The Las Vegas Raiders need to fill holes in just about every position group, but this one has a franchise cornerstone already.
The Las Vegas Raiders have three franchise cornerstone players currently on the roster in All-Pro tight end Brock Bowers, All-Pro edge rusher Maxx Crosby and highly-touted running back Ashton Jeanty, though Crosby could be on his way out before the 2026 season begins.
Projected No. 1 pick in the 2026 National Football League draft, Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza, will join that list of cornerstone players soon enough. But besides those players, the Raiders have a lot of work to do before their roster will contend for the playoffs.
Building the franchise from the ground up, which should mean beefing up the offensive line first and foremost, should be the top priority this offseason but that position group won’t be the only one that gets addressed.
Las Vegas has tons of salary cap space to use in free agency, nearly $90 million, and some of it will be used towards addressing the defense but also other offensive positions. Even a position that you probably don’t think they must address.
According to ESPN’s Ryan McFadden, new head coach Klint Kubiak wants to add another running back and fullback to join the offense and mimic what he had with the Seattle Seahawks.
“But anticipate the Raiders creating a strong support system for Mendoza to have some form of success in Year 1,” McFadden wrote Wednesday.
“Kubiak wants to bring in another running back and a fullback. If he can replicate the two-running-back system he had in Seattle with Kenneth Walker III and Zach Charbonnet, that would make things easier for whoever is under center. It would also be wise for the Raiders to add a top wide receiver who can take the pressure off tight end Brock Bowers”
Every team has multiple running backs on the roster and use at least two throughout any given game, but a lot of teams are having success having two starting-caliber RBs to swap in and out. The Seahawks just won the Super Bowl, and while Charbonnet was injured in the divisional round and didn’t play the rest of the postseason, switching between the two in the regular season was a recipe for success.
It’s a great way to ensure both guys stay fresh, and lots of teams that were successful in 2025 used this methodology. The Chicago Bears were one of the best rushing teams in the NFL – D’Andre Swift had 223 carries and Kyle Monangai had 169. The Detroit Lions had Sonic and Knuckles (Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery), with both surpassing 150 carries. The top rushing teams carry two starters.
Jeanty was expected to be great in his first season with the Raiders, but the league’s worst offensive line didn’t help his cause. Still, he showed flashes of excellence and will be better next season, especially if the team adds another RB to keep him fresh.
Who the Raiders will target in free agency is a mystery, but there’s a lot of formidable options, including Walker. Expect the Raiders to build the offense and drastically improve on their NFL-worst 14.2 points per game in 2026.