Aug 23, 2025; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Las Vegas Raiders tight end Brock Bowers (89) against the Arizona Cardinals during a preseason NFL game at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

How the Raiders Can Address Their Biggest Roster Concerns

Originally posted on Las Vegas Raiders on SI
By Fernando Alfaro-Donis | Last updated Feb 1, 2026 6:00 AM ET

The Las Vegas Raiders have multiple needs in their roster that have to be addressed this offseason. They have plenty of cap space they can use to fix their most glaring issues, and draft picks to inject youth in areas that need it.

The first overall pick will likely be used on Fernando Mendoza, as it should be the Raiders need a franchise quarterback. Outside of that though, the Raiders need to use their draft picks wisely and use them on players they actually plan on playing.

Draft Day Plan

Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Ryan Smith writes for Pro Football Focus, and he wrote an article breaking down how each team should go about addressing its biggest need. For the Raiders, it's clear that they need to use the pick they earned to give themselves their play caller of the future.

"There is a lot to be determined as far as the 2026 NFL Draft goes, but we can anticipate that the Raiders will select Heisman Trophy and national championship-winning quarterback Fernando Mendoza with the first overall pick", said Smith.

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Mendoza is a no-brainer of a selection, even if he is one of the weakest quarterback prospects projected to go first overall. Regardless, he has a lot of potential and has proved he has what it takes to uplift a franchise from the depths of mediocrity.

"Mendoza earned elite PFF passing grades on both intermediate and deep throws and was poised under pressure (70.0-plus PFF passing grade under pressure). Geno Smith is still under contract but is coming off his lowest-graded season (60.9) in more than a decade and will be 36 years old at the end of next season, making Mendoza the easy choice to be the franchise player moving forward".

Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Geno Smith shouldn't be their starting quarterback next season, and I wouldn't be surprised if they find a team interested in him as a spot-starter. Quarterback play isn't the whole reason why this team only won three games, but Smith leading the league in interceptions and bogging down their offense with his questionable decision-making made it impossible for them to play complementary football.

That's what the Raiders are getting in Mendoza, even if it doesn't lead to success right away. They're getting a chance to be successful in the future, and they didn't have that with Smith. They still need to find the right man for their head coaching job, but that's the last piece that's missing for them to compete.

This article first appeared on Las Vegas Raiders on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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