Kirk Cousins and No 1 pick Fernando Mendoza give Raiders bettors some hope in the upcoming year
Las Vegas is the place you go with a lot of hope in your head and in your heart. This year, optimism reigns for the Raiders as they have new pieces that could prove that its endless rebuilding phase is drawing to a close and that a fresh era in Sin City is underway.
The Raiders suffered through a miserable 2025 campaign, finishing dead last in the division with a 3–14 record and securing the No. 1 overall pick in the draft. Not everything was bad; tight end Brock Bowers and pass rusher Maxx Crosby delivered individual, Pro Bowl-caliber dominance to keep games visually competitive. A drought on offense held the team back, as Las Vegas scored an NFL-worst 241 points on the season. An inability to protect the football, win on the road, or generate consistent quarterback play ultimately led to a quick, one-and-done exit for head coach Pete Carroll after the season finale.
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To fix the offensive structure, Las Vegas hired former Seahawks and Vikings offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak as head coach. He has shown a lot of success, and perhaps he can revamp an offense with a lot of talent at many positions. The front office then completely reshaped the quarterback room, making two massive moves: signing four-time Pro Bowler Kirk Cousins in free agency to a multi-year deal, and drafting top quarterback prospect Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL Draft. That did spell the end of time for Garner Minshew on the roster, but with Cousins and Mendoza, I doubt they will miss him.
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Offensively, the unit gains stability, or at least a veteran and professional presence with Cousins operating behind an upgraded interior offensive line. With All-Pro tight end Bowers serving as the centerpiece alongside Michael Mayer and wideout Tre Tucker, the offense possesses far more execution upside than last fall—all while Mendoza develops behind the scenes. That doesn’t mention that Ashton Jeanty could make a major impact now that he has a reliable quarterback under center.
Defensively, Crosby remains the focal point of the pass rush (even after he was traded and sent back in the offseason). He is now flanked by Kwity Paye up front and backed by an overhauled linebacking corps featuring Quay Walker and Nakobe Dean. If Taron Johnson and the secondary hold up against complex passing schemes, the unit should take a noticeable leap in efficiency.
If there is one thing you should count on this season, it is that the Raiders won’t be quite as bad as they were last season. Asking them to get to the playoffs is a bit of a stretch. They still have the Denver Broncos, Los Angeles Chargers and Kansas City Chiefs in their division. However, the pieces for progress are there.
Does that mean they get over the 5.5 wins this season? Hard to say. Cousins wasn’t very good in Atlanta, and they have a similar makeup to the Raiders. I do think Kubiak is a solid coach and should keep the ball moving. Mendoza is ready to take over if Cousins doesn’t succeed.
I’m banking on Jeanty to have a good year. He scored just five rushing touchdowns last season, but I think with a better quarterback and an offensive coordinator for a coach, he will get more looks. I think he scores over 7.5 rushing touchdowns. I also like his over 974.5 yards. You’re asking him to get exactly what he did last season with a worse team. The biggest concern with any of this is that the Raiders will be trailing frequently, but Kubiak may control the ball more, giving him more work.
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