Raiders GM Spytek Doesn’t Hold Back on Rebuild

MACKINAC ISLAND, MI—The Las Vegas Raiders are 11 days away from opening the 2026 NFL season by hosting the Miami Dolphins.

The team is squarely in a rebuilding situation, but for the first time in years, it has hope and a clear vision; credit that to John Spytek.

Spytek Speaks

The Raiders GM didn’t mince words or hold back in assessing his team and organization, and he pulled back the curtain on the Raiders' rebuild, offering key insights and analysis on the Silver and Black.

Don’t Get Comfortable

Spytek is never going to be happy. Any player, any coach, and, to be frank, anyone outside of ownership who can be replaced by someone who better serves the organization will be. He understands the NFL is about getting better or going backward. That is why his frank assessment of the roster tells the true story.

"It's constant improvement. We all knew the date was coming to get to 53, and that was Sunday. We made a lot of hard choices, and we've got a long way to go, a lot of work to do with a young roster. But I think we're all excited to go over the next week and a half and get a chance to play the Dolphins."

Three NFL-Caliber QBs

Before training camp, in our position preview, I told you that the Raiders had a sincere appreciation for all three QBs on the roster. In my first 53-man projection, I had them keeping all three men because that was the plan. Spytek explained the luxury of having three very capable QBs in a league driven by that one position.

Fernando Mendoza, Kirk Cousins | Darrell Craig Harris, On SI

"Well, number one, I think they all earned it. I also don't think you can have enough good quarterbacks. We saw some teams keep four, and we obviously have a lot of faith in Kirk [Cousins] and Fernando [Mendoza] as the number one pick. But to Aidan [O'Connell], Aidan's played really good football at times over his career here, and I thought he really took a step forward in OTAs."

"Given his opportunities in preseason, he was really good. None better than the drive in Houston to win that game for us."

Aug 27, 2026; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Las Vegas Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak looks on during warmups before a game against the San Francisco 49ers at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

No Over 'Waivering'

Despite having the first right on the NFL’s waiver wire system, the Raiders were not overly active with it. Spytek credits that to his staff and their ability to eye talent long before cutdown day.

"Well, I have a lot of faith in the person that's here. I know we've been very intentional. We've talked a lot about that and knowing who we're bringing into the building. We have a very young roster, which requires development and development requires time. We wrote just over a thousand reports on players that were playing in the preseason this year."

"We'd all love to look there and think that you're going to get a million good players, but the other teams are pretty good at knowing who to keep and knowing how to build their teams too. We had a very thorough process that ultimately led us to claim Darrell [Luter Jr.]."

The Rookie’s Growth

Fernando Mendoza earned praise from NFL executives before the draft and has done nothing to make the Silver and Black regret signing him. Spytek explained the realistic approach they took with their top rookie this camp.

"I wouldn't think of it so much as expectations, but we talk ad nauseum almost about going through the process and doing it the right way. So, there's not much of what he does or is about that we couldn't anticipate or really have known. I think he's shown us what we learned about him and the information we gathered on him in the pre-draft process."

Aug 27, 2026; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Fernando Mendoza (15) reacts during the game against the San Francisco 49ers at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

"He's a tireless worker. He loves football. He loves his teammates. He's energetic on the field. He's self-critical. He's self-aware. He's very accurate. His time is coming, but he's got to earn it every day, and he knows that. I think we're all very pleased with the person and his work ethic and his commitment to being a great quarterback."

When To Start Mendoza?

Spytek addressed the Raiders' plans for his prized rookie QB and when he will be ready to take the reins from Kirk Cousins.

"Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers, Jordan Love, Patrick Mahomes, Jayden Daniels. Like you said, there's success stories and failures in both ways. We're just trying to build the best team we can and play the guys that are most ready to play, and have a constant competition in every room, not just the quarterback room, but every room. The expectation always will be that the best person, the person that's earned it, the person that can do their job for the team, will be the one that plays."

QB Fernando Mendoza | Darrell Craig Harris, On SI

The Mental Preparation of Fernando Mendoza

Fernando Mendoza has shown a lot since he arrived in the desert, and Spytek was impressed during the evaluation process leading up to the NFL Draft, but he has moved on to respect something that wasn’t given; Mendoza earned it.

"I don't know if I'm impressed by it as much as I respect it. I don't think you put an age on that. I mean, I have two sons; one works hard and one doesn't work hard sometimes and they're nine and 11. But I just respect anybody that works to the level that is required to be a pro, and certainly we knew that coming out of Indiana."

"That was the expectation for Fernando [Mendoza], and I respect how hard he works amongst many of the other teammates, Kirk [Cousins] and Aidan [O'Connell] as well. They work their tails off to be great quarterbacks."

WR Room Reality

Tre Tucker | Darrell Craig Harris, On SI

Over 20 years ago, as an intern with the Detroit Lions, GM John Spytek earned the nickname “The Whiz Kid.” He had the right stuff. He isn’t stupid - far from it - and he knows, just like the rest of the NFL world and Raider Nation, that his WR room is a work in progress.

Jalen Nailor | Darrell Craig Harris, On SI

"Well, we're always constantly trying to get every room better, and I know Klint [Kubiak] told you guys a week or two ago that more is expected of that room, but I would say every room more is expected, and we have a young room. I think the oldest guy in there is 27 years old, and so there's a lot of growth potential in that room still."

"Even though some of the guys have played quite a bit of football, and we're committed to building the best team possible, and I respect those guys in that room with the way they work, and they know, and every position group knows that they have to bring their best every day, and they've got to do what's asked of them. We've got to win football games."

New Guy Earning Some Praise

DE Patrick Johnson | Darrell Craig Harris, On SI

When Patrick Johnson was signed as an EDGE/DE, he had a very long shot at making the roster. Credit to him: he didn’t look at the odds; he focused on the opportunity, and that effort earned him a spot on the roster and respect from Spytek.

"I'll give some respect and some props to Patrick Johnson. This is a guy that we signed on the eve of training camp, like, literally the eve of training camp, and credit to our pro department for setting up that workout and bringing quality guys in like him. And we had followed Patrick for many years with his career in Philadelphia and respected the kind of player and teammate and special teams player he is."

Aug 27, 2026; Paradise, Nevada, USA; San Francisco 49ers quarterback Adrian Martinez (4) looks to throw a pass against Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Patrick Johnson (93) during the third quarter at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

"But every day he showed up and worked, and he got better and better. And you go to the last preseason game against the 49ers, and it's a make-or-break game for a lot of guys and who makes the first tackle on the first kickoff is Patrick Johnson."

Mike Washington Jr. Has Emerged

I told you before the NFL Draft that Kubiak’s system required two running backs. There were four guys on the Raiders' radar. They wanted one of them coming out of the NFL Draft. Mike Washington Jr. (MWJ) was one of them; the Silver and Black got their guy, and Spytek's words show how much they value his skill set.

"Well, I'll give Coach [Klink] Kubiak a lot of credit for this one. He stood on a table for that kid at the start of day three, and this is the perfect scheme fit and we can make this player into a good player, he has what we're looking for. And so, it's hard for any rookie to really carve out meaningful minutes and be as productive as you want them to be."

"And Mike certainly had a great preseason, nobody's taken that away from him, but it gets very real, very fast here now. But I think we're all excited about the track that Mike is on, and I think we have an expectation that he's going to help us win football games this year."

Tokyo Toe Is on Board

Kansei Matsuzawa, AKA the “Tokyo Toe,” was a long shot to make the Raiders' 53-man roster, but he was always pegged for the practice squad, where his incredible talent could develop. But don’t let his spot on said squad fool you; the Raiders, and more importantly Spytek, believe in him.

"Well, we obviously knew from the start this was a developmental player, and he's fairly new to the kicking game, and we saw a lot of quality work from Kansei [Matsuzawa] in practice. You all probably saw some of it too in some of the special teams periods. Some of it when practice was closed. He kicked well, and so the next step is obviously when the bright lights are on and it really matters."

"It's kind of like going to the driving range, everybody can rip 400-yard drives you feel like on the driving range, but then when you're standing out there and there's water on the left and out of bounds on the right, it gets a little harder. So that's the next step for Kansei. But we like the worker. We like how dedicated he is to his craft, and we're excited to keep working with him."

Non-Offensive Offensive Line

Atonio Mafi, Spencwer Burford, Kolton Miller | Darrell Craig Harris, On SI

For far too long, the Raiders' offensive line has been truly offensive. Last year they were terrible. But back from injury come two starters, Kolton Miller and Jackson Powers-Johnson, and a generational talent in Tyler Linderbaum is added, along with a terrific free agent in Spencer Burford and one of the most versatile rookies in a long time, Trey Zuhn III. Remembering you already had some talent that needed coaching, you bring in the best OL coach in the NFL, the great Rick Dennison.

Things are looking up, way up, for the no-longer-offensive offensive line. Spytek discussed them in detail.

Kirk Cousins, Tyler Linderbaum | Darrell Craig Harris, On SI

"I think we ran it very well in the preseason, and that's a good starting point. But we have a long way to go. Certainly, we're excited with Tyler Linderbaum, and what he's brought to that room from a leadership standpoint, a professional standpoint, but also a play standpoint. And like every position group, we're just looking for constant improvement and embracing the coaching and understanding a new scheme."

"That's hard for those guys to understand another new scheme. But I think they're all leaning into it well, and I'm excited about the track that they're on. But again, they have to go earn it here in a week and a half."

Jermod McCoy: A Gift!

The Las Vegas Raiders stole Jermod McCoy in the NFL Draft when teams shied away, not because he was injured, but because they thought a previous injury could lead to another. That fear didn’t stop the Raiders from operating in faith, and they pounced to start day three. A decision Spytek doesn’t regret.

"Well, we're excited about Jermod [McCoy], and I wasn't - I don't think Starkey [Brian Stark] was, and as a building, I don't think we were apprehensive when we made the pick. We were committed to the player. We were committed to our plan with him, and I think that maybe the most exciting thing that we can say at this point is he's a great kid."

"He's a tireless worker, and he's been on the grass and on the turf, really every opportunity that he's had so far. He's played in three preseason games. I think he's missed one practice, so I think we're all excited about the track that he's on."

Watch Our Latest Podcast

Add us as a preferred source on Google