OTAs Are the Raiders' Chance to Prove Everything

The Las Vegas Raiders are determined to improve in 2026. It will start with Organized Team Activities.

May 20, 2026; Henderson, NV, USA; Las Vegas Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak speaks during a news conference during organized team activities at Intermountain Health Performance Center. Mandatory Credit: Candice Ward-Imagn Images | Candice Ward-Imagn Images

The Las Vegas Raiders have been on a mad dash since the final day of the 2025 regular season. After finishing last season 3-14 and firing Pete Carroll, Las Vegas' front office went to work, identifying Klint Kubiak as their top choice to lead the team, then waiting out the process to land him.

The Raiders' Next Step

Darrell Craig Harris, ON S

The Raiders' front office essentially broke the offseason into chunks and was determined to make each one productive. Kubiak was the first thing they had to handle, then his coaching staff, and the roster. Las Vegas followed that up with solid free-agent and NFL Draft moves to improve its roster.

Now, Las Vegas is on the field in Organized Team Activities, yet the next step in a multifaceted offseason for the Raiders. After all of the new additions and changes to the Raiders' coaching staff and roster, Las Vegas finally gets to work on putting all of those new parts together.

May 20, 2026; Henderson, NV, USA; Las Vegas Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak speaks during a news conference during organized team activities at Intermountain Health Performance Center. Mandatory Credit: Candice Ward-Imagn Images | Candice Ward-Imagn Images

As they work through that process, the next step will be for Kubiak and his coaching staff to iron out the depth chart at certain positions where they have yet to do so. Luckily for the first-time head coach, the OTAs will give him and his staff all the information they need to make a quality decision.

“It’s going to reveal itself, especially in training camp. But it’s going to reveal itself here in these next how many do we have? Eight OTAs, these minicamp practices. But yeah, we definitely would, but let the players figure that out for us with their tape," Kubiak said.

May 20, 2026; Henderson, NV, USA; Las Vegas Raiders linebacker Cameron McGrone (57) practices during organized team activities at Intermountain Health Performance Center. Mandatory Credit: Candice Ward-Imagn Images | Candice Ward-Imagn Images

This is one of the most critical offseasons in recent Raiders memory. The moves they made this offseason confirm as much. Now, the work they put in on the field is to mesh all of those new aspects together comfortably. Time will tell how successful they are in doing so.

Still, after seven wins in the past two seasons combined, the Raiders' front office must be commended for putting forth more and better effort to improve its roster than several of the Raiders' previous regimes.

Raiders' Development Plan

Nov 23, 2025; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Las Vegas Raiders helmets on the sidelines at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The hard work of getting a team all on the same page on the field has begun. Yet, Kubiak knows the Raiders still have a long way to go, as there are plenty of things everyone involved is currently learning at a rapid pace.

“Well, really never pleased. We could always be better. We're always very critical of ourselves with how can we get the most out of every hour for these players in a positive way and let them know that we are not wasting their time. We put in the work for them to give them productive days,” Kubiak said.

Darrell Craig Harris, ON SI

“So, I think you're always trying to improve there. We're off to a solid start. Everyone's undefeated right now, right? But we know sooner or later that it's going to get real competitive and we got to find out who's the guys we can count on in those stressful situations, coaches included.”