Why Excitement Should Fill the Air for 2026 Raiders

Here is what Las Vegas' head coach had to say during his Tuesday presser.

Jun 9, 2026; Henderson, NV, USA; Las Vegas Raiders coach Klint Kubiak during minicamp at Intermountain Health Performance Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Las Vegas Raiders open up their training camp today, and it's finally time to see what the Silver and Black have to offer ahead of the 2026 NFL season.

While speaking with the media during his press conference availability on Tuesday, head coach Klint Kubiak previewed how the operation will look, starting with how the quarterbacks will be deployed.

Kubiak's Thoughts

Jun 9, 2026; Henderson, NV, USA; Las Vegas Raiders coach Klint Kubiak (left) and quarterback Kirk Cousins (8) during minicamp at Intermountain Health Performance Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

• "You get the off days, so it's good; we can reflect after three days," Kubiak said. "We have a starting point on where those reps want to be for the guys. I know we're really thoughtful about how many reps each guy's getting against what defense. There's going to be times where it moves, and certain guys are with the twos, certain guys with the threes; we'll get second guy with the ones. We have an early-on plan, but it's always a moving target."

Overall Takeaways

May 28, 2026; Henderson, NV, USA; Las Vegas Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak looks on during organized team activities at Intermountain Health Performance Center. Mandatory Credit: Candice Ward-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

It's a welcome sight to hear a head coach valuing accountability and responsibility, which have been somewhat nonexistent over the last several years, especially in 2025. The Raiders have been overlooked throughout the offseason, but if you have listened to Kubiak and his players speak over the last several months, it is clear that they expect big things in Las Vegas this season.

While the consensus opinion is that the Raiders are a rebuilding team and unlikely to compete for anything substantial in 2026, the additions the front office made via free agency and the draft say otherwise. As much of an uphill battle as Las Vegas is presumably facing in the coming months, this roster has multiple pieces that the other 31 organizations would love to have at their disposal.

Jun 9, 2026; Henderson, NV, USA; Las Vegas Raiders quarterbacks coach Mike Sullivan (left), owner Mark Davis (center) and general manager John Spytek during minicamp at Intermountain Health Performance Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Reaching the playoffs is not a guarantee by any stretch, but with Kubiak at head coach and a much-improved roster, the Raiders could be the surprise team in the NFL this upcoming season. Teams around the league should not sleep on Las Vegas, and if they do, they could find themselves losing a game they weren't expecting to.

I believe the Raiders could become a legitimate playoff contender in 2026 if everything falls right. Again, the team's success will depend largely on how well Cousins runs the offense. If that unit is at least competent, Las Vegas has an opportunity to compete in every one of its contests. The 2026 campaign will be an exciting year for the Raiders and their passionate fans.