In the span of about two months during the offseason, new Las Vegas Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak went from winning the Super Bowl to making the first pick of the NFL Draft. In other words, Kubiak went from being a part of the best team in the NFL to taking over the worst team in the league.
The Raiders are also entering year one of a rebuild after reconstructing the roster during the spring. As a result, not much is expected of the former Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator during his first
season as the head man in Las Vegas.
A good example of that comes from a recent season preview and predictions column from ESPN, where the Silver and Black were given just a five percent chance to make the playoffs. The article also gives Kubiak’s crew a 1.3 percent chance to win the competitive AFC West, a projected 5.7 wins with a “best-case scenario” of an 8-9 record and matching last year’s 3-14 mark as the worst case.
That begs the question: With such low expectations heading into the campaign, how do the Raiders measure success in 2026?
“[Fernando] Mendoza shows the signs of a franchise quarterback,” ESPN’s Ryan McFadden said in response to the question above. “The Raiders are a young team that requires patience, so it’s not worth placing postseason expectations on them. But whenever Las Vegas decides to start Mendoza, it will be important for him to show flashes that he can guide this offense for the foreseeable future. Given the team’s recent history at quarterback, having stability at the position is essential for turning the organization around.
Building on McFadden’s take, the youth movement in Las Vegas likely won’t yield immediate results in terms of the win/loss column. Instead, the organization’s biggest priority should be developing the young roster so that the team can grow together and become a legitimate and consistent contender in 2027 and beyond. Obviously, Mendoza is the biggest factor in that.
But that could mean taking some bumps and bruises during the upcoming season, which starts on Sunday against the Miami Dolphins.
In Other Raiders’ Links:
- More practice squad moves: The Raiders announced that they added defensive/nose tackle Tim Keenan III and tight end/fullback Patrick Gurd to the practice squad, releasing defensive/nose tackle Gary Smith III and safety Devin Lafayette in corresponding moves.
- Raiders land edge rusher in early mock draft: “The Las Vegas Raiders were this close to trading Maxx Crosby this offseason. With or without Crosby next year, the lineup could still use another pass-rush threat to improve the entire defensive front. Texas’ Colin Simmons is super-productive and difficult to handle working off the edge,” via Bleacher Report’s Scouting Department.
- What does Darrell Luter bring?: A film breakdown on what the Raiders’ waiver wire pickup can bring ot the table.
- Kick returner options: “During his collegiate career at Cincinnati, Tucker was a prolific Bearcats’ kickoff return man amassing 67 total returns for 1,670 yards and two touchdowns; season high in 2021 with 22 returns for 557 yards and a score,” via S&BP’s Ray Aspuria. “…[However,] in his three seasons in the league, Tucker’s career count reads: One kick return for 23 yards, and that lone statistical mark is from last season.”
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