Las Vegas Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak is in the process of establishing a culture in his first year at the helm. That comes with a standard he wants everyone to meet — he made it clear Saturday that there are no exceptions.
"We have very clear expectations on how we want to practice and how we want to go about our business, and we violated that yesterday," Kubiak told reporters, according to ESPN's Ryan McFadden.
Because of the scuffle Kirk Cousins and Maxx Crosby got intto on Friday, the team's first-string quarterback and star pass rusher were both held out of practice on Saturday.
Kubiak said they will participate again on Monday, per McFadden.
This story is being updated.

#kubiak #want #klint

HENDERSON, Nev. (AP) — As the Raiders prepare for their season, the vast majority of media and fan focus remains on quarterback Fernando Mendoza.
While Mendoza has put together stretches in training camp that showed why Las Vegas took him first in the NFL draft, he isn't the only rookie of note.
Other first-year pros are showing they could make significant contributions to a franchise that is looking for a spark after winning seven games over the past two seasons.
"That's part of the plan that coach (Klint Kubiak) put in place," ******* istant head coach Mike McCoy said. "As you see, everybody's getting reps right now through the first two weeks of practice that we're getting into and just give everyone an opportunity to show what they can do."
Here are four rookies worth monitoring:

#raiders

The pads are clacking as we're in the thick of Las Vegas Raiders training camp. Now that the "underwear Olympics"—as head coach Klint Kubiak referred to the first week of practice—are over, the Raiders' position battles are starting to heat up like the Las Vegas weather. Also, we're officially a week away from the Raiders' first preseason game against the Arizona Cardinals! That gives us plenty to go over for this week's mailbag.
As a reminder, I'm not at practice, so I don't have much to offer in regard to the "How does X player look?" types of questions outside of what's been reported publicly.
As always, anything Raiders-related is on the table and fire away with anything that's on your mind. Send your questions my way by either dropping a comment in the comments section below, tweeting at me (MHolder95) or via email at SBPQuestions1gmail.com. I'll follow up with another column in the coming days.
If you don't have a commenting account already, you'll need to create one but the steps are pretty easy and it's a seamless process. Also, we have full-time moderators to enforce the Community Guidelines.

#vegas #we 're #first #away

Maxx Crosby's future with the Las Vegas Raiders is still up in the air as talk of a trade to the Chicago Bears has once again been mooted.
It has been an offseason like no other for Crosby, who did look set to join the Baltimore Ravens before failing his medical in Maryland.
The 28-year-old has since returned to Vegas and is gearing up to start the season under new head coach Klint Kubiak.
There is a lot of uncertainty in Vegas given just how much has changed since their final game of the 2025 season.
NFL insider Adam Schefter has mooted a potential move for Crosby if the Raiders do not make an encouraging start to the season prior to the trade deadline.

#vegas #raiders #mooted #since

Fourth-down aggression has gotten more common in the NFL among offensive playcallers in recent seasons.
Still, some playcallers are more aggressive than others. It appears new Las Vegas Raiders head coach and offensive playcaller Klint Kubiak has been among the least aggresssie play callers on fourth down in recent years.
Pro Football focus conducted a study of the most and the least aggressive teams on fourth down spanning the 2021-25 NFL seasons. The Seattle Seahawks and San Francisco 49ers went for it on fourth down the least amount of times in that time period. Also, the New Orleans Saints had the second fewest fourth-down conversions in that time span.
Kubiak was with those three teams in the past three seasons. So, these stats are not all on Kubiak, but he is part of a trend. It's not necessarily good or bad if a playcaller is overly aggressive or not. But it will be interesting to see Kubiak's approach on fourth down as a head coach
In other Raiders' links:

#least #offensive

The Las Vegas Raiders did much to improve their roster this offseason. While the Raiders are still a developing team, they addressed areas of need well in preparation for next season.
Sports Illustrated's Eva Geitheim labeled the Raiders as the most improved team of the offseason due to the range of improvements that the team made dating back to last winter.
"The Raiders entered the offseason with more cap ***** e than any other team, and proceeded to use that money wisely by retooling their roster with the additions of Tyler Linderbaum, Quay Walker, Nakobe Dean, Kwity Paye and Jalen Nailor in free agency. Not only did the Raiders turn to the open market to bolster the roster, they changed the coaching staff—highlighted by the addition of Klint Kubiak, fresh off a Super Bowl win as the Seahawks' offensive coordinator—and used the No. 1 pick on Heisman Trophy–winning quarterback Fernando Mendoza."
Other teams around the league, including the Tennessee ***** ans, Cincinnati Bengals and Minnesota Vikings improved their rosters greatly this offseason as well. To the credit of the Raiders though, they made a multitude of moves that gave them the veteran and youthful talent that they need on the offensive line, at quarterback, running back and on defense for next season.
This article originally appeared on Raiders Wire: Are the Raiders the most improved team of the offseason?

#team #need #well #made

The Las Vegas Raiders have made one of the biggest decisions of training camp, and for now, they're putting their trust in NFL experience over potential.
According to NFL insider Ian Rapoport, first-year head coach Klint Kubiak has named veteran Kirk Cousins as the team's starting quarterback ahead of their opening practice at training camp. While the decision isn't necessarily permanent, it signals that the Raiders believe Cousins gives them the best opportunity to win right now, even with one of the league's most highly anticipated rookies waiting in the wings.
MORE: Vikings to honor legend during 2026 NFL season
Jun 9, 2026; Henderson, NV, USA; Las Vegas Raiders quarteback Kirk Cousins (8) during minicamp at Intermountain Health Performance Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Kubiak made his stance clear about the quarterback competition. "When we go out to practice tomorrow, Kirk Cousins is the starting quarterback. He's the guy, and he deserves it because he's played really good football."

#made

The Ravens infamously backed out of their trade for Maxx Crosby due to concerns about a degenerative issue in the edge rusher's knee.
Crosby, who underwent surgery to repair his torn meniscus in January, did not participate much during Las Vegas' offseason.
But after saying he felt he was "almost there" during minicamp, he is all set to practice as the Raiders begin training camp.
"He's going to get all the reps tomorrow with the ones," head coach Klint Kubiak said in his Tuesday press conference. "He's ready to go. He's ready to practice.
"As practice unfolds and we're watching our players, it's always a moving target. But, as of right now, tomorrow's a pretty short workday — an hour and 30 minutes. So, we're expecting him to be ready to take all those reps."

#crosby #we 're #Ravens #vegas

Fernando Mendoza was the No. 1 pick in April's NFL Draft. But he'll have to earn a starting job with the Las Vegas Raiders.
Head coach Klint Kubiak confirmed to reporters Tuesday that veteran Kirk Cousins will start training camp as the Raiders' starting quarterback. Kubiak made his comments at a news conference a day before the start of training camp.
"When we go out to practice tomorrow, Kirk Cousins the starting quarterback. He's the guy," Kubiak said. "He's gonna get a ton of reps. He deserves it. He's played really good football.
"I want Fernando and I want Aidan [O'Connell] to push him."
Kubiak added that "it's important for me to be fair to the players and put the best player out there."

#raiders #start

The Las Vegas Raiders are set to start training camp within the next month, and as they gear up for an interesting 2026 season, a few players and/or position groups can really make or break the season. The Raiders added a plethora of talent over the last off-season, with the Raiders likely to only return starters at left & right tackle, tight end, runningback, and one wide receiver on offense. Defensively, they likely return 3 starers on the defensive line, one at safety, one at corner, and none at linebacker. Needless, to say the Raiders are turning over the roster with talent, and for a roster that has been void of young talent in previous years, that was crucial. Additionally, they see three or four of their special teams playmakers likely change hands with Daniel Carlson and Jacob Bobenmoyer out, while new kick and punt returners should take the helm as well.
I already broke down the defense, and that article may be live when you are reading this, and if not it will be soon. I've also already broke down the offense.
The Raiders parted ways with Daniel Carlson after 8 seasons, and Carlson saw his FG rate fall steadily since 2020 going from 94.3% to 81.5% in 2025. Additionally, his abilities to hit from 50+ also fell down the board competing just 5 of 8 in 2025 after 8 of 11 in 2024, and 11 of 13 in 2022. The Raiders bring in two options, with veteran Matt Gay looking to rebound his career under DeCamillis, and rookie Kansei Matsuzawa dubbed the "Tokyo Toe, and Special-K". Gay converted 17 of his 23 attempts (74%) in 2025 though he was 4/4 in 2 games with the 49ers. He's struggled to regain his form from 2021-2022 where he 2as a Pro Bowler converting 60/64 field goals including 12/14 from 50+. Those two seasons came under new Raiders special teams coordinator, Joe DeCamillis.

As for Matsuzawa, the 2025 consensus All-American went 39/45 in his Hawaii career and another 72/72 on his PAT's. Matsuzawa is relatively new to kicking, having only done so for 5 years now, and he's not been tested from 50+ routinely which will be a big test in the NFL. Matsuzawa has the leg, and he's shown elite accuracy, but also kicking in the NFL comes with it's own challenges. The Raiders have seen their ability, and confidence, to hit field goals dip the last two seasons which has impacted not just their scores, record, but also playcalling. Las Vegas needs to be consistent at kicker to help ease pressure on the offense, and open up Klint Kubiak's playbook.
Dareke Young comes to Las Vegas following Klint Kubiak, and there's a plethora of jobs for him to take on in Las Vegas. The 6'2, 230 receiver has just 72 receiving yards in his career, but he may have a chance to take the "X" role for Klint Kubiak if he can stay consistent which has a chance to lead to 400-600 yards. Additionally, Young's best impact comes on special teams. He's been a proven gunner with a career 24 tackles and 3 FF including 2 FR, and 4 tackles in the playoffs. Young can provide as a kick

The 2026 NFL season kicks off a new era for the Las Vegas Raiders, with Klint Kubiak entering his first season as head coach and No.1 pick of the draft Fernando Mendoza set to take over as the face of the franchise. However, this is also the first year of the Raiders' rebuild, hence why our friends at FanDuel Sportsbook have Las Vegas' win total set at 5.5 and longshots to win Super Bowl LXI (+12500).
With that in mind, below is a look at the Raiders' 2026 schedule, and each score will be updated weekly as the games progress throughout the season. All times below are in PST.
Week 1: vs. Arizona Cardinals (Thurs., Aug. 13, 5:00 p.m.) on FOX
Week 2: @ Houston Texans (Thurs., Aug. 20, 5:00 p.m.) on ESPN
Week 3: vs. San Francisco 49ers (Thurs., Aug. 27, 5:00 p.m.) on FOX

#week

The Denver Broncos ended the Kansas City Chiefs' nine-year reign atop the AFC West in 2025. Can Sean Payton and the Broncos repeat?
Quarterback Bo Nix is coming off ankle surgery but he's optimistic his surgically repaired ankle won't hinder him this year. Helping matters is Denver's splash trade for speedy wide receiver Jaylen Waddle.
The Chiefs endured a nightmare season, but three-time Super Bowl champion Patrick Mahomes is confident he'll be ready to roll in Week 1 following a season-ending knee injury in 2025. The Chiefs signed Super Bowl 60 MVP Kenneth Walker III but also lost starting cornerbacks Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson this offseason.
The Chargers earned playoff berths in each of the past two seasons. Los Angeles hired the innovative Mike McDaniel as offensive coordinator to spark its offense.
In Las Vegas, the Raiders made plenty of changes, headlined by 2026 No. 1 overall pick, quarterback Fernando Mendoza and head coach Klint Kubiak. But they still face an uphill battle in arguably the best division in football.

#chiefs #Broncos #year #season

The Arizona Cardinals have 14 different opponents in 2026, and they will face the world champion Seattle Seahawks, one of their NFC West rivals, twice. They take them on in Week 2 and again in Week 9.
In a new episode of the podcast, continuing with the opponent preview series, Seahawks Wire lead writer Kole Musgrove joins me to discuss the Seahawks' Super Bowl run, their offseason and expectations for 2026.
We talked about quarterback Sam Darnold, the loss of offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak, free agency, the draft and expectations for 2026.
(1:00) The Seahawks' 2025 season and Super Bowl run
(15:07) The loss of Klint Kubiak, free agent moves, 2026 draft class

#super #bowl

HENDERSON, Nev. — There'll be no holdouts among the rookies at the Las Vegas Raiders' training camp. Which means fewer distractions for first-year head coach Klint Kubiak.

Quarterback Fernando Mendoza put his signature to a four-year deal worth a reported $57.27 million and is fully guaranteed. He reported to the Intermountain Health Performance Center Thursday with the rest of the 10 rookies, all of who are signed.

Mendoza is receiving a signing bonus of $38.1 million so he can now concentrate on football, which has been his mantra since the Raiders took him No. 1 overall in late April.

"I'm so excited to be part of the family. Can't wait to get to work," Mendoza, who led Indiana to the national championship earlier this year, said on the Raiders' X account Thursday. "Appreciate your guys' all support. Let's get this thing rolling!"

And while Kirk Cousins is the favorite to be the Raiders' starter on Sept. 13 vs. Miami at Allegiant Stadium, it was important for Mendoza to not miss any time. He may be highly intelligent, but it's a big learning curve from college football to the NFL, something he has acknowledged on more than one occasion.

There is a team option fifth year in the contract so No. 15 is going to be around Las Vegas for a while. The plan is not to rush his development, let him learn and progress at a pace both he and the coaching staff are comfortable with and be ready to stay the starter once they make him the No. 1 QB.

The veterans report next Tuesday and the first day of overall camp is Wednesday. But there were images on the Raiders' social media of some of the veterans showing up at the team's facility in Henderson, including Maxx Crosby and Jackson Powers-Johnson.

For the next few days, it'll be Mendoza and his fellow rookies who will be the center of attention as they acclimate themselves to NFL life and Kubiak and his staff get a feel for what they have to work with.

#rookies #vegas #thursday #camp

The day began with six unsigned rookie draft picks with two of them belonging to the Las Vegas Raiders.
Now, though, on the eve of he team's rookie reporting date for training camp, the team is down to one unsigned rookie as ESPN has reported cornerback Jermod McCoy plans to sign his rookie deal Wednesday. He was a fourth-round pick from Tennessee.
That means the Raiders lone unsigned rookie is first-round pick (and No. 1 overall choice) quarterback Fernando Mendoza. The only first-round draft picks who are unsigned are Mendoza and fellow quarterback Ty Simpson, who was the No. 13 overall pick by the Los Angeles Rams. They were the only two quarterbacks taken in the first round.
There has been media speculation that both players are unsigned because of details with secondary contract language such as guarantee payout scheduling, offset language and voiding rules. Expect the Raiders to try to get Mendoza inked by Thursday's reporting time. The full squad begins training camp practices July 29.
With McCoy signing, the question becomes will be be ready to practice next week. He was considered a first-round talent but his stock fell because of injury concerns. Raiders' head coach Klint Kubiak said last month he expects McCoy to practice in training camp without going into a specific plan.

#training

Ashton Jeanty has an up-and-down rookie season as a rusher for various reasons after the Las Vegas Raiders made the running back the No 6 overall pick in the 2025 draft.
However, the Boise State product did make a major impact as a receiver out of the backfield. A recent X post by NFL Researcher showed Jeanty was one of the most productive receiving running backs in the entire NFL last season.
Jeanty had 55 catches (on 73 targets) and five touchdowns. His 55 catches was the sevetnh most by a running back in the league. Jeanty should be able to build on that start as a receiver under new Raiders' head coach Klint Kubiak.
In other Raiders' news:
Remaining needs: NFL.com has the best remaining need for all AFC teams as we head into training camps around the league.

#league #head

Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Kirk Cousins will need to produce under center in 2026. Fernando Mendoza's presence in Las Vegas takes some pressure off of Cousins for next season, though in the event that the latter is named the starting QB, he will still carry major expectations on the year.
According to CBS Sports' Zachary Pereles, Cousins is one of four quarterbacks who face defining seasons in 2026 with their respective new teams.
Before the injury, Cousins was somewhat like Sam Darnold, whom Klint Kubiak really did well with last year. Can he still be somewhat similar to that, even if a step down? … They'll (the Raiders) hope Tyler Linderbaum helps elevate the unit as a whole, but Cousins behind an iffy line is a scary proposition. Expect a heavy dose of Bowers. Cousins found a good connection with Pitts last year; he'll feed his standout tight end.
Cousins is looking to bounce back from injuries that slowed him down for the last two years. The Raiders have an improved roster for next season, particularly on offense, with an upgraded offensive line and more depth in the backfield. The 37-year-old Cousins is expected to orchestrate that unit and be a mentor to Mendoza regardless of who gets the start in Week 1.
With the different ways that Cousins will be looked at to make an impact on the team in 2026 and set the tone for the franchise, he approaches a year that carries major implications for himself and the Raiders.

Las Vegas Raiders running back Ashton Jeanty didn't exactly have the numbers that many expected from the No. 6 overall pick last season. Following a tough rookie year behind a poor offensive line, Jeanty has been one of the most popular candidates to have a breakout season in 2026, and those sentiments have not cooled down this summer.
NFL.com's Bucky Brooks named Jeanty to his All-Breakout team for the upcoming season, highlighting a more favorable situation in Las Vegas as a potential catalyst for his expected surge.
After suffering through a frustrating rookie campaign that saw him fall short of 1,000 ground yards while averaging just 3.7 a pop, Jeanty could make a serious run at the 2026 rushing ****** le with new Raiders coach Klint Kubiak implementing a zone-based running game that will showcase the second-year pro's balance, body control and burst on the edges.
Jeanty will benefit from playing in a Raiders offense with more talent. Rushes up the middle will be made easier for him with star center Tyler Linderbaum in town. Two-tight end blocking formations will also create more holes for Jeanty to exploit next season. He is also expected to be productive in the passing game, which will add to his body of work in the upcoming year.
Given the fact that he bore one of the heftiest workloads in the NFL last season as a rookie, an increase in his yards per carry alone figures to take him over the top into having a 1,000-yard rushing season in 2026, up from the 975 that he recorded in 2025,. With Kubiak’s West Coast offense in place, Jeanty appears poised to up his level of play considerably in 2026 and have a true breakout year.

The Las Vegas Raiders' passing offense ranked 28th in the league last season, averaging 167.7 yards per game. It was a collective issue on offense, with the quarterbacks and offensive line also deserving blame for the lack of success. There's no denying that the wide receivers need to be better in 2026 though.
The Raiders made one splash in free agency at wide receiver. Elsewhere, they're relying on head coach Klint Kubiak and new quarterbacks Fernando Mendoza and Kirk Cousins to drastically improve the aerial attack. Taking everything into consideration, we've ranked the Raiders' projected top five wide receivers from best to worst.
Tre Tucker led all Raiders pass catchers in receiving last year with 696 yards and five touchdowns. The former Cincinnati wideout is a speedster who possesses even more potential in Coach Kubiak's offensive scheme. Tucker should continue being a reliable outlet for the Raiders' quarterbacks while possibly taking his game to new heights in Kubiak's system.
The Raiders signed Jalen Nailor in free agency to a multi-year contract worth more than $11 million per season despite him never topping 444 yards in a single season throughout his four-year rookie deal. The belief is that getting Nailor away from the Minnesota Vikings, who have Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison at the position, will make him significantly more productive. He'll likely see a career-high amount of targets in 2026, and possesses the athletic traits needed to take advantage of his opportunities.
Sophomore Jack Bech needs to be significantly better after producing just 20 catches for 224 yards and zero touchdowns as a rookie. The production did not meet the investment of a top-60 pick. Bech will possess every opportunity to be the starting slot receiver, so expectations are far higher.

The Seattle Seahawks' offensive line showcased terrific growth in 2025. That improvement was a massive reason why the Seahawks won Super Bowl 60. Heading into the 2026 NFL season, we've ranked all four offensive lines in the NFC West division from best to worst.
The Seahawks' offensive line was a legitimate ***** et last season and they return all five starters in 2026. Position coach John Benton was also retained despite offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak leaving for the Las Vegas Raiders. From left to right, Charles Cross, Grey Zabel, Jalen Sundell, Anthony Bradford and Abe Lucas should form a formidable starting five once again.
Future Hall of Fame left tackle Trent Williams returns to the San Francisco 49ers after an offseason contract dispute. Dominick Puni has already signed a lucrative extension and the 49ers have an answer at right tackle in Colton McKivitz. This is a well-balanced unit for Brock Purdy and Christian McCaffrey.
The Los Angeles Rams have two high-quality guards in Steve Avila and Kevin Dotson. Both tackle spots are questionable (Alaric Jackson, Warren McClendon Jr.). The Rams are a complete roster, but the offensive line has some question marks.
Paris Johnson Jr. has developed into a franchise left tackle for the Arizona Cardinals. They also just drafted starting right guard Chase Bisontis with an early second-round pick. The Cardinals are getting better on the offensive line, but they are still a rebuilding unit.

One of the major question marks that the Las Vegas Raiders have as training camp approaches is the quarterback position. Will head coach Klint Kubiak go with the veteran Kirk Cousins or hand the keys to the offense over to the No. 1 overall pick, Fernando Mendoza?
Should the Silver and Black go with Cousins, it would allow Mendoza to learn from the sidelines, and the Raiders can ease him into life as a professional rather than tossing him into the fire.
The decision will be made soon, and former Raiders running back Marcus Allen shared his thoughts on the situation and what the organization should do with their young signal-caller.
“I don’t have any idea what their plan is,” Allen said during a July 10 appearance on NFL Network. “I’ve heard that he may sit and watch, and I’ve also heard that he’s doing well and there’s a chance he may play. We’ll have to find out. Personally, I don’t mind younger players sitting, watching and learning.”
Last season for the Indiana Hoosiers, Mendoza played 724 total snaps, leading to an 87.9 overall PFF grade.

It wasn't Tom Brady.
Radio host Zach Gelb followed up directly with Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald after Friday's Dan Patrick Show interview and asked him to clarify who the unnamed person with a "conflict of interest" was — the one who Macdonald said had helped the Seahawks before Super Bowl LX but whose identity he couldn't publicly disclose.
"Mike told me it wasn't Brady that he was talking about in the interview," Gelb wrote.
As we covered Friday, Macdonald's cryptic comments on The Dan Patrick Show — "Probably can't mention one guy that really helped us out that had some conflict of interest" — set off a wave of speculation pointing directly at Brady. When Patrick guessed Bill Belichick, Macdonald quickly denied it. Brady filled in the blank for almost everyone who heard the exchange, given his pre-Super Bowl neutrality claims that had already irritated former Patriots teammates, his Fox broadcasting role, and the timing of his hiring of Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak as the Raiders' head coach — all of which made him a logical fit for the "conflict of interest" description.
Macdonald's denial to Gelb clears Brady but raises an obvious follow-up: who was it? The "conflict of interest" framing still points to someone with competing loyalties heading into the Super Bowl, whether it be a network broadcaster, a former coach, or someone with deep ties to the Patriots organization. Given the conflict-of-interest accusations that have followed Brady throughout his tenure at Fox, he seemed like the obvious answer. But Macdonald hasn't elaborated, and the identity of the unnamed advisor remains unknown.

The Utah Men’s State Amateur is usually dominated by collegiate golfers. After Thursday’s two rounds of matches, seven collegians have advanced to Friday’s quarterfinals.
It was almost an all-collegiate golfer quarterfinal until Cameron Crawford came from behind to defeat BYU golfer Angus Klintworth on the 19th hole of their match. Crawford played college golf 16 years ago for Dixie State College and is the “old man” of the bunch at age 38.
Leading the way Thursday was defending champion and Arizona State golfer Bowen Mauss, who swept past Brock Sivulich 6 and 5 in the morning round before defeating Aidan Thain 3 and 2 in the afternoon.
He’ll face Layton’s David Liechty, who is transferring from Utah Tech to BYU for the coming season.
Liechty burst onto the local scene three years ago when he made it to the State Am finals. He showed his match play skills again last year when he made it to the semifinals and also qualified for match play at the U.S. Amateur.

Yes, AJ Cole is a sublime punting talent and he's fun to watch.
But we need to see him play less this season. The average number of punts in an NFL game is down acr0ss the league. But not in Las Vegas.
A recent post on X by NFL ******* yst (and former Raiders' employee) Ryan Paganetti shows that the average number of punts per team is way down. The league average in 2025 was 3.58 punts per game.
The Raiders among the league leaders with a 4.29 per game punting average. One of the reasons why Klint Kubiak was hired as the Raiders' head coach was his Seattle Seahawks were a powerhouse. He was the offensive coordinator of the Super Bowl-winning team. Seattle averaged well below the league average at just 3.0 punts a game.
Of course, aggression on fourth down will play a role as well. Let's see how Kubiak handles that as well.

The performance of the offensive line this coming season will dictate much off the success (or lack thereof) the Las Vegas Raiders have in Klint Kubiak's initial season as an NFL head coach.
It's a starting five where the other skill positions on Kubiak's offense relies on them being quality and getting the job done. During the miserable 2025 campaign, the group was lackluster — and that's putting it nicely. And I don't believe I'm going out on a limb when I say: Kubiak's choice of offensive line boss, Rick Dennison, should be a head-and-shoulders better coach than the one who coached the trenches last season.
With over 30 years of experience — included 10 specifically coaching an offensive line or coordinating a run game — Dennison has the task of getting the Silver & Black offensive line back on track. And this includes identifying the starting guards.
Which brings me to another point, that won't be controversial: The arrival of free-agent prize Tyler Linderbaum locks up the center position, meaning the ambiguity at the pivot is crystal clear, now. There shouldn't be any puzzling competition between Jordan Meredith and Jackson Powers-Johnson. Linderbaum is the pivot leaving both Meredith and Powers-Johnson competing for snaps at left and right guard and, perhaps, backup center.
But let's focus on Powers-Johnson — the Raiders second-round pick (44th overall) in the 2024 NFL Draft. The 6-foot-3 and 325-pound Oregon product is listed as a center/guard on the team's official website, but I highly doubt he is or will push Linderbaum from the starting center gig. Thus, one of the guard spots is Powers-Johnson's route to be in the starting lineup.

Other NFL team previews: 32. Dolphins | 31. Jets | 30. Cardinals | 29. Browns | 28. ***** ans | 27. Raiders
This was the Las Vegas Raiders' plan a year ago: A team with no realistic chance of getting out of last place in the AFC West hired the oldest coach in NFL history and traded a valuable third-round draft pick for a middle-of-the-road quarterback about to turn 35 years old.
In retrospect, it was bizarre but also on-brand for the Raiders. Since the Raiders made the Super Bowl at the end of the 2002 season, they have employed 15 head coaches, including interims and new coach Klint Kubiak, they've had 15 double-digit-loss seasons, and they've made only two playoff appearances, with zero wins. They haven't won a division ***** le in that time but have finished in last place in the division nine times. Investing in Pete Carroll and Geno Smith made no sense, but it has been decades since the Raiders made sense.
That's what made this offseason a nice surprise: The Raiders operated like a competent NFL team.
Carroll didn't work out, and he was replaced by Kubiak, the type of young, respected offensive mind that a team in the gutter should take a shot on. The roster was upgraded with a lot of big contracts, but nothing that should turn out to be a long-term hindrance or an embarrassment on the level of some other Raiders free-agent additions (Christian Wilkins, anyone?). The Raiders' trade/non-trade of Maxx Crosby was a messy affair, but everyone blamed the Ravens for it falling apart, and Las Vegas ended the ordeal by retaining Crosby, one of the best players in football.

Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator Brian Fleury approaches the 2026 NFL season with high expectations among the new OCs and defensive coordinators that were hired this offseason.
According to ESPN’s Ben Solak, a major question surrounding Fleury will be how he will rely on other offensive weapons to add to the Seahawks’ offense besides Jaxon Smith-Njigba next season.
“Fleury was not in Seattle last season and has never crossed paths with Macdonald, so I'm confident he'll come with enough new ideas to keep the Seahawks' offense on the cutting edge,” Solak said. “Whatever that edge is, it's close to Fleury's vest ... for now.”
Fleury has big shoes to fill following the departure of former offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak this offseason. Kubiak orchestrated the Seahawks’ Super Bowl-winning offense last season and enabled Smith-Njigba to win the AP Offensive Player of the Year award at season’s end.
Despite JSN’s excellence, the Seahawks leaned heavily on him in the offense. Next season will present Fleury with the opportunity to increase Rashid Shaheed, AJ Barner and Cooper Kupp’s target shares in the passing game, while also ensuring that rookie Jadarian Price is put in the best position to succeed in the ground game.

The 2025 season was an incredible one for Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba. JSN led the NFL in receiving yards (1,793) while finishing fourth in receptions (119). The Seahawks won Super Bowl 60 and Smith-Njigba won Offensive Player of the Year honors.
The Seahawks then signed Smith-Njigba to a four-year, $168.6 million extension earlier this offseason that made him the highest-paid receiver of all time. Now, JSN is prepping for another massive campaign for the Seahawks in 2026. Just how many receiving yards will he have this season?
The Seahawks underwent massive offseason changes on offense. Brian Fleury is the new offensive coordinator after Klint Kubiak became head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders. Super Bowl 60 MVP Kenneth Walker III is gone and will be replaced by first-round pick Jadarian Price.
Changes at coordinator and in the backfield will impact the Seahawks' offense. Also, the Seahawks brought back Rashid Shaheed at receiver, who is expected to be heavily involved after displaying chemistry with quarterback Sam Darnold at OTAs and minicamp.
There's no reason why Smith-Njiga can't produce another 1,500-yard (or more) season. He'll be Darnold's go-to receiver, but Coach Fleury may spread the ball around to AJ Barner and Shaheed while also getting multiple running backs involved.

Las Vegas Raiders star tight end Brock Bowers will be one of the most desired players in fantasy football next season. Bowers is among the best tight ends in the NFL, but is coming off of injury dating back to last season, which makes his outlook for the upcoming fantasy football season one of much importance for team owners.
Bowers went for 680 receiving yards and seven touchdowns across 12 games played in 2025, and earned 176.2 fantasy points in ESPN PPR leagues. The year prior, he went for 1,194 receiving yards and five TD's as a rookie. The expectation is that Bowers will return to producing up to his reputation as perhaps the best tight end in the league in 2026 with another prolific season, which makes him deserving of being one of the first TEs taken in fantasy football drafts.
According to ESPN Fantasy Football's projections for the 2026 season, Bowers will record 995 receiving yards and seven TD's, good for 240.14 fantasy points in the ESPN PPR format.
The biggest factors that will impact Bowers' season in 2026 will be the presence of new Raiders coach Klint Kubiak, as well as the quarterback play of either Kirk Cousins or Fernando Mendoza (or both).
Coach Kubiak brings championship experience to Las Vegas, having served as the offensive coordinator for the defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks in 2025. His schematics figure to help the Raiders produce a much better offense in 2026, which, as a result, will create better opportunities for Bowers to thrive in the passing game.

One of the most noteworthy developments in the Las Vegas Raiders' recent mandatory minicamp was that fifth-round pick Hezekiah "Zeke" Masses worked some with the first-team defense in both days of the camp.
He rotated with 2025 third-round pick, Darien Porter, both days. At his end-of-the-offseason press conference, Raiders' head coach Klint Kubiak noted that Masses, a Cal product, worked well in the offseason and he must continue it when the pads come on in training camp.
Thus, it looks like, Masses, at least, has a chance to become a starter this season. I don't think many people anticipated that when he was drafted.
So, what happens if Masses plays well in training camp and in the preseason and earns a starting job? Well, if he's ready for it and he plays well, it will be a huge boost for the Las Vegas defense.
It would really lengthens this cornerback group. If fourth-round pick, Jermod McCoy, is able to play (which the team anticipates) and Masses is ready for a starting role this cornerback group will be set up well for now and for the future.