Raiders' New Additions Will Help in Multiple Ways

The Las Vegas Raiders have done all they can to help assemble a more competitive team for the 2026 season. Las Vegas' roster has been one of the worst in the National Football League over the past five seasons. The Raiders' roster woes took years to create; it will take years to undo.

Raiders Connections

The Raiders have had a productive offseason filled with big moves that should help improve their roster quickly. Still, they entered the offseason with so many roster needs that it is virtually impossible for them to fix all of them in one offseason. They have made progress, but need more.

Las Vegas addressed many of its most pressing needs early in free agency. Their respective additions of Nakobe Dean, Quay Walker, and Tyler Linderbaum should, at the very least, make the Raiders better than they were last season. However, the Raiders' rebuild extends beyond the roster.

Talent goes a long way, and the Raiders have lacked it overall for years. As they begin adding more talent to their roster, Las Vegas' front office also knows that the rebuild they seek must happen at the very core of the organization. It will take time, but the Raiders are building from the ground up.

Their recent signing of Kirk Cousins was nothing to write home about. Yet, it was another subtle move the Raiders made that should help alleviate the inevitable learning curve that comes with a first-time head coach implementing new schemes on both sides of the ball, with largely a new roster.

Kirk Cousins as a Teammate

Cousins' familiarity with Klint Kubiak and Andrew Janocko should help ease the initial development of presumed No. 1 overall pick, Fernando Mendoza. The Raiders are making moves, both big and small, to set Mendoza and the organization itself up for a future filled with more wins.

Although the time frame is still to be determined, Cousins' ability to impact Mendoza's development, both directly and indirectly, is another part of the Raiders' offseason plan. Cousins hopes to use the lessons he learned to help Mendoza.

“I've watched him from a distance, had an incredible college career, got to run into him yesterday on his draft visit. He seems like a high-caliber person, and if we're fortunate enough to get him here, then it'll be a privilege to work together. And yes, my rookie year is always kind of forefront of my memory. It was a lot of change, a lot of adjustments,” Cousins said at his introductory press conference.

“At that time, I was a fourth-round pick, very different experience than being a high pick, and Robert Griffin was drafted to the same team as me. And I remember at the time saying, 'Boy, that's a whole different life to be a top pick and what that involves.' And no, I think it'll be a great opportunity up ahead."

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