Raiders 'primed to be successful' after offseason overhaul, says ex-NFL pro

They haven't won the AFC West since 2001, haven't finished with a winning record or made the playoffs since 2021, and have a 7-27 record over the last two years.

But according to one former player, this offseason has been different, and the front office deserves the credit.

Appearing on Good Morning Football, available to Game Pass subscribers on DAZN, Isaac Rochell gave a glowing endorsement of how Las Vegas has approached 2026.

"The Raiders last year and the Raiders this year are two different teams," Rochell began, before explaining why he is "really, really high” on them ahead of the new season.

The failed Crosby trade - a blessing in disguise?

One of the more remarkable subplots of the Raiders' offseason involved pass rusher Maxx Crosby.

With 69.5 career sacks in seven years, the 28-year-old is among the league's elite at the position.

Despite his talent and perhaps resigned to their fate amidst their rebuilding efforts, Las Vegas had agreed to trade the Pro Bowler to the Baltimore Ravens, only for the deal to collapse after Crosby failed his medical, sending him straight back to the Raiders.

Rochell, who played for Las Vegas in 2023, believes the Ravens' loss is Las Vegas' gain.

"Maxx Crosby coming back to this team is massive to the culture," he declared. "When you're building a football team, and you want culture, and you want energy, he's the guy," he continued.

"He's excited. I text this dude," Rochell added. "He'll send me back voice notes like - 'I'm going to be the best, I don't care what anyone says.'"

Mendoza and Kubiak: a match made in heaven?

The Raiders possess the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft and are widely expected to select Heisman-winning quarterback Fernando Mendoza.

Rochell was enthusiastic about the arrival of Mendoza and the offensive system he will be stepping into under head coach and offensive play-caller Klint Kubiak.

"Kubiak is a great system quarterback coach," he said. "He puts quarterbacks in position to play well no matter what."

That assessment bodes well for Mendoza, who arrives with plenty of upside but will benefit from structure and support.

"Mendoza's coming in," Rochell added. "He should be a really good system quarterback."

Jeanty, Linderbaum, and several others not mentioned

The praise did not stop there.

Rochell raved about running back Ashton Jeanty and the acquisition of three-time Pro Bowl center Tyler Linderbaum, who gives the offensive line an immediate upgrade.

Perhaps the most telling detail, though, was what Rochell left out.

He did not even mention Brock Bowers - the Raiders tight end who many consider the best at his position outside of the Cardinals' Trey McBride.

Similarly, linebackers Nakobe Dean, Quay Walker, and wideout Jalen Nailor, all expected to be major contributors after signing big-money free-agent deals, did not come up in conversation.

The fact that Bowers and Co. were not part of Rochell's argument says something about just how much talent Las Vegas has assembled.

"They've accidentally fallen into a really good offseason," Rochell concluded. "This team is primed to be successful."

Accidentally or not, Rochell is right. After finishing 3-14 in 2025, the 2026 Raiders look like a team that should be much improved.