The Raiders have spent the summer reshaping just about everything, but two problem areas still hang over the roster as cut-down day approaches: the secondary and the offensive line.
That’s the backdrop heading into Las Vegas’ final preseason game against the San Francisco 49ers. It’s a matchup that may not say much about the regular season at all. The Raiders already know they’ll face San Francisco again when the games count, so Thursday could easily turn into a disguised rehearsal, with Klint Kubiak and his staff using it to test out looks and concepts they have no intention of bringing back later.
Even so, the bigger picture has been clear all camp long. Las Vegas has been through a massive offseason overhaul, with general manager John Spytek and the front office adding talent on both sides of the ball while nearly remaking the coaching staff. The goal has been simple: turn a team that won seven games over the past two seasons combined into something sturdier, deeper and more functional.
The Raiders leaned hard into that rebuild. They used their league-leading cap space in free agency and their 10 draft picks to bring in a wave of veterans and rookies, adding nearly 20 players overall. A lot of those names are expected to matter more in 2026, but the blend of youth and experience was exactly what this roster needed after a 4-13 season in 2025.
Kubiak is already embracing that mix, especially the younger players.
“I know Spy [John Spytek] did a great job with the draft. We got some young, hungry guys that are going to help us play this whole season and beyond. It's always fun to coach all ages, but especially to have an imprint on a young man and help him grow, that's what's fun about coaching."
That optimism is real, and the upgrades are obvious. But the Raiders are still a work in progress, and that showed up in the first two preseason games.
The first preseason game against the Arizona Cardinals offered the clearest glimpse of what this team still needs. It was a small sample, but it exposed the kind of issues Las Vegas has to solve if it wants to move forward without more roster help.
Right now, the two biggest concerns are pretty straightforward. The Raiders need more bodies and better cohesion in the defensive backfield, and they still have questions to answer on both the starting and reserve offensive lines. If they can get those units to a serviceable level, they’ll be in decent shape.
There’s still room for roster improvement, but at this stage the Raiders are mostly done adding players. That shifts the burden to development, and Kubiak knows it.
“We have experience as coaches on developing guys when they're not starting a game if they don't start a game. So, it's staying early, leaving late. It's using some technological tools at your disposal,” Kubiak said.
“You can build in young guy reps into your practices. There are things you can do. It's never as good as getting all the reps in practice, but you do the best you can with what you got."
That’s the reality of this rebuild. The Raiders have made clear progress, but the work is far from finished. The final preseason game may not reveal much, yet what has happened throughout camp has already shown both sides of the equation: how much better Las Vegas has become, and how much remains unresolved.
In Other News...
Raiders Defense Suddenly Has An Early Rookie Scare
The Raiders got an unwelcome look at their young pass-rush depth in the preseason matchup against the 49ers, when rookie edge rusher Keyron Crawford had to be carted off the field with an ankle injury and was ruled out. For a defense that already had plenty to sort through this summer, losing a third-round pick so early is a sharp reminder of how quickly the tone can change in August.
Crawford was expected to be a key part of Las Vegas defense, which makes the next round of health updates especially important for a team counting on its rookies to contribute right away. The injury leaves the Raiders waiting to see how serious it is and what kind of setback, if any, it could become as they work toward the regular season. [Read more 🡒]
Raiders Fans May Need More Patience With Fernando Mendoza
The Raiders wrapped up their 2026 preseason at Allegiant Stadium against the 49ers, and the biggest takeaway for fans still tracking the quarterback future was Fernando Mendoza getting another meaningful look. Klint Kubiak started Kirk Cousins, but he also gave the rookie extended work as part of the evaluation process, hoping the added snaps would help accelerate Mendozas development before the games start to count.
Mendozas night was uneven, finishing 5 of 9 for 38 yards with an interception and taking two sacks, a reminder that young quarterbacks often need more than a few preseason appearances to settle in. The Raiders are clearly giving him a chance to learn on the job, but the performance also showed why patience may be part of the package if he is going to become a real factor down the line. [Read more 🡒]
Raiders Preseason Finale Raised Real Week 1 Questions
The Raiders preseason finale at Allegiant Stadium offered a last look at some of the rosters newest faces, and it came with enough uneven play to keep the conversation going well into September. In an 18-12 loss to the 49ers, Kirk Cousins handled the first two series and moved the offense for 51 passing yards, while rookie quarterback Fernando Mendoza finished 7 of 14 for 57 yards and an interception.
There were encouraging flashes elsewhere, especially from rookie running back Mike Washington Jr., who picked up 49 yards on eight carries before leaving early, but the night also brought a setback on defense when rookie end Keyron Crawford went down with an ankle injury and did not return. For a team still sorting out depth and roles, the final tune-up left more questions than answers about how ready the roster is for Week 1. [Read more 🡒]