The Las Vegas Raiders don’t usually fare well in lists and ratings dealing with NFL teams, but there is at least one significant exception. John Kosko of Pro Football Focus recently did a piece on NFL free agency listing the five teams that are best set up for the future, and the Raiders are one of them.
It’s not all that surprising when you give it a little thought, actually. As Kosko points out, the fact that the Raiders have the overall first pick in the 2026 draft puts them on this list, especially given that the first round is essentially a one-quarterback draft now that Oregon quarterback Dante Moore has elected to forego the draft and stay in school.
But there’s more to it than that. The Raiders also have the second-most cap space in the NFL available, according to Kosko, so there’s money to spend, although this isn’t likely to be a quick rebuild. Having that kind of money available doesn’t guarantee results, as one of the other teams on this list is the ever-forlorn New York Jets.
So how should the Raiders navigate this process? PFF rates Indiana Hoosiers quarterback Fernando Mendoza as a “solid NFL starter,” which isn’t ideal, but the decision to select him or trade back for more draft capital rests with new coach Klint Kubiak, who will doubtless do a more thorough evaluation after the Super Bowl. Kubiak is the Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator who got quarterback Sam Darnold to the Super Bowl, and that’s one of the biggest reasons why the Raiders hired him.
Assuming Kubiak wants to draft Mendoza, the next step would be to rebuild the offensive line. The Raiders couldn’t protect quarterback Geno Smith or run effectively despite the presence of running back Ashton Jeanty, who was the number six pick in the draft, so it makes no sense to play Mendoza behind a line that bears even a slight resemblance to last season’s unit.
The big question after that is what the Raiders think of current left tackle Kolton Miller, who went out early in the season with a high ankle sprain that was later diagnosed as a slight fracture. Miller was reliable enough when he played, and he’s the linchpin to revamping the line.
It’s fair to say the Raiders will also draft at least one or two offensive lineman, and if they decide Miller’s their guy, signing a free agent to complement him on the offensive line. There are other issues to be addressed among the receivers, but one advantage Las Vegas does have is that they’re ideally positioned to build out an offense around two tight-end sets given the presence of Brock Bowers and Mike Mayer.