records. Las Vegas' young roster is getting a crash course in life in the NFL and in just how much it takes to consistently compete against the league's top teams.

Where the Raiders Stand

While roster additions are needed, Las Vegas' front office has every right to not make any further roster moves until this offseason. They did enough this summer to get through this season.

Las Vegas' primary roster issues are along the interior of the defensive line, at cornerback, and on the offensive line. The Raiders could also use help at offensive guard. Their four wins this season confirm the Raiders are ahead of schedule.

Yet their five losses have made it clear how far they are from truly contending with the league's best teams. Las Vegas has more than a few moves that could help bolster their roster, but it may make more sense to roll with the punches than to trade away talented players or future assets.

Several players have been traded to address the Raiders' needs. However, they were not reported to be in on many, if any, of those trades. This is telling when gauging how likely they are to make a move before tomorrow's deadline.

Likely Trade Pieces

The Raiders have a handful of players who other teams would be interested in trading for. The players Las Vegas would be most likely to move are Maxx Crosby and Jackson Powers-Johnson. Las Vegas reportedly has not fielded any calls on Kirk Cousins, removing him from the list.

On the other hand, Las Vegas could use help along its interior defensive line, at cornerback, and at both its offensive guard positions. Although those are positions the Raiders could trade for, the chances of them making a move before the deadline seem increasingly unlikely.

The Raiders' front office made so many moves this offseason that it left little room for them to make moves at the trade deadline, but anything is possible. When asked on Monday about potentially making moves before the deadline, Klint Kubiak's response also made it seem unlikely.

At 4-5, the Raiders' wins have sparked cautious optimism about the direction of the team on a long-term basis. Their five losses have displayed many of the worst possible scenarios for the roster, as constructed. Las Vegas' front office probably isn't surprised by the good or the bad they have seen.

The Raiders have had the ups and downs that come with wholesale coaching and roster changes in a short amount of time. Their production on the field is an accurate representation of where they currently stand. They are no longer the league's worst team, but still have a long way to go.

The rest of this season will be about developing the players the Raiders already have on their roster. That is where they will find the most value from their remaining schedule. Their struggles against the league's elite are a fair assessment of where they stand relative to teams with playoff hopes.

Trading away their top talent for additional assets is something they should seriously consider. Las Vegas trading away any of their current assets in a season they weren't expecting to compete for a playoff spot would go against most of the moves the front office has made so far.