Identifying 1 Critical Connection for Raiders Moving Forward

In many ways, the Las Vegas Raiders are rebuilding their roster from scratch. Bad seasons have landed young talent via the draft and set them up for the future. However, Las Vegas still has a long way to go before it produces a team that can consistently compete at a high level.

Raiders' Critical Connection

As the Raiders continue to stack solid roster moves on top of solid roster moves, they hope several new relationships will help spark a turnaround. Las Vegas' climb back from the bottom is not only about an improved coaching staff and roster, but it is also about an improved culture.

Multiple coaching staffs in a short period of time, along with failed roster moves across the board, have left the Raiders disconnected. Football is the ultimate team game, which requires more than just talent. Las Vegas must not only rebuild its roster but also its culture.

Raiders Rebuild

To do so, Las Vegas is banking on its moves panning out both individually and in concert. Many of the Raiders' offseason moves tie into each other in one way or another. The front office is betting that their roster will connect in ways that lead to tangible progress on the field.

Few of those connections will be more vital than the connection between rookie quarterback Fernando Mendoza and head coach Klint Kubiak. Entering the offseason, the Raiders wanted and needed a young, offensive-minded head coach and a quarterback they could mold. They got both.

Las Vegas' offseason workout program marks the first of many offseasons together for Kubiak and Mendoza. Their connection, especially early on while Mendoza learns behind Kirk Cousins, is one of the most significant relationships the Raiders must cultivate moving forward.

Kubiak and Mendoza were significant additions to the Raiders' offseason plans and future. Mendoza recently noted how much he has already observed about Kubiak's offensive ideals, both before and after Kubiak was drafted by the Raiders with the No. 1 overall pick.

“He won a Super Bowl last year, so I saw a lot of him. I love watching NFL football on Sundays, so I watched a lot of Coach [Klint] Kubiak. And then when I was drafted and got here, I was able to get the playbook,” Mendoza said after rookie minicamp.

“However, going now to being in the facility and having access to the film and seeing the application, seeing Kirk Cousins do it back in Minnesota, seeing Sam Darnold do it last year in Seattle, seeing the application and how it's supposed to be executed and what it's done at a high level is really beneficial for my development."

“And that's something from coming day one, just seeing on the paper and taking it in, and then day two, last night with the coaches really studying, 'Oh, okay. This is how Kirk Cousins, Sam Darnold did it. This is how their footwork and eyes looked. So, can we put that on the field today?' And I think we did."

Las Vegas still has a long way to go before it can regularly compete in one of the league's most challenging divisions. However, each team in the division has a solid quarterback who is on the same page with his head coach and offensive coordinators.

As they move forward, there may not be a relationship that matters more to the Raiders than the one between Kubiak and Mendoza. There is no detail too small in rebuilding the proportion of the one the Raiders aim to complete. Las Vegas' front office seems to know that, which is a good enough start.

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