The Raiders are heading toward training camp with a lot of noise around them and not a ton of outside belief. That leaves Las Vegas in a familiar spot: plenty to prove, and plenty of pressure landing on the players brought in to change the story.
A few of those pressure points sit right at the center of the roster. The Raiders made a major investment on the offensive line by signing the former Baltimore Ravens center to a three-year, $81 million deal that included $60 million guaranteed, making him the highest-paid player at his position. That kind of money comes with a simple expectation - he has to be the stabilizer up front and justify the contract while helping protect the future franchise quarterback.
That quarterback plan is built around patience. Fernando Mendoza, the No. 1 overall pick, is expected to sit and learn behind veteran Kirk Cousins.
The Raiders want to give Mendoza as much time as possible to develop from the bench, and if Cousins can keep the job for most of the season, that would suggest Las Vegas is in decent shape. If Kubiak has to turn to Mendoza sooner rather than later, it would point to Cousins struggling.
The pass-catching group also carries real pressure. Las Vegas brought in the former Minnesota Vikings wide receiver on a three-year, $35.03 million contract, and even though he is not a standard WR1, he will need to function like one in this offense. With Brock Bowers the only proven threat in the passing game, Nailor has to be a major piece.
On defense, the Raiders finally gave Maxx Crosby some help. They signed Walker to a three-year, $42 million deal with $20 million guaranteed, and the 25-year-old linebacker is expected to move all over the field. If he handles that role well, Las Vegas could end up with one of the league’s most improved defenses.
The secondary has its own spotlight. Stokes, who had 53 total tackles, three tackles for loss, five defended passes, and one interception in 16 starts last season, got a three-year, $30 million contract with $20 million guaranteed.
Jermod McCoy is another promising addition, but Stokes has to be a reliable CB1 if the defense is going to take the next step. If McCoy grows into the CB2 role in 2026, that would be a strong sign the Raiders made the right bet on Stokes.
In Other News...
Raiders Suddenly Have An Aidan O'Connell Decision They Can't Dodge
The Raiders quarterback room is starting to come into focus for 2026, and it leaves Aidan OConnell in an awkward spot. Kirk Cousins is the presumed starter, rookie Fernando Mendoza is expected to be the future answer when he is ready, and OConnell sits in the middle as the most obvious odd man out, even though he still profiles as a usable NFL backup.
That is what makes his situation worth watching before the season begins. OConnell is viewed as a potential trade piece, and there are teams around the league believed to be interested in him, but Las Vegas has to decide whether keeping him as insurance is worth more than turning him into value now. For a quarterback in a contract year, spending the season buried on the depth chart would not help his case, so the Raiders may have to move before the choice gets made for them. [Read more 🡒]
Thomas Booker IV Is Becoming A Bigger Part Of The Raiders Rebuild
After a 3-14 season, the Raiders spent the offseason trying to reshape both the roster and the coaching infrastructure, and one of the quieter moves has turned into a meaningful one up front. Thomas Booker IV arrived in a trade with Philadelphia and quickly worked his way into the mix on the defensive line, giving Las Vegas another body it can trust as it tries to build something sturdier around a unit that needs more than just a few standouts.
Bookers value has shown up in the kind of role the Raiders want to lean on more often, with defensive coordinator Rob Leonard stressing the importance of depth and rotation along the line. Booker also logged a full seasons worth of availability and starting experience in his first year with Las Vegas, which is exactly the sort of reliability a rebuilding team can use while it sorts out the rest of the front. [Read more 🡒]
Raiders Need This Camp Answer Before The O Line Derails Them
Training camp is set to decide a lot for the Raiders, but the biggest question may be the right side of the offensive line. Under new head coach Klint Kubiak, the team is looking for more stability up front after a 2025 season in which protection issues kept hanging over the offense, and the focus now is on sorting out who fits best next to the rest of the line before the preseason starts to matter.
The right guard competition could stretch through Caleb Rogers, Jackson Powers-Johnson, Trey Zuhn III and possibly Jordan Meredith, while DJ Glaze looks like the frontrunner at right tackle unless Charles Grant makes it much closer than expected. ESPN has already raised concerns about pass protection on that side, and the Raiders need a cleaner answer there before the line becomes the kind of problem that can undo whatever progress the new staff is trying to build. [Read more 🡒]