American Football
Las Vegas Raiders 2026 season preview: Cousins now, Mendoza next
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The Las Vegas Raiders finally have a plan: Kirk Cousins stabilises while Fernando Mendoza learns; Brock Bowers and Ashton Jeanty carry the offense, and Maxx Crosby anchors the defense.
It's a credible approach, but a lack of wide receivers and depth still limits their ceiling.
With the 2026 NFL season almost upon us, we break down how the Raiders are shaping up.
Ethan Miller / Staff
Raiders' roster overview
Las Vegas used the first overall pick in the draft on Fernando Mendoza, but are not asking him to start immediately.
The Raiders don't want to expose Mendoza to a wide receiver group that remains incomplete when they can lean on Brock Bowers and Ashton Jeanty.
Kirk Cousins signed to give the rookie time to learn and provide new head coach Klint Kubiak with a functional offense.
The individual stat lines also serve as a reminder of how much work remains: no Las Vegas wideout surpassed 352 receiving yards last year.
The defense retained Maxx Crosby following the collapse of a trade to Baltimore. Joining him are Kwity Paye, Nakobe Dean, Quay Walker, and Taron Johnson. Jeremy Chinn is the only one of the three leading tacklers from 2025 who is still with the team.
The roster is becoming more serious at the middle levels, and the signing of center Tyler Linderbaum adds a premium piece to the line.
The Raiders are no longer without direction, but they are operating on two separate timelines.
The Raiders' 2026 reset
| Who's in | Who's out |
|---|---|
|
The offensive project restarts around a new head coach and two quarterbacks on very different horizons. |
Cousins must get the ball out quickly to Bowers and Jeanty, while Linderbaum organises pass protection.
Nailor adds speed but does not solve the absence of a dominant outside wide receiver.
On defense, the new linebackers should do a better job in pass coverage underneath, leaving Crosby more time to get after the passer.
Ethan Miller/Getty Images
Las Vegas' 2026 key cast
Maxx Crosby: The star and emotional engine. His relentless effort forces opponents to double-team him.
Brock Bowers: A tight end deployed like a number-one wide receiver, capable of winning anywhere on the field.
Ashton Jeanty: The running back around whom Kubiak can build his motion and play-action game.
Fernando Mendoza: The first overall pick. Even on the bench, every step of his development weighs on the franchise's future.
Kirk Cousins: The short-term starter must win before the snap and distribute to Bowers and Jeanty without turning every drive into an audition for rookie Mendoza.
Kolton Miller / Tyler Linderbaum: The talented left tackle and the new center form the foundation of an offensive line that must give Cousins a clean pocket and open holes for Jeanty.
Jeremy Chinn / Malcolm Koonce: Chinn brings 63 tackles and versatility near the line of scrimmage; Koonce must finally convert his flashes into consistent production opposite Crosby.
Alex Slitz / Staff
Raiders' game DNA
What hurts opponents
The Bowers–Jeanty–Linderbaum triangle provides a quality interior foundation. Kubiak can run zone, use play-action, and target Bowers against linebackers.
Crosby's numbers have dropped off a little in recent years, but he remains capable of wrecking opponents' game plans.
For a team in transition, having these four cornerstones is a considerable advantage.
The blind spot
The lack of a true number-one wide receiver and overall depth. Tre Tucker, Jack Bech, Tyquan Thornton, and Nailor all have qualities, but none force a defense to alter its game plan.
Cousins needs a clean structure; if he is under pressure or must play from behind by a large margin, his recent limitations could surface.
Raiders' training camp news
Cousins has clearly taken first-team reps. Mendoza had his ups and downs before producing cleaner sessions.
Rookie defensive tackle Tonka Hemingway has worked his way into the rotation.
The hefty sum handed to Nailor assures him the WR1 role, but behind him, the pecking order is unsettled.
David Becker / Stringer
Las Vegas' key question
When should Mendoza play? The best-case scenario is that Cousins remains competitive long enough for the rookie to learn without urgency.
But if Las Vegas starts poorly, the pressure of being the first overall pick will build quickly. The coaching staff must define progression benchmarks rather than an arbitrary date.
DAZN Bet: Raiders' odds
- Super Bowl odds: 126.00
- AFC West winner odds: 19.00
At 126.00 to win the Super Bowl, the Raiders place 28th among all teams and represent a highly speculative bet.
At 19.00 to win the division, the market doesn't fancy Las Vegas' chances, with the Chiefs (2.63), Chargers (2.8), and Broncos (3.00) more heavily favoured.
Odds correct as of August 13, 2026.
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Las Vegas' star man
Maxx Crosby: The emotional engine, whose relentless effort and undeniable talent can win games almost single-handedly.
Raiders' game to circle
- Game: Dolphins @ Las Vegas Raiders
- Date: Sunday, September 13
- Kickoff: 9.25pm BST
- Kickoff: 4.25pm ET
- Kickoff: 1.25pm PT
- Venue: Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas
Two rebuilding teams and two new head coaches go head-to-head in the season opener.
Las Vegas' range of outcomes in 2026
- Floor: 4-13 if Cousins declines
- Likely outcome: 6-11
- Ceiling: 8-9 if Bowers and Jeanty play up to their potential and Cousins helps them to a fast start.
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