The Raiders wrapped up their final 2026 training camp practice in Henderson on a day that felt like a checkpoint for a franchise trying to stay patient with its rebuild. This camp, as the reporting makes clear, was about more than just reps and roster battles. It was about whether the organization could finally resist the urge to chase shortcuts.
Since last December, after the decision to move on from Pete Carroll, the Raiders have been operating with a different kind of discipline. The message from the top has been simple enough: build it the right way, keep the long view in focus, and stop treating every problem like it needs a quick-fix answer. For a fan base that lives and breathes the Silver and Black, that shift has already produced something it hasn’t had enough of in recent years - tangible hope.
A big part of that optimism comes from the way the front office has approached the roster. GM John Spytek and his staff of Brian Stark, Brandon Hunt, and Brandon Yeargan have put together a young group with the rebuild in mind, and the stated target is 2028 as the year the Raiders should be back in the playoffs, with the expectation that kind of success becomes the norm after that.
The biggest lingering question from camp, though, is still the same one hovering over the roster: the weakest spots are wide receiver and defensive tackle. Those were identified as the two groups that remain the thin points on their side of the ball, both before camp and after it.
That’s why the first-round waiver claim looms so large. The sense here is that the Raiders could still add to either spot before the season begins, either through waivers or a trade, as long as the player fits the long-term plan. If that happens, Tonka Hemingway is the name to watch first at defensive tackle, while rookie Malik Benson is the one singled out from the wide receiver room.
There’s also been a noticeable change in how the operation is functioning behind the scenes. Tom Brady is still described as the dominant voice in the organization, but the reporting suggests he has given Spytek more room to operate, based on what people inside the building have said privately. On the football side, the sense is that Kubiak has been allowed to “cook,” and that trust runs both ways between him and management.
That doesn’t mean anyone is pretending the hard part is over. The Raiders are young everywhere, and that comes with the kind of learning curve that can show up fast once the games count. This is a team with a first-time head coach, first-time offensive and defensive coordinators, a projected eight to 12 rookies, multiple young players, and No. 1 overall pick QB Fernando Mendoza.
Still, the view from camp is that this team is already better and more talented than last year’s version. The season is being framed as a rebuild, and the logic behind that is blunt: every loss now helps shape the future, bringing in more and better players next year and setting up the 2027 push to get right before 2028 becomes the real target.
As for the record, the current projection remains seven wins in 2026, though the final prediction won’t come until the first week of the season.
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The speculation has naturally drifted toward Malcolm Koonce, whose play has not matched expectations in the view of Pro Football Focus and whose contract carries significant guaranteed money. Las Vegas also has younger players pushing for jobs, which only adds to the pressure as the roster picture sharpens and the Raiders weigh production against cost in the coming weeks. [Read more 🡒]
Raiders WR Battle Just Put Malik Benson Under Real Pressure
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Bensons rough outing included dropped passes, but the bigger question now is how he responds as the calendar moves toward the regular season. Tre Tucker pointed to Bensons balanced mindset and the value of staying resilient, a reminder that the Raiders are still looking for receivers who can handle setbacks and keep stacking better days as the roster takes shape. [Read more 🡒]
Raiders Suddenly Face A Week 1 Backfield Question With Jeanty
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Head coach Klint Kubiak declined to get into specific recovery timelines, only saying Jeanty is recovering. For now, the Raiders are doing what teams do when the calendar starts tightening around an injury: lining up contingency plans with their backup running backs in case Jeanty needs a little more time before hes cleared to go. [Read more 🡒]