Why AJ Cole Is Raiders’ Ultimate Secret Weapon

Training camp season is in full swing around the NFL, as teams are giving their fan bases glimpses of how their team will look next season. The Las Vegas Raiders are no exception, and if there were any training camp for Raider Nation to pay attention to, it would be this one.

The quarterback competition between Kirk Cousins and Fernando Mendoza will be one of the biggest talking points of any team during this part of the offseason, but training camp is so much bigger than just one position battle.

This will be Raider Nation's first glimpse at how Klint Kubiak operates as a head coach, the offensive schemes he plans to prioritize during the season, and how good the weapons he brought in for their offense look in Silver and Black.

Another big talking point will be how their defense has improved, with them making plenty of adjustments on that side of the ball. However, I don't think enough attention is going to how effective their special teams unit will be next season.

Money Man

Las Vegas Raiders AJ Cole, and Pete Carroll | Darrell Craig Harris, On SI

AJ Cole was once the highest-paid punter in the NFL, and even with a full season passing since he got his massive extension, he's still comfortably in the top five for his position. His knack for pinning teams deep in their own territory is an underrated advantage for the Raiders.

Ironically enough, last season may have been his worst in his seven-year tenure with the Raiders. His punts landed inside the opposing teams 20 year line only 33.8% of the time, while attempting 71 punts last season. His net-average punt yards last season were only 39.7, the second-lowest in his career after his rookie campaign.

Playing Off Each Other

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

Cole may have had a down season in 2025, but which player on the Raiders didn't? I think he's fully capable of bouncing back and being one of the best punters in the NFL once again. It helps that their roster has been overhauled with so much talent that he won't be asked to punt nearly as much as he did last season.

Even if their offense does stall out, their new and improved defense will be better suited to stop teams from advancing the ball down the field, which means their punts inside the 20 may prove to be drive-killers for opposing offenses before they've even reached the field. The Raiders not relying so much on punts in 2026 also means he can rest his leg and ensure that when they need a big punt, he'll be able to deliver it.

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