The Las Vegas Raiders must fix the trenches, specifically the offensive line, to maximize the potential of their star players.
One day after the Super Bowl, teams are already setting their sights on the 2026 season and it’s no different for the 3-14 Las Vegas Raiders.
Las Vegas’ next head coach, Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator and Super Bowl 60 champion Klint Kubiak, is going to enjoy his victory but will quickly get back to work to conduct his search for an OC among other things.
Part of the work that must be done is figuring out how the franchise is going to operate during free agency and the 2026 National Football League Draft. Besides drafting Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 overall pick, how the Raiders navigate the rest of the offseason is extremely important for the future of this franchise.
There is talent with tons of upside already on the roster, but the offensive line is lacking tremendously besides standout left tackle Kolton Miller. “Fixing the trenches” were the three words ESPN’s Ryan McFadden used to describe how the Raiders need to approach the offseason.
“But if the Raiders want to maximize the potential of Kubiak, running back Ashton Jeanty, tight end Brock Bowers and projected No. 1 pick quarterback Fernando Mendoza, they will need to improve the offensive line,” McFadden wrote Sunday.
“Defensively, Las Vegas will need to bring in reinforcements up front to improve its pass rush. Outside of defensive end Maxx Crosby, the Raiders struggled to provide consistent pressure on the quarterback. Expect them to invest heavily in the trenches this offseason.”
The Raiders have the second-most cap space in the NFL, with over $91.5 million available to spend in free agency. While the organization doesn’t want to jump the gun and speed up the rebuild like they tried last season (you know how that ended), this year’s free agency is a massive opportunity to lay some groundwork for the future on top of who the team selects in the draft.
If the Raiders decide to trade Crosby, who allegedly told Minority Owner Tom Brady he will never play for the team again, the franchise will get an abundance of draft picks in return. That’s a huge opportunity to maximize the value of your best player who is disgruntled and wants to play for a winner.
Las Vegas can strategically use multiple draft picks they would get for Crosby on offensive linemen to beef up the trenches and protect the incoming QB. While adding one of the league’s top offensive minds in Kubiak to the potential tandem of playmakers in Mendoza, Jeanty and Bowers is a fantastic start to rebuilding the lowest scoring offense, the offensive line is what dictates just how well that unit will do this season and in the future.