As Week 1 of the 2026 NFL season creeps closer, the Raiders are no longer just grading their own roster in a vacuum. The real test is how Las Vegas stacks up against the rest of the AFC West, and that picture looks a lot better than it did a year ago.
John Spytek and Klint Kubiak have helped close the gap with their work in free agency and the draft, and the division-wide comparison shows it. The Raiders still don’t lead every room, but they do come out on top in a few key spots, and there are several more where they’re at least in the conversation.
The easiest place to start is quarterback, where the Raiders are last in the division. Patrick Mahomes still sits at the top, with Bo Nix ahead of Justin Herbert in this ordering, and an aging Kirk Cousins plus rookie Fernando Mendoza leave Las Vegas bringing up the rear for now. Mendoza has the chance to climb, but right now that room is still the weakest in the AFC West.
The backfield tells a much different story. Las Vegas owns the top spot at running back thanks to Ashton Jeanty and Mike Washington Jr., a 1-2 punch that stands out even in a loaded division. Denver slots second with JK Dobbins, Jonah Coleman and RJ Harvey, while Kansas City lands third and the Chargers sit fourth.
At wide receiver, though, the Raiders fall to the bottom. Denver’s group, led by Jaylen Waddle, Courtland Sutton and an emerging Pat Bryant, takes the No. 1 spot. The Chargers follow with Ladd McConkey and Quentin Johnston, the Chiefs are next with Rashee Rice, and Las Vegas checks in last.
Tight end is another clear win for the Raiders. Brock Bowers and Michael Mayer give them the best duo in the division by a wide margin. The Chargers come next with Oronde Gadsen II and David Njoku, then the Chiefs with Travis Kelce and Noah Gray, while the Broncos are last with Evan Engram and little else behind him.
Up front, the Raiders land in the middle of the pack on the offensive line. Denver ranks first, Kansas City second, and Las Vegas third ahead of the Chargers. The Raiders may not have the same level of high-end talent as the Chargers, but they do have fewer holes and better health to open the season, plus what looks like stronger depth.
Defensively, Las Vegas has a mixed profile. At defensive end, the Raiders are third behind Denver and the Chargers, with Maxx Crosby carrying the load and good depth behind him.
At defensive tackle, they drop to fourth, even though the group has promise. The Broncos still lead that race, followed by the Chiefs and Chargers.
Linebacker is another area where the Raiders have some talent but not enough stability to climb higher. They’re third, behind Kansas City and the Chargers, with the injury histories of Nakobe Dean and Quay Walker and a thin supporting cast pulling them down. The Broncos sit last there.
Cornerback is more encouraging. The Raiders rank third, behind Denver and the Chargers, with more upside than the teams ahead of them but less certainty. The Chiefs are fourth in that grouping.
Safety is the one spot where the Raiders come in last. The Chargers sit first, driven by Derwin James and Elijah Molden, followed by the Broncos and Chiefs. Las Vegas has pieces in place, but that room still needs to prove itself before it can move up.
Taken together, the AFC West picture shows a Raiders team that has clearly improved, even if it still trails the division’s best in several spots. The roster isn’t finished, but it’s no longer an afterthought.
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Klint Kubiaks Demanding Style Is Already Shaping The Raiders Biggest Decisions
Klint Kubiak has only just settled into the Raiders head-coaching role, but his fingerprints are already showing up in the biggest decisions around the building. General manager John Spytek has praised Kubiaks disciplined, efficient way of communicating, and that approach fits the tone Las Vegas is trying to set as it prepares for a new era under a coach who does not waste words or time.
It is already evident in the quarterback plan. Kubiak has chosen Kirk Cousins to start Week 1 against the Dolphins over first overall pick Fernando Mendoza, a decision that underscores how carefully the Raiders want to bring the rookie along. Mendoza remains central to the long-term picture, but the team plans to develop him patiently, with Kubiak also pointing to the value of Tom Bradys guidance in shaping the roster and the organizations approach to building around it. [Read more 🡒]
Raiders Suddenly Have A Clear Veteran Receiver Option To Consider
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Slayton also comes with the sort of questions that usually follow a player changing teams this late in the process, which is why the fit is being weighed carefully rather than rushed into. The Raiders are reportedly considering the move, but nothing has been finalized, leaving this as one of those roster situations worth watching closely as they sort through whether the upside outweighs the risk. [Read more 🡒]
Raiders Make Late Practice Squad Moves Ahead Of Week 1
The Raiders kept tinkering with the bottom of the roster as Week 1 approached, making another set of practice squad moves to shore up a few spots after cutdown day. Las Vegas added rookie nose tackle Tim Keenan III and fullback Patrick Gurd, while parting ways with defensive tackle Gary Smith III and safety Devin Lafayette, a reminder that even after the initial 53-man decisions, the back end of the roster is still very much a work in progress.
Keenan, a seventh-round pick of the Rams, brings some flexibility because he has played multiple spots along the defensive line, even if his preseason production did not jump off the page. Gurd is a familiar face in the building after spending the spring and summer with the Raiders while competing for the fullback job, and his return gives the team another look at a role they kept evaluating throughout the offseason. [Read more 🡒]