Raiders Rebuild: The Secret Weapon You’re Not Hearing About

HENDERSON, Nev.—The Las Vegas Raiders find themselves completely immersed in a rebuilding —perhaps even an overhaul — of the single most significant franchise in professional sports history, and the enormity of the task may have a secret weapon.

There is no doubt when one studies the history of professional sports world wide, that the Silver and Black figure prominently in how this one franchise, steererd early on by the backbone of steel posseseed by Al Davis laid a blue print of success for every league, of every professional sports franchise to follow as a roadmap of success both as individual franchises, and leagues themselves.

Las Vegas Raiders GM John Spytek | Darrell Craig Harris, On SI

The Task At Hand

The Raiders, like any other franchise, lost their way when patriarch Al Davis began to age, and they found themselves at rock bottom when the disappointing, even depressing, 2025 came to a crashing halt.

Hitting rock bottom doesn’t have to be the sound of defeat if the franchise can parlay that into a reinvented steel backbone that is unshaken in the face of criticism and impatience, and they rebuild the right way.

The Reality

GM John Spytek, owner Mark Davis, and minority owner Tom Brady start this rebuild with the odds (we are in Las Vegas) against them.

Most rebuilds fail, let alone those led by a first-year coach in Klint Kubiak, and those include first-year coordinators on offense (Andrew Janocko) and defense (Rob Leonard). The odds further rise against the Silver and Black's success when you add a nearly certain rookie quarterback from the Indiana Hoosiers, Fernando Mendoza.

Feb 27, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza (QB11) speaks to members of the media during the NFL Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Jacob Musselman-Imagn Images | Jacob Musselman-Imagn Images

But as anyone in Vegas knows, the odds are not facts, and hedging your bets can help beat the odds and garnish a big, life-altering jackpoint, like the Raiders' fourth Lombardi Trophy from a future fourth Super Bowl win.

Hedging Your Bets

It is enormously difficult to have success with a rookie head coach, let alone flanked by two first-year coordinators, but it doesn’t mean it is impossible. Klint Kubiak is a rising star with a wealth of experience who, while a rookie, is always a risk, was the safest risk that any team could have taken.

Feb 10, 2026; Henderson, NV, USA; Las Vegas Raiders coach Klint Kubiak speaks at introductory press conference at Intermountain Health Performance Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

While the odds are stacked against Kubiak, you can’t argue that it was the safest of the risky picks, and the young man is a winner with a leadership style that doesn't reflect an ego-driven youngster; he is approaching this like a seasoned veteran.

I am not a Raiders “Fan,” but I am not a hater either, and, being objective, it is not difficult to admire how Kubiak has handled this process.

Kubiak, before taking the Raiders job, was considered a top-three offensive coordinator in the NFL, so the hiring of Janocko mitigates that risk. That is not to imply the Raiders' new OC was a failure or subpar coach, far from it, he is an exceptional coach who will bring that success to a role that arguably the best OC in the league (Kubiak) will be able to help, assist, and mentor him into the OC that he was.

Rob Leonard is a risk in that he has never been a DC before, but again, the Raiders mitigated risk by getting a proven star, a superior coach and leader, and promoted him. Leonard wasn’t a “Reach,” in fact, he was the very best first-time option available, and when your team is rebuilding, why not take big swings for the best available?

Las Vegas Raiders DC Rob Leonard | Darrell Craig Harris, On SI

Not So Fast

Speaking of risk, over 50% of first-round quarterbacks fail. So you take the inexperience in current roles of the top three leaders and add a rookie QB, presumed first-overall pick, Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza, and you stack the odds even higher against the Silver and Black.

But as we demonstrated earlier this year, NFL Executives see the Raiders mitigating risk as several of them, for an exclusive article on Las Vegas Raiders On SI voted Mendoza the top quarterback option in the last four NFL Drafts.

Dec 17, 2017; Orchard Park, NY, USA; Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Rick Dennison on the field before a game against the Miami Dolphins at New Era Field. Mandatory Credit: Timothy T. Ludwig-Imagn Images | Timothy T. Ludwig-Imagn Images

That status alone mitigates the Raiders' risk. If you are going to build around a rookie, then building with the one NFL executive who feels is the best in four years should tell you all you want to know.

The odds don’t change. There is a better than a 50% chance in four years we call Mendoza a bust, but if you are going to move all in, to use another Vegas term, don’t you want to take the risk on the player the NFL feels is the best in years?

Las Vegas Raiders superstar C Tyler Linderbaum | Darrell Craig Harris, On SI

Some might call the Raiders' strategy risky; I think, successful or not, it is brilliant.

A Secret Weapon

The game of football is a thing of beauty. It is both art, elegance, and braun. At no position is that more demonstrated than with the most ignored and overlooked thing of beauty: the offensive line.

I understand and concede that the quarterback is the most important position, but the offensive line is where championships are won. It is the quintessential ingredient of every successful franchise.

Kubiak, in his brilliance, wasn’t looking for a staff of rookie sycophants; he wanted winners. He didn’t care how old you are, or aren’t, he wanted the best.

He knows that his system is predicated on the offensive line. Kubiak knows the best thing he can do for his rookie QB is a superior offensive line. That is why the “Ace up his sleeve,” to use another Vegas colloquialism, was the hiring of Rick Dennison, the best offensive line coach (After the retirement of Jeff Stoutland), as his offensive line coach.

The moment it leaked that Dennison was on his way to the desert, a highly successful NFL GM communicated to me, “Game changer. There are 31 other teams that would want him. Gift to Klint and Mendoza.”

Before signing a generational talent like Tyler Linderbaum, the Raiders' OL, the franchise was already better.

The Raiders themselves describe Dennison with the admiration and respect he deserves, “Rick Dennison brings 30 years of NFL coaching experience, including seven seasons as an offensive coordinator with the Buffalo Bills (2017), Denver Broncos (2015-16) and Houston Texans (2010-13). He has been part of 14 playoff appearances, six division titles, and four Super Bowl victories - Super Bowl XXXII, XXXIII, 50 and LX.

He has also been part of 13 seasons of 10-plus wins. His 17 seasons in Denver resulted in three Super Bowl titles, eight playoff appearances, four AFC West titles and eight seasons of 10-plus wins while only experiencing two losing seasons.”

Dennison is a game-changing superstar and Kubiak’s secret weapon. Perhaps it is better to describe him outside of the NFL as a secret weapon, but in the league, he is widely known and revered.

Swing Big Miss Big, or Even, a Homerun?

As Reggie Jackson said to the New York Times in 1968, “Swing big, miss big.” The Raiders are swinging big.

The odds that this rebuild will fail are enormous. Over 50% for sure, but fail or succeed, the Raiders are doing it the right way, and history will judge that they cut no corners, spared no expense, and that they did everything possible, in the shadow of the world's most famous casinos to hedge their bet, mitigate risk, and succeed.

It is not being a hater to mention the odds and the high likelihood of failure.

But being in Vegas, it would be foolish not to recognize that people do score big in this town; it happens every day, and with the secret weapon of Dennison, the ability of Kubiak, Leonarrd, Janocko, and the ceiling of Mendoza, this will be entertaining, and it may work.

A risk that had to be taken, it's just refreshing to see this once storied franchise doing it the right way.