Jan 4, 2026; Paradise, Nevada, USA; The Las Vegas Raiders shield logo at midfield at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Identifying the Raiders' Most Pressing Issue

Originally posted on Las Vegas Raiders on SI
By Ezekiel Trezevant | Last updated Feb 16, 2026 12:09 PM ET

The Las Vegas Raiders have had one issue plague them for several seasons.

The Raiders' Real Issue

Thomas Valentin of Pro Football Focus noted what is undoubtedly Las Vegas' most pressing issue at this point in the offseason. After quickly filling all three of his coordinator positions, Kubiak has addressed the hardest part of filling out his coaching staff.

Kubiak will continue to add assistants, but the Raiders' coaching staff is largely set. Las Vegas' most pressing issue is now its roster. After a 3-14 campaign in which everything went wrong, the Raiders are set to use its wealth of resources to rebuild what is one of the worst rosters in the league.

Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

"The 2025 season was one to forget. The Raiders finished 3–14 and parted ways with head coach Pete Carroll after just one year. The defense posted a league-worst 49.2 PFF grade, while the offensive line ranked bottom-five in both pass-blocking and run-blocking grades. Like several teams at the bottom of the standings, Las Vegas is dealing with a significant talent gap," Valentine said.

"Now, former [Seattle] Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak, fresh off a Super Bowl victory, takes on the challenge. Notably, Kubiak helped maximize a Seahawks offensive line that wasn’t considered elite on paper. The question now is whether he can replicate that success in Las Vegas while the roster continues to take shape."

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Kubiak marks the fourth head coach the Raiders have had in as many seasons. Las Vegas' roster has been the one consistently subpar factor in each of the Raiders' past three coaching regimes. Under Kubiak, Las Vegas absolutely must tear down the roster and rebuild it in a way that fits today's game.

Kubiak has a plan to maximize the Raiders' roster. It will continue to be an offseason of change for the Raiders. The most significant changes must happen along its roster. The talent gap between the Raiders and their competition has been evident for years. It is time to fix that problem.

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“To me, what happens years in advance is something I'm not thinking about right now. We're trying to put together a great staff of teachers. We got to get some really good teachers and coaches here, and get us all on the same page and get our players going in the same direction,” Kubiak said.

“That communication is really important. I think if we can put together a great staff here and get our players up to date on these playbooks and the things we expect of them, then the results speak for themselves after that.

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

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