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This century has not been kind to the Las Vegas Raiders.
The Raiders have qualified for the playoffs just three times. Their last playoff win came in the 2002 season, when they reached the Super Bowl and proceeded to get curb-stomped by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The franchise has almost as many relocations as playoff wins over the last 26 years.
But now Las Vegas hopes all of this is about to change with the hiring of new head coach Klint Kubiak. The Raiders also have the No. 1 pick in the NFL Draft that they’ll likely use to get their prospective franchise quarterback in Fernando Mendoza.
To get a feel for the Las Vegas offseason, we go “behind enemy lines” with Matt Holder from Silver and Black Pride.
MHR: How are Raiders fans feeling at this point now that the season is concluded?
Matt: There’s definitely more optimism in Las Vegas than there was just a few months ago. Most of the fanbase recognizes that the organization is facing a multi-year rebuild, but having the No. 1 overall pick, a projected 10 draft picks in total, and the second-most cap space in the NFL is a good way to start that process. Plus, landing Klint Kubiak finally gives the Raiders the young, offensive-minded head coach people have been asking for over the last few years.
MHR: What is the sentiment over the hiring of Klint Kubiak? Is he finally the guy to lead Las Vegas back to contention?
Matt: Raider Nation is pretty excited to have Kubiak aboard the ship. It helps that he’s coming off a Super Bowl run and engineered a pretty impressive offense that saw Kenneth Walker III and Jaxon Smith-Njigba have career years, with the latter winning the NFL Offensive Player of the Year Award. Obviously, the Raiders don’t have nearly as much talent as the Seahawks do, but the Silver and Black do have a couple of players to build around in Ashton Jeanty and Brock Bowers. And now, the club finally has a coach/play-caller who can get the most out of those two.
Also, projected No. 1 pick Fernando Mendoza is universally considered a great fit in Kubiak’s offense. Mendoza is smart, decisive, and accurate with the football, which are the most important traits in the system that Broncos’ fans should know well, thanks to Mike Shanahan and Klint’s father, Gary Kubiak.
So, is Kubiak the coach who will finally turn the Raiders around? I’ve learned over the years to never get my hopes up too much, but it does feel like the franchise is on the right track for the first time in a while.
MHR: Why is this offseason so crucial for the franchise? And how does the No. 1 pick tie into that?
Matt: Your two questions go hand-in-hand. Since moving on from Derek Carr at the end of 2022, Vegas has had a different Week 1 starting quarterback every year between Jimmy Garoppolo, Gardner Minshew, and Geno Smith. Throw Aidan O’Connell in the mix as another potential quarterback of the future, and hopefully that paints the picture of how bad it’s been at the most important position on the field.
A big part of that problem is that the Raiders have routinely gotten squeezed out of drafting a signal-caller. They picked seventh in 2023 and watched three quarterbacks come off the board before being on the clock. Then, it was a historic quarterback draft in which six QBs were taken in the first 12 picks the following year, a tough time to be the 13th selection. Finally, the Raiders weren’t bad enough to get Cam Ward last year and weren’t interested in Jaxson Dart after trading for Smith.
Now, the Silver and Black finally control the draft and have a chance to secure the future of the franchise by owning the No. 1 pick. On top of that, they have a lot of needs on defense, the offensive line could use some work, and the roster needs to get younger. That all ties into the rebuild mentioned above, so this offseason is all about laying the foundation for the organization’s future.
MHR: What are the main priorities for the Raiders now that they have their head coach? Of those, what is the most important?
Matt: The quarterback situation is the biggest, but the solution is already on the table with Mendoza. It’s just a matter of playing the waiting game for the next couple of months. In the meantime, I’d expect the front office to use free agency to improve the offensive line, which was abysmal last year. The Raiders have already made steps toward that goal, officially moving on from Brennan Carroll and hiring long-time offensive line coach (and former Bronco) Rick Dennison. I’d also expect the organization to add one of the bigger-name wide receivers on the open market.
Defensively, Las Vegas needs help at every position. Even if Maxx Crosby stays in town, the unit needs a pass-rusher to play on the other side and take some of the pressure off him, and it could use a difference-maker at defensive tackle. At linebacker, every player who took a significant amount of snaps last fall is a free agent, so the defense could use some talent on the second level. Also, the secondary is a question mark, needing a cornerback, nickelback, and free safety.
MHR: How does the future look for Maxx Crobsy in Las Vegas?
Matt: It’s definitely up in the air. There’s some conflicting information right now: a few insiders are reporting that Crosby wants out, but he’s indicated he’s open to staying. That being said, Crosby hasn’t been nearly as adamant about wanting to retire as a Raider as he has when his name has been the subject of trade rumors in the past. We should get more clarity after the NFL combine this week, and I’d assume that if a trade is going to happen, it will occur around the same time free agency begins.
If it were up to me, I’d trade Maxx if the Raiders could get a significant haul for him. He’s a great player who will go down as a great Raider, but he’s also about to turn 29 and has ended the last two seasons on injured reserve with lower-body injuries. If it takes the club two years to become a contender again, then Crosby is going to be 31 years old with more mileage on his body. Those timelines don’t match up, and the organization is facing a significant rebuild where having a couple more high draft picks could be valuable assets. I’ll always be a fan of Crosby, but it feels like it’s time for both sides to move on, in my opinion.