HENDERSON, Nev. -- The Las Vegas Raiders used the offseason to build optimism for the future.
Besides hiring Klint Kubiak to be their head coach , the Raiders were aggressive in free agency to fill multiple position needs with quality players who are still in the prime of their careers. Las Vegas added more hope for the future with a 10-player draft class , highlighted by first overall pick quarterback Fernando Mendoza .
With the Raiders set to report for training camp on July 28, here's a look at how their roster changed this offseason, including a verdict on whether each position group got better, worse, or stayed the same as a result of those moves. (The Raiders' full depth chart can be found here .) Quarterback Notable subtractions : Geno Smith ( traded to New York Jets ), Kenny Pickett ( one-year, $7.5 million deal with the Carolina Panthers ) Notable additions: Fernando Mendoza (first-round pick), Kirk Cousins ( one-year, fully guaranteed $20 million deal that also contains a club option for two years at $80 million) Better, worse or the same?
Better The Raiders have a short- and long-term plan at quarterback, which is something they haven't had in quite some time. Cousins allows Las Vegas to be patient with Mendoza, and lessens its need to play the 2025 Heisman Trophy winner right away.
The four-time Pro Bowler has familiarity with Kubiak's system, and his experience could be beneficial to Mendoza's growth, as well. Mendoza is the first quarterback the Raiders drafted in the first round since 2007, and rightfully so.
In his lone season at Indiana, he threw for 3,535 yards, 41 touchdowns and six interceptions while leading his team to victories in the Big Ten and College Football Playoff National Championship. Mendoza has shown he can be a good decision-maker and handle high-pressure situations.
Of course, Mendoza has to adjust to playing under center, but it's not a task he cannot handle. Running back Notable subtractions: Zamir White , Raheem Mostert Notable additions : Mike Washington Jr .
(fourth-round pick) Better, worse or the same? Better Ashton Jeanty 's rookie season might be considered underwhelming by most.
And yet, he still finished with 1,321 yards from scrimmage, including 975 rushing, and 10 total touchdowns. Las Vegas is expected to have better coaching under Kubiak, and the offensive line should be improved, as well.
With that said, Jeanty has a strong chance to have improved numbers and consistent production in Year 2. Washington has the potential to grow into a second option in the backfield, as he has a nice blend of size and speed.
At Arkansas, he rushed for 1,070 yards, with 606 yards coming after first contact, and eight touchdowns. Washington also totaled 28 catches for 226 yards and a touchdown.
Kubiak expects Jeanty to have a heavy workload, but that shouldn't take away from Washington playing meaningful snaps. He had reps with the second team and occasionally with the first-team offense during the offseason program.
Wide receiver Notable subtractions: Tyler Lockett Notable additions: Jalen Nailor (three-year, $35 million deal), Malik Benson (sixth-round pick), Dareke Young (one-year, $1.8 million deal) Better, worse or the same? Same Tre Tucker posted a career-high 696 receiving yards in 17 games played in 2025.
The fourth-year wideout was on track to finish the year with 1,000 yards, but as the offense continued to struggle, his numbers remained steady. Tucker had 24 catches for 356 yards and four touchdowns on 33 targets in the first six games.
He recorded 33 catches for 340 yards and a touchdown on 60 targets for the remainder of the season. The Raiders will certainly need Tucker to play more like the player he was during the early parts of last season than the one he was toward the end.
Better quarterback play and playcalling should help. Nailor's production improved during his final two seasons with the Minnesota Vikings , establishing himself as a reliable third option in the wide receiver room.
Now that he no longer has to play alongside Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison , he can insert himself as No. 2 or maybe the top wide receiver.
Having two speedsters in Nailor and Tucker should benefit Cousins and Mendoza. There are questions surrounding the rest of the group.
Can Jack Bech and Dont'e Thornton Jr . improve after quiet rookie seasons?
Bech, a second-round pick, looked comfortable down the stretch, but overall, he was underwhelming, finishing with 20 catches for 224 yards