Las Vegas Raiders: 3 Biggest Offseason Questions

Are the Raiders buying what Klint Kubiak is selling?

In addition to winning a Super Bowl as offensive coordinator of the Seahawks last season, Kubiak was the San Francisco 49ers passing game coordinator when they went to Super Bowl LVIII in 2023. His first NFL coaching gig came in 2016, when he was hired by the defending Super Bowl 50 champion Denver Broncos — who were coached by Gary Kubiak, Klint’s father.

So the Raiders’ rookie head coach knows a thing or two about winning team culture. When players first gathered for OTAs this spring, the headline was that their helmets were missing the iconic Raiders logo. Kubiak told them the Raiders shield was something they must earn. He particularly emphasized the importance of learning the proud history of this franchise.

And when the players returned for minicamp in June, Kubiak rewarded them.

"I just think we knew from the start that we were all just trying to do our part to make the Raiders better and to earn the shield,” Kubiak told reporters on June 11. “They've bought in and they're working their tail off. So, I thought they definitely earned that thing, but that's an everyday thing for us to earn the respect of the organization, of the Raiders that have come before us, players and coaches, and that's something that we take really seriously. And we spent a lot of time this offseason talking about the history of the team and getting our players familiar with who are these faces around the building, who are the great Raiders by position, and that's something really important to me that we educate the team on the history of this place."

When will Fernando Mendoza start?

Okay, sorry, this isn’t exactly an offseason question.

“It’s going to reveal itself, especially in training camp,” Kubiak said in May, when asked when he’ll name his starting quarterback.

Of course, the Raiders signed veteran QB Kirk Cousins this offseason, and the general belief is that Cousins — who played in Kubiak’s offense when both were with the Minnesota Vikings — will start as QB1 and be a bridge to the Mendoza era.

“If you watched Kirk play his last four games in Atlanta, you saw what he can do,” Kubiak said. “He's getting healthier. He's played really good football for us this time of year, and we're counting on him come the season."

Mendoza, meanwhile, said he was feeling comfortable with the offense after going through his first NFL minicamp. And while they won’t set any timetable for their star rookie to start, Kubiak and his staff like what they’ve seen.

“You see the way he interacts with everybody, the way he is in the huddle, the way he is in between his reps talking to guys,” said assistant head coach Mike McCoy. “He's a leader, and he's got a very bright future. He understands the challenge at hand, what he has to do to become a pro and learn, and I can't say enough about the coaches in the quarterback room, and then the vets that are here helping him. And then the other teammates that are helping him learn how to be a pro and what it's about playing in the NFL."

Is Maxx Crosby ready to be a force again?

The excitement surrounding Mendoza has somewhat managed to distract from the pre-draft nightmare that was the Maxx Crosby non-trade. You’ll recall, Crosby was not happy when the team benched him for the final two games of the season, even though he did need knee surgery. Crosby demanded a trade … but after sending the star pass rusher to the Baltimore Ravens for a slew of draft picks, Baltimore shockingly reneged on the deal, claiming Crosby was damaged goods. Crosby and the Raiders both questioned that claim.

There is some speculation the team will still try to move him, though the team says otherwise.

"I don't really want to talk about that, to be honest,” Crosby said on June 3 when asked about the ordeal. “It's water under the bridge, it's a long time ago. … You can't really anticipate a lot, but ultimately I've been through a lot in my life. This is nothing to me. It is what it is. I'm here, and I want to be here, and I'm excited to be here, and I've got a lot of work to do. But yeah, it's water under the bridge."

Crosby, who had 10 sacks last season and has 69.5 over his seven-year career, drew praise from his coaches and teammates when he went out on the field for stretching during minicamp. He says he’ll be ready for training camp.

“I'm fired up,” he said. “Everyone knows my love and appreciation for this organization, that never changed from day one. It's part of the business, there's a lot of other things that don't need to be discussed, but ultimately, I'm exactly where I want to be.”