The Raiders are walking into 2026 with a different kind of spotlight on the roster. Klint Kubiak can buy himself some patience if the wins don’t come right away, but that cushion doesn’t extend to everybody.
Two names stand out above the rest: Ashton Jeanty and Malcolm Koonce.
Jeanty’s rookie year never turned into the breakout many had circled, and the reasons weren’t hard to spot. He was running behind a team that the source describes as the worst in the league last season, talent-wise, and that kind of setup can swallow even the most hyped young back. He still fell short of 1,000 yards in his first year with the franchise.
Now the environment is supposed to be different. The Raiders brought in one of the NFL’s brightest offensive minds in Kubiak, who is fresh off a Super Bowl victory.
They also fortified the offensive line by making Tyler Linderbaum the highest-paid interior offensive lineman in NFL history. That changes the conversation around Jeanty fast.
The Raiders drafted him that high because he was supposed to transform their rushing attack for years to come. If the inefficiency from last season shows up again with better help around him, the pressure will only get louder. By the time he gets to his third year with the team, uncomfortable questions about his future in Las Vegas could be waiting.
Koonce’s situation is even more urgent. Unlike Jeanty, he isn’t sitting on the security of a rookie deal. He’s on a one-year prove-it contract, and he has to convince this new Raiders regime that he belongs in whatever comes next.
There was a time when Koonce looked like a long-term piece. Injuries changed that. He was supposed to be Maxx Crosby’s running mate on the defensive line, but with the Raiders on the verge of trading Crosby, the picture on that side of the ball could change in a hurry.
The opening is there for Koonce to cash in. The Raiders also traded away Tyree Wilson, which clears the path even more.
At 28, with only one, maybe two, good seasons on his résumé, he doesn’t have much room to miss. If he can’t take advantage of this chance in 2026, his run as a starter could be coming to an end.
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