The Las Vegas Raiders are back in a spot they haven’t occupied since the JaMarcus Russell era. It’s messy. It’s hopeful. It’s honestly a little bit terrifying if you’re a fan who has sat through the last few years of revolving doors at the head coach position. After a 2025 season that saw the team finish 3-14 and secure the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, the Raiders news and rumors mill is spinning faster than a Maxx Crosby spin move.
Pete Carroll is out after just one season. Mark Davis decided that "one and done" was the move after the team lost 14 of their last 16 games. Now, with $90 million in cap space and the first selection in the draft, the Silver and Black are looking at a total hard reset. But this isn't just about a new coach; it's about the fact that Tom Brady is now essentially the shadow GM, working alongside John Spytek to figure out how to stop the bleeding in Vegas.
The Fernando Mendoza Sweepstakes and the Lamar Jackson Wildcard
Most people following Raiders news and rumors assume the No. 1 pick is already written in Sharpie: Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza. The kid just won the Heisman, led the Hoosiers to a 15-0 record, and has been surgically efficient in the playoffs. He’s the "safe" franchise savior.
But there’s a massive rumor floating around that Mike Florio recently fueled. The idea? Trading that No. 1 pick to the Baltimore Ravens for Lamar Jackson.
The Ravens are in their own kind of chaos after moving on from John Harbaugh. If their new coach wants a clean slate with a rookie like Mendoza, a trade could actually happen. Imagine Lamar in Las Vegas. It would solve the Raiders' "home-field advantage" problem overnight. Allegiant Stadium has looked like a sea of orange or red lately because locals are selling their tickets to visiting fans. Lamar changes that.
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Why the Dante Moore Decision Matters
We also have to talk about Dante Moore. The Oregon QB shocked everyone by deciding to stay in school for another year. This basically nuked the draft board for teams like the Jets and Giants. For the Raiders, it makes the No. 1 pick even more valuable. If they don't take Mendoza, the price for a team to move up and get him just went through the roof because the QB pool just got a lot shallower.
Hondo Carpenter recently mentioned that Moore might have actually liked the idea of being a Raider, but he really didn't want to be a Jet. His decision to stay in college protects him from the New York market but also leaves the Raiders as the undisputed kings of the 2026 draft.
The Coaching Search: Brady's Fingerprints Are Everywhere
Mark Davis isn't just listening to "football people" anymore. He’s listening to Tom Brady. The Raiders have already churned through eight interviews as of mid-January 2026. The list is a mix of veteran "fix-it" guys and young offensive minds:
- Kevin Stefanski: The former Browns coach has two Coach of the Year awards. He knows how to handle a franchise in transition.
- Matt Nagy: Currently the Chiefs' OC. Hiring him would be a double win—getting a bright offensive mind and stealing a piece of the Kansas City brain trust.
- Davis Webb: This is the "young genius" play. He’s been working with Bo Nix in Denver and is seen as a rising star who relates well to modern QBs.
- Klint Kubiak: He’s coming off a massive year with the Seahawks' offense.
The word on the street is that Brady wants "alignment." No more hiring a coach and a GM who don't talk. Whoever gets the job has to be 100% on board with whatever they do at quarterback, whether that's drafting Mendoza or mortgaging the future for a veteran superstar.
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Free Agency: Buying a Brand New Offensive Line
You can’t bring in a rookie QB (or Lamar Jackson) and ask them to play behind the line the Raiders had in 2025. Geno Smith was sacked 55 times. That’s a death sentence.
With nearly $100 million to play with after some expected cuts, the Raiders are reportedly looking at Baltimore center Tyler Linderbaum. He’s only 25 and is arguably the best at his position. Pairing him with Kolton Miller and Jackson Powers-Johnson would suddenly turn a weakness into a top-10 unit.
There’s also talk about bringing in veteran help on defense to support Maxx Crosby. Names like Devin Lloyd and even a return for someone like Eric Stokes on a three-year deal are being discussed in league circles. The Raiders need "dogs" on defense, especially since they released Christian Wilkins last summer and felt that void every single week.
The Maxx Crosby Factor
Let's be real: Maxx Crosby is the heart of this team, but his patience is wearing thin. He played 100% of the snaps even when the season was lost, but you can only ask a guy to do that for so long without winning. The Raiders news and rumors regarding a potential Crosby trade always surface when things get bad, but the current vibe is that the No. 1 pick buy-in is his "one last chance" for the front office. If they mess up this coaching hire or the draft, the trade requests might actually start becoming real.
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Navigating the 2026 Offseason
If you’re trying to keep up with what’s actually happening, ignore the clickbait about the Raiders moving to a new city (that's not happening) and focus on the "Brady-Spytek" axis.
- Watch the OC Hire: Even if they hire a defensive coach like Ejiro Evero, the Offensive Coordinator hire tells you everything about their draft plans. A "West Coast" guy means they are eyeing Mendoza's accuracy.
- Monitor the Lamar Jackson Situation: If Baltimore hires a coach who wants to rebuild, the Raiders are the only team with the draft capital and the cap space to make that trade work instantly.
- The March 11 Deadline: That's when the new league year begins. Expect the Raiders to be the "biggest spenders" in the first 48 hours. They have too many holes to be conservative.
The Raiders are at a fork in the road. They can either build a sustainable winner around a Heisman-winning rookie or they can go for the "Vegas Splash" with a trade that would shake the entire NFL. Either way, the era of Pete Carroll is a distant memory, and the Brady era has officially begun in the desert.
Actionable Next Steps for Fans:
- Track the Final Interviews: Watch for "second interviews" with Kevin Stefanski or Matt Nagy; these are the lead indicators of a hire.
- Watch the National Championship Wrap-up: Fernando Mendoza’s post-game comments will likely signal his intent to declare for the draft, which locks in the Raiders' leverage at No. 1.
- Salary Cap Clearance: Look for the official release of veteran contracts in late February to see exactly how much "mad money" Spytek and Brady have for the free agency opening on March 11.