A former first-round talent could significantly bolster the Raiders' offensive line, providing crucial protection and run-blocking in their new system.
The Las Vegas Raiders are entering the offseason with Klint Kubiak as the new coach.
And, for Las Vegas, the biggest question will be what to do with star pass rusher Maxx Crosby. Do the Raiders trade Crosby and get some assets? Or do the two sides work something out to keep him happy in Las Vegas for the foreseeable future?
Meanwhile, it figures to be a foregone conclusion that the Raiders will select Indiana Hoosiers quarterback Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Mendoza just won the Heisman Trophy and led Indiana to an undefeated national title season, and he is far and away the best QB in what is a very weak class after his name gets called.
With free agency right around the corner, Matt Bowen of ESPN named the best fits for 50 of the top free agents, and the Raiders were included a few times.
One mention was about Green Bay Packers wide receiver Romeo Doubs, and giving Mendoza a true WR1 would be a smart move for Las Vegas.
Bowen also named Los Angeles Chargers OL Zion Johnson as a fit for Vegas, and here's what Bowen wrote about the Johnson-Raiders link.
"The Raiders can upgrade their offensive line with Johnson. He'd play the left guard spot in Klint Kubiak's system, using his mobility in the zone run game. Plus, Johnson's youth and durability fit the rebuild in Las Vegas. He is just entering his prime playing years, with a 90.7% pass block win rate over his four-year career with the Chargers."
Johnson, 26, was selected with the No. 17 overall pick by the Chargers in the 2022 NFl Draft. He played college football at Boston College, and he has shown plenty of promise during his career in the NFL thus far.
Some have been hesitant with Johnson's up-and-down play, but injuries to the OL in LA certainly didn't help that matter.
Still, some numbers jumped off the charts for Johnson in 2025.
According to Spotrac's projected market value, they gave Johnson a three-year deal worth just over $33 million a year.
So, just $11 million for a player who has appeared in 66 regular-season games in four years with 65 starts is not a bad deal.
Las Vegas needs to protect Mendoza (assuming he is the pick at QB), and adding Johnson on a relatively cheap deal in free agency could be a starting point in that regard, not to mention giving running back Ashton Jeanty more blocking.
Kubiak's scheme in Las Vegas will be interesting to watch compared to the Chip Kelly one that started last season, but Johnson makes sense here for plenty of reasons.