How Raiders Could Change Entire Team Perception in 2026

Hope is what fuels the Las Vegas Raiders fanbase this summer because, for the first time in many years, there seems to be a sense of direction from the organization. For once, you can envision a plan coming together—one that would put the franchise on a path to success in a wildly competitive AFC West, which Patrick Mahomes has run for nearly a decade.

Hope, the plan, and a path have reengaged Raiders Nation; it could help the team change its entire perspective for 2026 and beyond.

Raiders' Offseason Has Given Fans Hope

It started last spring, when general manager John Spytek began rebuilding the roster. A 3-14 season followed, bringing dismay to Raiders fans who were wondering what needed to happen to turn this bad boy around into something to look forward to, and landing the No. 1 overall selection after the final game of the regular season became a launching point for that.

The intrigue began to gain steam, even after the no-trade of Maxx Crosby. Owners Mark Davis and Tom Brady, along with Spytek, made Super Bowl-winning offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak their head coach. Then, the general manager attacked free agency with over $100 million, signing center Tyler Linderbaum to a record deal, upgrading the linebacker position with former Georgia teammates Quay Walker and Nakobe Dean, and signing serviceable starters on both sides of the ball.

Then came the biggest moment in recent franchise memory, as the Raiders made the obvious decision to select former Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback and national champion Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 overall pick. Spytek continued to build the floor, adding high-ceiling talents and potential starters down the line throughout the draft class, several of whom could see the field on opening weekend.

A Year of Serious Improvement Could Spark Supreme Optimism

Long story short: this is the type of offseason you need to instill hope within a fanbase, and the Raiders were able to do just that. On paper, this is still a 10-loss team, but they are far from the unit they were last fall, where they lost 14 games. The additions, including quarterback Kirk Cousins and offensive coordinator Andrew Janocko, have improved the quality of talent on both sides of the ball.

The roster and coaching improvement—more so the systems likely to be installed—should give Vegas a chance to change its perception. I expect them to double their win total this season, and it could put the rest of the league and the Raiders' division on notice; they're a team on the rise, ready to jump at postseason aspirations in 2027.