The Las Vegas Raiders are trying to sort through a rough stretch after opening 3-0 and then dropping four straight, and that makes the 2026 free-agent class look a lot different right now. With changes on the table, head coach Klint Kubiak said Kirk Cousins will stay under center, even as people around the team debate whether that’s the right call.
" I'm gonna let you guys know that Kirk is our starting quarterback. There is no controversy.
Kirk is playing at a very high level. And got to continue to do that for us to win.
We've got to keep helping all the areas around him. So I'm excited for him to go play here against the Jets."
Cousins is staying put, so the focus turns to three other veterans from this year’s free-agent class and where their value stands heading into Week 8.
Foley Fatukasi’s arrow is pointing the wrong way. Against the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday, he was on the field for 44% of the defensive snaps and came away without a tackle.
For a player whose job is to help anchor the interior against the run, that wasn’t enough. The Rams controlled the game from start to finish, leaned on their ground attack, and still averaged 5.2 yards per carry.
Even when Las Vegas knew what was coming, it couldn’t shut it down, and Fatukasi’s empty box score after nearly half the snaps stands out.
Kwity Paye hasn’t offered much of a response since his two-sack opener. Since that game, he has added just one sack and has not made much noise against the run either.
He was quiet again versus Los Angeles, finishing with two tackles, one solo, while playing 66.7% of the defensive snaps. The Raiders handed him a three-year, $48 million contract this offseason, and right now that number looks steep after a month of uneven production.
Eric Stokes, meanwhile, is moving in the other direction. The Rams were without Davante Adams, but Stokes still handled his responsibilities well in coverage.
Pro Football Focus credited him with allowing two catches for nine yards on four targets, along with a 56.3 passer rating. He’s coming off a rough Week 5 against the New England Patriots, but this was a cleaner showing and a step forward.
The tackling still needs work, though, especially with playmakers like Puka Nacua who can turn routine catches into extra yards. Stokes missed a couple of tackles, but he remains a reliable outside defender, and he’ll face a difficult test next against Garrett Wilson and the New York Jets in Week 8.
In Other News...
Raiders Fans Have A New Trade Deadline Concern With JPJ
With the November 10 trade deadline creeping closer, the Raiders suddenly have more than one name floating around in the rumor mill. Jackson Powers-Johnson has become part of that conversation after landing on the injury report with a back issue, adding another layer to a week already filled with speculation about which veterans and young pieces could be in play if Las Vegas decides to listen.
The chatter has not been limited to one player, either, with Isaiah Pola-Mao, Maxx Crosby and Kirk Cousins also mentioned as possible trade candidates depending on how the season and the coaching situation unfold. For Raiders fans, the concern is less about a single rumor than the larger question of whether the front office views this roster as one worth holding together, or one that could be reshaped before the deadline arrives. [Read more 🡒]
Raiders Depth Chart Reveals Where This Skid Is Really Hurting
The Raiders are keeping their Week 8 depth chart largely intact even as a four-game losing streak has put a spotlight on where the roster is feeling the strain. The lack of movement suggests the staff still believes the answers are in-house, even if the on-field results have made it clear the team needs cleaner play and more consistency on both sides of the ball.
Offensive coordinator Andrew Janocko said the staff adjusts practice routines every week to help the team improve, and this one has clearly been aimed at tightening up the details. With the offense still searching for more production and the defense looking for steadier execution, the next stretch will show whether those weekly tweaks can start to matter in a meaningful way. [Read more 🡒]
Raiders Could Get Needed Help Back With One Big Role Question
Jack Bech is back in the conversation for the Raiders at a time when they could use another dependable body at wide receiver. The rookie has already built a reputation inside the building for his energy, work habits and willingness to block in the run game, traits that tend to earn trust quickly in a room where every role matters. After missing time with a broken arm, he is again eligible to return, which gives Las Vegas another option as it tries to sort out its passing-game rotation.
Klint Kubiak has left the door open for Bech to play against the Jets, but the bigger question is how much of a role he can handle right away. For a Raiders offense looking for help, simply getting him back on the field would matter, yet the real intrigue is whether his return comes with a meaningful workload or just a limited first step back into the mix. [Read more 🡒]