The Raiders head into training camp with a lot of buzz around what Klint Kubiak is supposed to unlock on offense, but the real question is how the rest of the unit stacks up once the skill players are set aside. If you’re sorting through the offense as a whole, the conversation starts with the line and the quarterback room.
Up front, the Raiders have enough pieces to make this group feel more stable than it has in the past, even if there are still clear swing spots. Tyler Linderbaum is the big new name in the middle, and he’s expected to help steady the interior right away.
Kolton Miller’s health is another major factor, because the Raiders can only hope he’s available next season. Those two alone change the tone of the unit, and the staff will want a clear read on where things stand before the regular season arrives.
There’s still plenty of uncertainty beyond that core. Spencer Burford is an intriguing bet at left guard, while Atonio Mafi, his backup, doesn’t exactly bring a ton of confidence.
Jackson Powers-Johnson is another player who needs a better fit in 2026 after not making the most of his promising rookie year. If he gets back to the level he showed in 2024, that would give the line a real boost.
DJ Glaze has also had plenty of chances to show he belongs, and he’s been serviceable for a former third-round pick. Even so, the right tackle spot feels like the one most likely to shift the feel of the line over the course of the season.
Then there’s the quarterback room, which might be the most fascinating part of the offense. Fernando Mendoza, the league’s recent first overall pick, gives the group a huge spotlight. The Raiders would prefer Kirk Cousins to start the entire season, and that would make sense for Mendoza’s development.
Aidan O’Connell adds another layer to the mix. He’s a trade candidate, but he also matters as competition for Mendoza. O’Connell has starting experience with the Raiders, so if Mendoza can’t separate himself from him in camp, that would say plenty about how far Mendoza still has to go before he’s ready to take over the franchise.
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Jon Gruden Just Sent Raiders Fans A Brutal AFC West Message
Jon Grudens latest read on the AFC West did not exactly land softly with Raiders fans. The former Las Vegas coach pointed to continuity at both coach and quarterback as the reason he sees the division tilting away from the Silver and Black, while still acknowledging the Raiders should be better than they were a year ago. It is the kind of preseason snapshot that says as much about where Gruden thinks the division stands as it does about how far Las Vegas still has to climb.
He also slotted the rest of the division in a way that will stir plenty of debate, with the Broncos at the top, the Chargers next and the Chiefs behind them. Even with the football talk drawing attention, Gruden remains a figure whose name still carries plenty of baggage in Las Vegas because of his legal fight with the NFL over the leaked emails that ended his tenure. [Read more 🡒]
Raiders Fans Finally Get Their First Look At Kubiaks New Offense
The first real look at Klint Kubiaks Raiders offense is about to arrive, and it comes with a little more fanfare than usual. Las Vegas will hold 11 training camp practices ahead of the 2026 season, with five open to the public in August, giving supporters a chance to see how the new staff is beginning to shape the group before the games start to matter.
Most of those sessions will be at the Intermountain Healthcare Performance Center, with the final open practice moving to Allegiant Stadium. For a fan base eager to see what this version of the offense looks like in live reps, the bigger question is less about attendance than about how quickly Kubiak and Mike McCoy can get the system installed and the roster comfortable enough to make camp feel like a true starting point. [Read more 🡒]
Forgotten Raiders Tight End Is Suddenly Pushing For A Real Role
Carter Runyon arrived in Las Vegas as a 2025 undrafted free agent and spent enough of his first preseason and regular season showing the kind of versatility coaches tend to notice, even if the rest of the league barely did. The Raiders liked what they saw from a tight end who could help in the passing game, hold up as a blocker and contribute on special teams, which is exactly the sort of profile that can keep a player hanging around when roster decisions get tight.
Under offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak, that skill set suddenly looks more relevant. Runyon has already shown he can move around the formation and do a little of everything, and that gives him a path into multiple tight end looks if he keeps building on the same traits. For a player who was easy to overlook a year ago, the next step is no longer just surviving camp. It is forcing the Raiders to find a real role for him. [Read more 🡒]