Well before the 2026 NFL Draft was set to begin, the Las Vegas Raiders began laying the ground work to build the franchise around Fernando Mendoza.
Las Vegas moved on from Pete Carroll after just one season and hired offensive guru Klint Kubiak to be the franchise's new head coach. The Raiders then let Geno Smith go, which opened the door for Mendoza. Furthermore, the Raiders made solid roster acquisitions on both sides of the ball.
Las Vegas GM John Spytek bolstered the offense by bringing in C Tyler Linderbaum, WR Jalen Naylor, and 14-year NFL QB Kirk Cousins. Cousins could be the perfect mentor for Mendoza as he begins his NFL career, while Linderbaum is one of the best centers in the NFL. Naylor is an under-the-radar receiver who could be on breakout watch.
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The defense also got a face-lift, as Las Vegas added LB Quay Walker, LB Nakobe Dean, DE Kwity Paye, CB Eric Stokes, and DE Malcolm Koonce in free agency, while also trading for CB Taron Johnson.
All of those roster moves have things looking up for Las Vegas after a 3-14 season in 2025-26.
Raiders owner Mark Davis is eager to see Fernando Mendoza lead Las Vegas' rebuild
The Raiders are a proud franchise that has fallen on tough times in recent seasons. But owner Mark Davis is excited about the future with Mendoza at the helm of the offense.
In a recent interview with JT The Brick for Raider Nation Radio, Davis expressed his excitement about the future of the Raiders after selecting Mendoza with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
"With Fernando Mendoza coming in as potentially the starting quarterback is just so exciting. We've got the pieces in place; it's going to take a while to get all the players and everything, but I believe we're at the forefront of getting this thing going again."Mark Davis
With Mendoza's pin-point accuracy, strong athleticism, elite football IQ, and NFL-ready frame at 6'5" 230 pounds, there is a lot to like about his potential. Coming off a historic campaign in which he won the Heisman Trophy and led Indiana to a historc 16-0 season and National Championship, Mendoza is looking to bring that winning pedigree to Las Vegas.
It's interesting that Davis mentioned Mendoza as "potentially" being the starting quarterback for the Raiders this season. Nothing is guaranteed, but Mendoza figures to get every opportunity to earn the Week 1 starting job.
Davis also mentioned that while he is happy with how the offseason has gone, he wants to see that translate into success on the gridiron.
"We continually win the offseason, it's time to now make it translate to the regular season. I do feel a different vibe around this building right now. Everybody really is working together. Everybody seems to be on the same page. It seems like we're ready to go for a long-term, sustained growth now."Mark Davis
Mendoza is just one piece of the puzzle, but he's a big piece. Despite being with the franchise for just over two weeks, Mendoza is Las Vegas' most prized asset and undoubtedly the most impactful player when it comes to building the Raiders back up into a contender.
Mendoza seems to be set up for success as he begins his NFL career this fall. Along with the well-rounded roster moves the Raiders have made this offseason, Mendoza figures to have a strong corner of QB mentors. Cousins has seen a little bit of everything during his 14-year NFL career, and seven-time Super Bowl winner and NFL legend Tom Brady is a minority owner of the franchise.
As Mendoza prepares for his first NFL season, Hoosier football fans are sure to be cheering him on all throughout the process.
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