Raiders Earn Respect at NFL Owner Meetings, Progress on Track

Day one of the NFL Owners’ Meetings in Phoenix delivered impactful Las Vegas Raiders developments—trades are on the table, draft buzz, and offseason moves—while one pivotal question still hangs in the air.

Mar 30, 2026; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Las Vegas Raiders owner Mark Davis during the 2026 NFL Annual League Meeting at the Arizona Biltmore. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

PHOENIX, AZ—The Las Vegas Raiders have the National Football League’s (NFL) attention as they commence the most monumental rebuild since the legendary Al Davis took over the franchise in 1963.


We are here at the NFL's Owners’ meetings, and people are talking about the Raiders’ process, details, and much more.  Here are some of the highlights.

Special Teams Under the Microscope

Las Vegas Raiders K Daniel Carlson | Darrell Craig Harris, Sports Illustrated

The Raiders are moving on from K Daniel Carlson, who, at the time of this writing, is still unsigned by another franchise.  He is a great person and an excellent kicker who had a terrible 2025 season, like the rest of the franchise.  You can’t make excellent money at this position, and you can't afford to struggle, which he did.  The consensus is that someone will give him a chance to compete, but he won’t get an elite contract.

Jacob Bobenmoyer, the Raiders' long-snapper, is another great person who has performed at a high level in the past.  Last year was not that year, and after an abysmal 2025, the Silver and black are moving on.

Dec 26, 2025; Phoenix, AZ, USA; New Mexico Lobos kicker Luke Drzewiecki (13) against the Minnesota Golden Gophers during the Rate Bowl at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Per a league source, I received this on Saturday:  “Raiders went to Boston College to workout long snapper Ben Mann privately yesterday.”  Also, per a league source, they held a workout “with kicker Luke Drzewiecki at New Mexico.”

Kevin Stefanski Praises the New Raiders

Mar 30, 2026; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Atlanta Falcons head coach Kevin Stefanski during the 2026 NFL Annual League Meeting at the Arizona Biltmore. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Kevin Stefanski, despite being fired by the lowly Cleveland Browns, is a two-time Coach of the Year and knows Klint Kubiak and new OC Andrew Janocko well.  He raved about the new head coach and offensive coordinator, and I asked him about the respect Kubiak has among his players.

You can listen to our entire exchange below, and the respect these two men (Kubiak & Janocko) have for one of the most respected men in the NFL is impressive.

A Championship Point of View

I had the chance to speak to Mike Macdonald, the Super Bowl Champion coach from a few weeks ago, about Kubiak.  He also echoes Kubiak's approach to his coaching style.  The secret to his success is that he isn’t duplicitous.  He is genuine, and that authenticity in a synthetic world is a very big deal.  You can check out our exchange below.

Christian Wilkins Update

Christian Wilkins.jpg | Darrell Craig Harris, Sports Illustrated

I asked GM John Spytek today whether he had heard anything from the NFL regarding Christian Wilkins, and he has not.  Furthermore, he doesn’t have a timeline as to when he will.  I have stated previously that people around the NFL originally told me that, starting this week and no later than the start of the NFL Draft, they would anticipate and answer.  That isn’t definitive; it is speculative, but it is speculative from people in the league who would have some semblance of an idea of when this gets resolved. While no one I have spoken to from around the league expects 100% relief for the Raiders, they all anticipate some relief for the Spytek and the Silver and Black.

Don’t Miss All of Our Day One Updates on Today’s Podcast: