The Las Vegas Raiders have already made their biggest quarterback move of the year, trading Kirk Cousins to the Minnesota Vikings and handing the future to rookie Fernando Mendoza. From here on out, the mission is clear: build the roster around him and make life easier while he learns on the fly.
That means the Raiders need help in a few key spots, and the trade deadline is gone, so the most realistic path now is midseason free agency. The offense needs more stability in front of Mendoza, another receiver who can stretch the field, and more support on the ground. The defense also has to do its part so the rookie isn’t stuck chasing points every week.
One area that stands out is linebacker, where opposing quarterbacks have been picking on the Raiders’ group. Nakobe Dean has brought physicality to the front seven, but his pass coverage has been uneven this season.
Quay Walker also struggled in last week’s loss to the San Francisco 49ers. Las Vegas doesn’t need to replace either player, but it could use someone who fits alongside them.
Matt Milano checks that box. He built his reputation with the Buffalo Bills as a versatile linebacker who can play downhill against the run, drop into coverage and contribute as a pass rusher.
He has recorded at least three sacks in three of his nine seasons. Injuries have limited him recently, though, with 30 games missed from 2023 through 2025.
He played in 12 games last season and remains unsigned in 2026. If he’s healthy, he could give the Raiders a much-needed glue guy on defense.
The interior defensive line is another spot where Las Vegas could use a quick fix. If the Raiders can’t slow down the run, they’ll keep putting Mendoza in tough spots and forcing him to win games without much margin for error.
Derrick Nnadi would be a low-cost answer there. He spent eight seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs and played just under 50% of the defensive snaps in all but one of them.
His value has come on early downs as a sturdy run defender, and at 6-foot-1, 317 pounds, he could end up being the team’s best run-stopper by season’s end.
Then there’s the passing game, where another field-stretcher could open things up for Mendoza. Brock Bowers and Michael Mayer already give him reliable targets underneath, but the rookie’s arm strength can also push the ball downfield. Tre Tucker should benefit from the quarterback change because of his speed and big-play ability, and Darius Slayton could add even more juice to that part of the offense.
Slayton has spent seven seasons with the New York Giants, averaging 15 yards per catch and leading the team in receiving yards in four of his first five seasons. He would give the Raiders a solid No. 2 receiver with speed still in the tank at age 29, and he could pair with Tucker to create explosive plays on the perimeter.
In Other News...
Raiders May Finally Be Ready To Unleash Ashton Jeanty
Ashton Jeantys rookie season has already shown both sides of what makes him such an important piece for the Raiders. His rushing efficiency has dipped since Week 1, with injuries and uneven offensive line play helping to slow the ground game, but his impact has hardly disappeared. Even as the carries have been less explosive, Jeanty has become a major part of the passing attack, entering Week 10 as the NFLs leader among running backs in receptions and receiving yards.
Now the Raiders appear to be setting him up for a bigger second-half role after their trade for rookie quarterback Fernando Mendoza. For a team that has been searching for more rhythm on offense, the move could open more space for Jeanty and give the running game a better chance to find traction. If the passing game and backfield usage start to sync up, Las Vegas may finally be ready to lean into the kind of weapon Jeanty was drafted to be. [Read more 🡒]
Raiders Defensive Mess Now Puts Rob Leonard In The Spotlight
Following the loss to the 49ers, Rob Leonard found himself answering for a defense that has been too easy to score on and too inconsistent to trust. The Raiders defensive coordinator said he appreciated coach Klint Kubiaks public backing, but the bigger issue is the units play on the field, where Las Vegas has been giving up a league-worst 29.8 points per game this season.
Leonards comments landed on a day when Kubiak also made another notable call, announcing Fernando Mendoza as the starting quarterback for the next game. For a Raiders team trying to steady itself on both sides of the ball, the defensive conversation is now impossible to separate from the larger urgency around the roster, and Leonard is the one carrying the spotlight until the group starts showing more consistency. [Read more 🡒]
Raiders Trade For Kirk Cousins Looks Different After Vikings Decision
Minnesotas decision to keep Kirk Cousins under center in Week 10 adds another layer to a trade that already had plenty of weight for Las Vegas. The Raiders sent Cousins to the Vikings in a deal that brought back a third-round pick, and the move now looks even more consequential given how much of the offense he had handled in 2026 before the swap.
For the Raiders, the trade was never just about moving on from a veteran quarterback, it was about betting on the value of the return and the direction of the roster. Cousins had started nine games in Las Vegas, completing 64.1 percent of his passes with 20 touchdowns and eight interceptions, so Minnesotas willingness to put him back in the lineup only sharpens the question of what the Raiders gave up and what they still need to answer at the position. [Read more 🡒]