The Raiders head into 2026 with more intrigue than expectations, and that starts at the top. Las Vegas isn’t being treated like a real playoff threat, but there are still plenty of moving parts worth watching as Klint Kubiak takes over and reshapes the operation.
The quarterback situation is already set, at least for now. Kirk Cousins will open the season as the starter, a decision Kubiak made official earlier this week.
That doesn’t make Cousins the long-term answer, and the Raiders know it. The 38-year-old gives them the steadiest hand available, but if the opening stretch goes sideways, the timeline on Mendoza could move fast.
If Las Vegas stumbles through the first six weeks and starts drifting in the wrong direction, a change would not be a surprise. And if the team is sitting well below .500, the push from fans to get the No. 1 overall pick on the field will only get louder.
Maxx Crosby is the other name hanging over the season. The 28-year-old pass rusher spent the offseason in trade rumors, and those talks only intensified when the Raiders actually moved him.
That deal never went through, though, because the Baltimore Ravens backed out after Crosby failed his physical while recovering from surgery. Even with the trade annulled, the message was clear: if this season starts to slip away, Las Vegas has already shown it will consider moving the superstar for the right return.
Crosby’s future, just like Mendoza’s playing time, could end up being tied to how competitive the Raiders look early.
There’s also real reason to watch what Kubiak does with the offense. Over the last two years with the New Orleans Saints and Seattle Seahawks, he’s built a reputation as one of the league’s top offensive minds.
His system looked fully unlocked in 2025 when the Seahawks had the personnel to match it, capped by a Lombardi Trophy and a 14-3 season from Sam Darnold. Jaxon Smith-Njigba turned in a monster year too, finishing with 119 catches for 1,793 yards and 10 touchdowns.
That’s the version of Kubiak the Raiders were betting on when they hired him, even if this roster isn’t built to chase that kind of ceiling yet. Brock Bowers and Ashton Jeanty are the obvious headliners, and the offense should be noticeably better than it was a year ago. Las Vegas may not show the full force of Kubiak’s scheme right away, but 2026 should at least offer a first real look at what this group can become once everything is in place.
In Other News...
Raiders Suddenly Have A Backfield Decision They Didn't Expect
Mike Washington Jr. has gone from a rookie camp curiosity to one of the more interesting developments in Raiders camp, and it happened quickly. The first-year running back has impressed enough in the preseason that general manager John Spytek singled him out as a perfect scheme fit, pointing to the way Washington has handled his opportunities and the efficiency he showed when games started counting toward evaluation.
The bigger wrinkle now is how the backfield gets sorted out while Ashton Jeanty deals with an ankle injury. Washington has been taking first-team snaps in practice, which suggests the Raiders are seriously weighing a larger role for him as they sort through a situation they may not have expected this soon. For a team trying to settle its running game, Washington's rise has turned a depth-chart question into one of the more intriguing decisions left on the table. [Read more 🡒]
Raiders May Need Their Biggest Strength More Than Ever
As the Raiders line up for the upcoming season, one of their clearest advantages sits right in the middle of the defense. A strong interior defensive line gives Las Vegas a place to lean while the roster around it still sorts through some obvious questions, especially in a young secondary that will be asked to grow up quickly. Second-year lineman Tonka Hemingway has been one of the encouraging developments, showing real growth and putting himself in position to compete for a starting job.
That front could wind up being more important than ever if the back end needs extra help early in the season. The coaching staff is planning to rotate defensive linemen to keep everyone fresh, a move that should help the group hold up across four quarters and cover for vulnerabilities elsewhere on the defense. For the Raiders, the plan is simple enough: let one of their strongest units carry more of the load while the rest of the defense comes together. [Read more 🡒]
Raiders Leave The Door Open In A QB Battle Fans Cant Ignore
The Raiders entered this stretch with one of the leagues more closely watched quarterback rooms, and John Spytek made it clear the team has no plans to trim it down yet. Las Vegas is keeping Kirk Cousins, Aidan OConnell and Fernando Mendoza on the roster, a move that underscores how much the organization values the competition and the different things each passer brings as the group works through camp and the preseason.
Cousins still sits atop the depth chart as the starter, but the real intrigue is in how the backup spots have settled around him. Spytek pointed to Mendozas development and OConnells preseason showing as reasons the Raiders are comfortable carrying all three, and for now the message is simple: both reserves are prepared to step in if called upon, leaving the rest of the evaluation very much alive. [Read more 🡒]