The No. 1 pick doesn’t just define the Las Vegas Raiders’ draft — it can redefine the entire franchise. With quarterback uncertainty, an offensive line that cratered in 2025, and multiple key starters nearing free agency, Las Vegas enters the 2026 NFL Draft and free agency with a clear mandate: fix the foundation, then let the skill talent eat.
In this Raiders edition, we break down: the biggest roster holes, cap-related contract decisions, which positions should be prioritized in free agency vs. the draft, and the fantasy football ripple effects.
Salary cap contract information provided by Spotrac.
- Fantasy Football Research & Advice
- Fantasy Football Expert Rankings
- 2026 NFL Mock Drafts
- Fantasy Football Trade Tools
Pick 1: Las Vegas Raiders
2026 Free Agents:
- QB: Kenny Pickett
- RB: Raheem Mostert, Zamir White
- WR: Tyler Lockett, Alex Bachman
- TE: Ian Thomas
- OL: G Dylan Parham, RT Stone Forsythe, C Jordan Meredith (RFA), C Will Putnam (ERFA)
- EDGE: Malcolm Koonce, Charles Snowden (ERFA), Thomas Booker (RFA)
- DL: None
- LB: Elandon Roberts, Devin White, Jon Rhattigan
- CB: Eric Stokes, Darnay Holmes, Tristin McCollum (ERFA), Kyu Blu Kelly (ERFA)
- S: Lonnie Johnson, Jamal Adams, Terrell Edmunds
- ST: K Daniel Carlson, Jacob Bobenmoyer
2027 Free Agents:
- QB: Aidan O’Connell
- RB: Chris Collier (ERFA)
- WR: Tre Tucker, Phillip Dorsett, Shedrick Jackson (ERFA), Brenden Rice (ERFA)
- TE: Michael Mayer, Albert Okwuegbunam, Justin Shorter (RFA), Carter Runyon (ERFA)
- OL: G Alex Cappa, RT Joshua Miles, G Atonio Mafi (RFA), G McClendon Curtis (RFA), G Layden Robinson (ERFA), RT Dalton Wagner (ERFA)
- EDGE: Tyree Wilson (CLUB), Jahfari Harvey (ERFA)
- DL: Brodric Martin (RFA), Laki Tasi (ERFA), Treven Ma’ae (ERFA)
- LB: Jamin Davis
- CB: Chigozie Anusiem (RFA), Greedy Vance Jr. (ERFA)
- S: Jeremy Chinn, Isaiah Pola-Mao
- ST: Alex Ward (RFA)
Team Needs: QB, OL, EDGE, WR, CB, LB
No sugarcoating the Raiders’ two biggest needs: quarterback and offensive line. Those positions were dreadful for the Black Hole in 2025, and it’s exactly why they find themselves holding the No. 1 Overall pick.
Conventional thinking holds that Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza will be selected No. 1 overall by the Raiders in this year’s draft.
However, this doesn’t mean Geno Smith is completely gone for 2026. Could very much serve as a bridge QB in Las Vegas. New Raiders HC Klink Kubiak was initially drawn to Seattle because of Smith.
But before that even happens, Kubiak, second-year GM John Spytek, and partial owner Tom Brady need to devise a way to fix this offensive line.
Bringing Kubiak’s offensive system is already a big upgrade, given how well he has coached less-than-elite offensive lines over the last two seasons with the Saints and Seahawks.
I looked at this from a betting perspective before the season. Essentially, what was the correlation between preseason OL rankings and win totals? Long story short, analysts have done a decent job pinpointing bad offensive lines during the preseason… which has led to more underwhelming win totals.
Well, until this season, LOL. Seattle and New England were both inside the bottom 5. Seattle was bottom-5 for the third consecutive season….
Sure, the tackles stayed relatively healthy, and Grey Zabel was a great first-round draft pick. But I think Kubiak’s scheme played such a big role in the offensive line’s improvement to 15th overall (per PFF).
The interior was definitely its weakest part in Seattle, and it’s similar in Las Vegas.
I want to point out that it’s more about the interior offensive line needs than tackle, given the team already has OT Kolton Miller, who was just injured last season (limited to just four games).
Why is this so critical to call out? Per PFF, Miller was arguably the best left tackle in the league before his injury, as he earned an 89.5 PFF pass-blocking grade.
OG/center Jackson Powers-Johnson was also hurt last season (7 games).
Still, nobody will argue against another offensive tackle. Per PFF, the two starting tackles from last season ranked first and second in sacks allowed.
Just getting healthier across the offensive line will see this unit play dramatically better in 2026. Add Kubiak’s scheme, and we could really see Ashton Jeanty shine in Year 2. Brock Bowers might get the JSN treatment.
The run-blocking was terrible in 2025, ranking near the bottom of the NFL (30th-32nd) in win rate and yards per attempt. The line struggled to create space, resulting in rookie running back Ashton Jeanty being hit at or behind the line of scrimmage on nearly 50% of his carries during his rookie season.
OG Alex Kappa also figures to be a potential salary cap cut candidate, further bolstering the need for more blocking depth.
WR Tre Tucker is entering the last year of his contract, but it remains to be seen how this new coaching staff views him. Neither rookie WR, Jack Bech nor Dont’e Thornton, flashed enough to justify bringing back the same veteran wide receiver corps from 2025 with a rookie QB under center.
Can’t rule out free agent WR Rashid Shaheed following Kubiak to the desert.
And if the team does trade Maxx Crosby, they will definitely need to bring in some pass-rush juice with the draft-pick compensation (to go with the second-most salary cap space). Malcolm Koonce is also a free agent.
No.1 CB, Eric Stokes, is also an impending free agent.
An interesting coaching note: the Raiders’ current RB coach is Deland McCullough, who spent 2022-2024 in the same position at Notre Dame. Not to say that Jeremiyah Love will be taken first overall…but don’t completely rule out an Ashton Jeanty/Jadarian Price tandem in LV (although I am already preparing my pitchfork).
Might shed some light on some LV-ND player connections throughout the draft process. Fighting Irish to monitor include OG Billy Schrauth, TE Eli Raridon, and OT Aamil Wagner.
The Chiefs also requested to interview McCullough – he was the former RB coach for KC from 2018-2020. Perhaps KC is showing its interest in these Notre Dame RBs. I’m sure we can all stay level-headed when the Chiefs select Love 9th overall.
Subscribe: YouTube | Spotify | Apple Podcasts | iHeart | Castbox | Amazon Music | Podcast Addict | TuneIn
