The Raiders are heading into 2026 with a familiar kind of reset: a new head coach, a new plan, and a fan base trying to read the tea leaves. For the third straight year, Las Vegas is starting over on the sideline, this time with Klint Kubiak taking over after Antonio Pierce’s season-and-a-half run and Pete Carroll’s stint last year.
Oddsmakers, at least, are buying into some progress. Las Vegas’ win total sits at 5.5, and the number leans pretty heavily toward the over after back-to-back seasons of four wins and then three. That’s not exactly a towering expectation, but it does signal that the market sees the Raiders as a team with a little more life than the recent record suggests.
A big reason for that optimism is the quarterback setup. Fernando Mendoza is viewed as the future, while Kirk Cousins is there to keep things steady until the rookie is ready. That arrangement gives the Raiders a path forward, and it also gives them a more stable present than they’ve had in some recent stretches.
The backfield could help, too. Ashton Jeanty is expected to take another step in his second season, and once Mendoza eventually gets the keys, Las Vegas could be looking at a promising pairing on offense. Even with Cousins running the show for now, the thought is that the Raiders should be better there than they were before.
There’s also the matter of Maxx Crosby still being in silver and black after the trade to Baltimore was nixed. That alone changes the picture for a defense trying to keep games within reach.
And the Raiders didn’t sit still in the offseason. They brought in Tyler Linderbaum to help stabilize the offensive line, and they added Nakobe Dean, Kwity Paye, and Quay Walker to the linebacker group. However anyone feels about the contracts, the moves point in the same direction: a higher floor.
That matters for a team trying to climb out of the bottom of the standings. Las Vegas should be better in the trenches, Cousins remains capable of winning a few games, and the roster looks a little sturdier than it did a year ago. That doesn’t guarantee a breakout, but it does make the Raiders one of the more interesting teams to watch in 2026.
In Other News...
Malik Benson Just Put His Raiders Opening Week Case In Trouble
Fernando Mendozas preseason outing against the Texans had its bright spots and its ugly ones, but for Malik Benson, the tape will mostly be remembered for the missed chances. The Raiders rookie wide receiver, who has flashed enough in training camp to generate some optimism, managed one catch for 18 yards while also putting two passes on the ground in a game where every clean rep mattered.
Benson came into the summer with a real opening to strengthen his case for regular-season snaps, especially as a late-round pick trying to carve out a role. Instead, the kind of mistakes that can linger in the minds of coaches showed up at an inopportune time, leaving his path to Week 1 looking a little less secure than it did before this preseason test. [Read more 🡒]
Raiders Fans Will Notice How Fernando Mendoza Responded To One Brutal Mistake
Fernando Mendozas preseason debut for the Raiders had the kind of jolt that can change a game in a hurry, and it came on a play he would probably like to forget. The rookie quarterback threw an interception that Houston Texans rookie linebacker Wade Woodaz turned into an 80-yard touchdown, a swing that immediately put Mendoza under a brighter spotlight as he continued working through the early stages of his NFL career.
What stood out, though, was the way Mendoza reacted after the mistake. Instead of easing up, he chased Woodaz and tried to make the tackle before the score was complete, a small but telling detail about how he handled the moment. Troy Aikman also noted on the broadcast that the play may have been the result of a miscommunication rather than a simple misread, which leaves the Raiders with a familiar preseason question - how much of a costly turnover was a quarterback mistake, and how much was just the kind of timing issue young passers have to clean up. [Read more 🡒]
Aidan OConnell May Have Just Ended A Raiders QB Debate
Aidan OConnell got the second-half chance in the Raiders preseason game against the Texans and made it count in a way that could matter long after August. He completed 15 of 24 passes for 166 yards, posted an 83.0 passer rating and even added a rushing touchdown, then capped the night by guiding Las Vegas on a 98-yard game-winning drive in a 22-20 win.
For a team still sorting out its quarterback pecking order, that kind of finish carries real weight. OConnell has been working to lock down the No. 2 job behind Kirk Cousins, and a poise-filled comeback drive in the preseason is exactly the sort of showing that can tilt a debate in his favor, even if the final call is still waiting to be made. [Read more 🡒]