The Raiders have already been stamped as a rebuilding team, and that label comes with some hard truth attached. One year removed from a league-worst 3-14 finish, Las Vegas is still in the early stages of trying to turn the page.
This offseason, though, the organization put two major pieces in place for what comes next: head coach Klint Kubiak and rookie quarterback Fernando Mendoza. The results this season may not be pretty, but the Raiders could look like a very different team by 2027 if the next few months are handled the right way.
Kubiak arrived as the former Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator and was viewed by some as the best coaching candidate on the market this offseason. Las Vegas didn’t get the hire done until after the Super Bowl, making its coaching search one of the last to be completed in the cycle. That timing won’t matter much if Kubiak proves he was the top available option.
What matters more is what the offense looks like now. There’s no real doubt about Kubiak’s scheme, and even with a reworked group on that side of the ball, the Raiders should look far different from last season. Early signs have been encouraging, with Kubiak already showing his team that the standard is changing in the Silver and Black.
Quarterback remains the biggest short-term question. Kubiak named Kirk Cousins the starter earlier this week, and the plan has been for Mendoza to spend most of the season on the sideline. That said, the rookie could benefit from getting multiple games under his belt, and if the staff decides he’s ready at any point, the No. 1 overall pick should get the call.
If Cousins is rolling and the Raiders are winning, there’s no reason to force the issue. But if the season settles into mediocrity by Week 8 or 9, then giving Mendoza real game reps has to be on the table. Everything depends on how Cousins performs.
The trade deadline could bring another major decision. If Las Vegas is headed toward missing the playoffs, the front office should listen on top players. And the biggest name in that conversation is Maxx Crosby.
The idea here is straightforward: if the Raiders are struggling deep into the season, they should at least explore a deal for the pass rusher. Las Vegas already had Crosby in trade talks earlier this offseason and landed two first-round picks from the Baltimore Ravens before that trade fell apart days later.
A second deal wouldn’t bring that kind of return, but Crosby’s value around the league would still be massive. Contenders are always hunting for an elite edge rusher, and that could create a bidding war for the 28-year-old.
Another first-round pick would give the Raiders more flexibility and could help open up new possibilities in 2027.
In Other News...
Maxx Crosby Just Got Pulled Back Into Raiders Trade Talk
The Cowboys latest round of restructures has turned a previously tight cap situation into one with real flexibility, and that immediately changes the kind of phone calls they can make ahead of the trade deadline. Dallas has gone from a little more than $14 million in room to roughly $33 million, a jump that puts premium players back on the table if the front office wants to chase a bigger swing.
Maxx Crosby is the name that naturally rises to the top of that conversation because of his contract and his status as one of the leagues most disruptive edge rushers. For Raiders fans, it is another reminder that whenever a contender finds unexpected cap space, Crosbys name tends to surface almost instantly, even if the path from speculation to a real move remains a long one. [Read more 🡒]
Jerry Jones Could Reignite Cowboys Chatter With One All In Move
Dallas has already spent the offseason trying to tighten up its defense under coordinator Christian Parker, and the Cowboys still sound open to making another move if the right one comes along. That is why the chatter around Maxx Crosby keeps hanging around the edges of the conversation, especially after reporting surfaced that Dallas had previously put multiple offers on the table for the Raiders pass rusher, including packages built around draft picks and players.
Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report has floated the idea of the Cowboys circling back, and it is easy to see why the speculation keeps resurfacing whenever Jerry Jones starts talking like a team that is not done yet. Crosby was already part of trade discussions with Dallas before his brief stop with Baltimore and return to Las Vegas, and while nothing has come together, the possibility alone is enough to keep this storyline alive if the Cowboys decide to go all in. [Read more 🡒]
Raiders Fans Have Every Reason To Watch This Maxx Crosby Rumor
The Cowboys just gave themselves a lot more breathing room by restructuring deals for Kenny Clark, DaRon Bland and Jake Ferguson, pushing their cap space from a little over $14 million to roughly $33 million. That kind of financial flexibility usually gets the league's rumor mill moving, especially when a contender is trying to position itself for a major deadline swing.
For Raiders fans, the obvious name to watch is Maxx Crosby. Dallas now has the kind of room that could fuel talk of a big defensive addition, and Crosby fits the sort of headline-grabbing move that changes a season in a hurry. Nothing has been confirmed, but when a team opens up that much space this close to the season, the speculation around a premier edge rusher is going to linger. [Read more 🡒]