The Las Vegas Raiders head into 2026 with a very different look than the team that stumbled through last season. After one of the NFL’s most active offseasons, there’s real reason for optimism in Las Vegas, even if the betting market still treats this as a team in the early stages of a rebuild.
That caution makes sense. A 3-14 finish, an NFL-low 14.2 points per game, and a fourth straight year without a playoff appearance are hard numbers to outrun. For now, the Raiders odds still reflect a club that has to prove it can turn offseason promise into actual production on the field.
The biggest shift started with Klint Kubiak arriving as head coach, giving the Raiders a new offensive direction built around structure, efficiency, and long-term development. That approach shows up immediately in the quarterback setup. Kirk Cousins brings veteran steadiness, while first-overall pick Fernando Mendoza gets to develop behind him without the burden of carrying everything right away.
The roster moves went well beyond the quarterback room. Tyler Linderbaum was brought in to help shore up an offensive line that struggled badly in 2025.
Brock Bowers is coming off a Pro Bowl rookie season, and Ashton Jeanty adds another dangerous piece to Kubiak’s offense. On defense, Maxx Crosby remains the anchor, now joined by Quay Walker, Nakobe Dean, and Kwity Paye, giving the unit a much stronger base than it had just a few months ago.
Still, the Raiders won’t be judged on paper. They have to show that the new pieces fit and that the offense can climb well above last year’s NFL-low 14.2 points per game. That would be the clearest sign Kubiak’s system is taking hold, especially with better protection in front of it.
Fernando Mendoza’s growth will matter just as much. He’s the long-term answer, while Bowers and Jeanty have the chance to become core playmakers for what comes next. If those young pieces keep developing, the Raiders’ offense could look very different by the end of 2026 and beyond.
The AFC West won’t make anything easy. Kansas City still sets the pace, and the Chargers remain in the playoff mix, which means every divisional game will tell the Raiders something about where they really stand. Strong showings in those matchups would say plenty, even before the record does.
For a team coming off a 3-14 season, progress doesn’t have to mean a dramatic leap. A six- or seven-win year would count as a meaningful step forward, especially if the Raiders build an identity, stay competitive in the division, and keep their young talent moving in the right direction.
Rebuilds are measured in layers, not headlines. Right now, Las Vegas looks like a franchise with a clearer plan, a steadier hand, and a much better foundation than it had a year ago.
In Other News...
Raiders Already Have A Quarterback Question They Didnt Want This Soon
The Raiders entered the offseason with a clear plan at quarterback, bringing in veteran Kirk Cousins and then using the first overall pick on Fernando Mendoza, the Heisman Trophy winner who arrived with the kind of expectations that usually come with a franchise reset. Head coach Klint Kubiak has already said Cousins will open the season as the starter, but the dynamic in practice is obvious enough: Mendoza and Aidan OConnell are there to make sure nothing is handed over lightly.
For Las Vegas, the question is not whether Cousins can hold the job in September, but how long the team can resist the pull of a younger option if the rookie keeps flashing. The Raiders have seen this movie before, when a veteran started out front and the long-term answer eventually came into focus, and that history is part of what makes this competition worth watching now rather than later. [Read more 🡒]
Raiders Receiver Battle Just Got More Complicated For Dont'e Thornton
The Raiders fourth training camp practice was supposed to be another step in sorting out the offense, with the staff spending time on specific offensive looks and continuing to evaluate how the quarterback room fits together. Mendoza had a rough day overall, including an interception that was returned for a touchdown, while Kirk Cousins remains firmly in the mix as part of the teams quarterback plans.
For Dont'e Thornton, though, the competition at receiver grew a little more complicated. The rookie is still working through the usual camp growing pains and has time to develop, but practice brought an unfortunate missed chance on a throw he could have finished off. Before the session was over, he was also seen walking off the field with medical staff, leaving one more layer of uncertainty in a battle that was already going to be watched closely. [Read more 🡒]
Raiders Rookie Trey Zuhn Is Suddenly A Real Starting Threat
Trey Zuhn arrived in Las Vegas with plenty of draft-day buzz, and it is only getting louder as the Raiders continue to show how much they value the rookie. Selected in the third round, Zuhn has quickly become more than just a developmental piece on the board, with reports describing the team as very high on him after the draft.
What makes the situation interesting is how aggressively the Raiders were willing to approach the possibility of landing him in the first place. Even now, there is still some uncertainty about whether Zuhn will be in the starting lineup before the season begins, but the fact that Las Vegas was willing to explore extra draft capital to get him says plenty about where he stands on their depth chart plans. [Read more 🡒]