The Raiders are still more than two weeks from training camp, but the conversation around the franchise is already loud, split, and very much in character for Raider Nation.
A lot of the noise right now is centered on Fernando Mendoza, and the concern from fans is easy to spot. Some are anxious, some are flat-out panicked, and the delay around his deal has become a talking point. But there was never any concern about Mendoza or his contract, and the uproar, according to the source, has been driven more by media or para-media chasing clicks than by people who know what both sides are thinking.
That hasn’t stopped the skepticism. Some fans simply aren’t sold on the rookie phenom, even though NFL executives reportedly viewed him as the best quarterback prospect of the last four years.
The source called that reaction surprising and nonsensical, while also saying the team is on the same page. If Mendoza wins the job in camp, great.
If he stays on the bench longer, the Raiders are better off in the long run. The source also said he has predicted Mendoza will start this season, but believes the young quarterback should earn it.
Maxx Crosby, meanwhile, remains one of the biggest names hanging over the Raiders’ rebuild. The source described him as arguably a top-two defensive player in the NFL and said there was a market during the season where some teams would have given up two first-round picks for him. That line drew plenty of pushback at the time, but the Baltimore Ravens ultimately did just that, according to the source, before the deal fell through.
For now, Crosby is still in Las Vegas. The Raiders are not shopping him, and he is not asking out.
Still, the fit is obvious enough to keep the speculation alive: Crosby wants to win now, the Raiders are rebuilding, and other teams are interested. That has opened the door to all kinds of fan ideas, from locking him up with a major extension to moving him for a player and picks.
The source pushed back on the extension idea, saying a major new deal would be unlikely, though an adjustment could make sense. On the trade side, the source said the Raiders are not actively looking to move Crosby and that a lot of the anger from fans after the season came when the possibility was first raised.
Even now, the source stressed that Crosby is a great player and an even better person, and said the team should keep its ears open if something comes along that helps both sides. A first-round pick and a key player, or two picks with one first-rounder and the other depending on the quality of the player, was described as realistic.
The fan reaction did not stop there. One commenter wanted Crosby extended to wipe out trade talk entirely.
Another wanted him dealt while he is still in his prime. The source’s answer stayed consistent: the Raiders are not shopping him, Crosby is not demanding out, and any move would have to make sense for both sides.
There was also frustration over the way one player’s last season was judged. After a strong rookie year, during which he earned the nickname “The Mule” from Zamir White and the source, he was seen as a star in the making.
But the source said last season’s collapse was not on him. Instead, the blame belonged to poor play-calling and an offense that looked sophomoric at best.
The team, the source said, did little to help him, and while criticism of the sophomore season was fair, blaming him for it was not.
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