The Silver and Black are at it again. Honestly, if you’ve followed this team for more than a week, you know the drama never actually sleeps, it just moves from the field to the front office. After a brutal 3-14 campaign that saw the firing of Pete Carroll after just one season, the Las Vegas Raiders (yeah, we still call ‘em Oakland in our hearts sometimes, don't we?) are sitting on the most valuable asset in football: the No. 1 overall pick.
It’s messy. It’s exciting. It’s peak Raider Nation.
The Quarterback Savior: Fernando Mendoza or Bust?
Basically, the biggest piece of Oakland Raiders news and rumors right now is one name: Fernando Mendoza. The Indiana signal-caller just capped off a Heisman-winning season and a deep playoff run. He’s the guy. Most scouts, including those talking to Hondo Carpenter over at Sports Illustrated, suggest Mendoza is the "golly gee" kid with a Mensa-level football IQ who can actually handle the Vegas spotlight.
The rumor mill is churning because the Raiders desperately need to move on from the Geno Smith/Aidan O'Connell experiment. Smith’s future is basically a coin flip at this point. If you’re Mark Davis, do you really want to pass on a generational talent like Mendoza to stick with a veteran who couldn't steady the ship in 2025? Probably not.
The chatter among insiders is that the Raiders have already started doing their "due diligence" on Mendoza’s medicals and character. It’s almost a foregone conclusion. But hey, it's the Raiders. They’ve surprised us before. Remember the Clelin Ferrell pick? Exactly.
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The Coaching Carousel: Who Wants This Job?
Finding a head coach who can actually survive more than two seasons in Vegas is proving to be a challenge. The list of candidates is long, but a few names are starting to stick.
- Klint Kubiak: Currently the leader in the clubhouse, according to some insiders. His system is widely respected for being "quarterback friendly," which would be perfect for a rookie like Mendoza.
- Mike LaFleur: He’s got that brilliant offensive mind label attached to him. Word is he might "blow them away" in the interview process.
- Davis Webb: The dark horse. He’s young, but he’s been credited with the massive development of Bo Nix in Denver.
- Jeff Hafley: The Packers DC just finished an interview on January 15th. He turned Green Bay into a takeaway machine, and Lord knows this Raiders defense needs a spark.
Interviews have been flying. Kevin Stefanski, Matt Nagy, and even Jesse Minter have sat down with the brass. John Spytek and Tom Brady are the ones reportedly whispering in Mark Davis’s ear. It’s a weird dynamic, having Brady as a minority owner involved in these deep-level personnel decisions, but that’s the 2026 Raiders for you.
Free Agency Fireworks: Who Stays and Who Goes?
The roster is about to look very different. The team recently announced 24 players are heading toward free agency. That is a massive chunk of the locker room.
We’re talking about guys like Daniel Carlson—the literal leg of the team for years—and Malcolm Koonce. Losing Koonce would be a gut punch to the pass rush, especially since Maxx Crosby has been vocal about wanting a winner around him. Crosby’s patience is thin. You can feel it in his post-game pressers.
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Then there’s the Jakobi Meyers trade. Jacksonville sent over a 4th and 6th rounder for him. It’s a clear signal: the rebuild is here. The team is hoarding picks to give the next coach a blank slate.
Watch out for these names to potentially hit the bricks:
- Zamir White: After a lackluster 2025, the rumors are swirling that the team might look for a more explosive back in the mid-rounds of the draft.
- Kenny Pickett: He’s an unrestricted free agent. Honestly, he’s likely gone as the team resets the QB room entirely.
- Devin White: He brought some veteran presence, but at the price point he’ll demand, it’s hard to see a rebuilding team bringing him back.
What Most People Get Wrong About the "Rebuild"
Everyone thinks a rebuild means "suck for five years." In the modern NFL, that’s just not true. Look at what the Texans did a few years back. If you hit on the QB (Mendoza) and the HC (Kubiak?), you can be in the playoffs in twelve months.
The Raiders actually have decent bones. Maxx Crosby is a superstar. The offensive line needs work, but it’s not the disaster it was three years ago. The problem has always been the "identity." Pete Carroll tried to bring that "Win Forever" energy, but at 74, it just didn't translate to a young, frustrated roster.
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The move now is to go young. Go offensive-minded. Stop trying to reclaim the 1970s and start building something for 2030.
Actionable Insights for Raider Nation
If you're trying to keep up with the chaos, here is what you actually need to do to stay ahead of the curve.
- Track the Second Interviews: First interviews are for show. When Klint Kubiak or Mike LaFleur gets called back for a second meeting in Vegas, that’s when you know it’s real.
- Watch the Indiana Tape: If you haven't watched Fernando Mendoza yet, go find the Big 10 Championship highlights. Pay attention to his ball placement on deep routes. That’s what the Raiders have been missing since... well, a long time.
- Check the Cap Space: With 24 free agents, the Raiders are going to have a mountain of money. Expect them to be "linked" to every big-name offensive tackle on the market. They have to protect whoever they draft at No. 1.
- Ignore the Mike Tomlin Rumors: Every time a job opens, Tomlin’s name comes up. He’s still under contract in Pittsburgh. Unless Mark Davis wants to trade even more draft capital (which he shouldn't), that's just noise.
The next few weeks will define the next decade of Raiders football. It's either the start of a legitimate era or another entry in the "what could have been" logbook.