NFL preseason live updates: Latest news ahead of Raiders vs. Texans and 49ers vs. Chargers
2025 record: 3-14
Notable offseason additions: QB Fernando Mendoza, C Tyler Linderbaum, LB Quay Walker, LB Nakobe Dean
A year after finishing 3-14 in a disastrous one-and-done season for head coach Pete Carroll, Las Vegas hit the reset button yet again. With the involvement of minority owner Tom Brady, the Raiders hired head coach Klint Kubiak fresh off his Super Bowl win as the Seahawks’ offensive coordinator and made the easy choice to take Mendoza with the first overall pick of the 2026 NFL Draft, following the quarterback’s standout Heisman Trophy and national championship-winning 2025 season at Indiana.
The rest of the Raiders’ offseason was just as noteworthy for who they kept as it was for who they added. The Ravens shockingly nixed a blockbuster trade at the last minute that would have sent superstar defensive end Maxx Crosby to Baltimore, and Crosby later reported to Raiders offseason workouts and reaffirmed his commitment to the team.
In free agency, the Raiders prioritized their offensive infrastructure around Mendoza and solidifying the middle of their defense. They added quarterback Kirk Cousins as a veteran mentor to Mendoza and handed an $81 million contract to Linderbaum to give Mendoza one of the best centers in the NFL. They signed Walker and Dean away from the Packers and Eagles, respectively, reuniting the former college football national champion Georgia teammates to form a middle linebacker duo for newly promoted defensive coordinator Rob Leonard.