Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza is widely expected to be the No. 1 overall pick in the upcoming 2026 NFL Draft. That pick belongs to the Las Vegas Raiders, who are entering a new era with head coach Klint Kubiak at the helm.
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With the draft about a month and a half away, the Raiders have already started laying the ground work to build their franchise around Mendoza. NFL free agency officially commenced on Monday, and the Raiders wasted no time making several impact moves.
Raiders building around Fernando Mendoza with busy first day of NFL free agency
After a 3-14 season last year, the Raiders have lots of hole to fill on their roster for 2026. They addressed several of those issues with a busy first day of NFL free agency.
On the offensive side of the ball, Las Vegas signed C Tyler Linderbaum and WR Jalen Nailor. The Linderbaum signing is arguably the biggest of Vegas' moves, as it means Mendoza will be taking snaps from a three-time Pro Bowler and one of the best centers in the NFL. Linderbaum's deal comes with a price tag of $81 million and $60 million guaranteed over three years, making him the highest-paid center in the NFL and the highest-paid interior offensive lineman in NFL history.
Nailor's number won't jump off the page, but he is a seasoned wideout who can emerge into a reliable target for Mendoza in 2026. Nailor had just one drop on 53 targets this past season, and is able to make contested catches all over the field.
The defense saw plenty of free agency action, as the Raiders signed LB Quay Walker, LB Nakobe Dean, DE Kwity Paye, CB Eric Stokes, and DE Malcolm Koonce. They also traded for CB Taron Johnson.
Raiders’ additions today:
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 9, 2026
🏈C Tyler Linderbaum: 3-years, $81M
🏈LB Quay Walker: 3-years, $40.5M
🏈LB Nakobe Dean: 3-years, $36M
🏈WR Jalen Nailor: 3-years, $35M
🏈Kwity Paye: 3-years, $48M
🏈CB Eric Stokes: 3-years, $30M
🏈DE Malcolm Koonce: 1-year, $11M
🏈Trade for CB Taron… https://t.co/CIAPDjQNyY
The defense is now without 5-time Pro Bowl DE Max Crosby, as he was traded to the Ravens for a pair of 1st Round picks. One of those picks is for April's draft in the form of the No. 14 overall selection.
After the majority of their free agency signings came on the defensive side of the ball, it may be advantageous for Las Vegas to use that 14th overall pick on an offensive lineman to prodive further protection for Mendoza. Several impact offensive linemen should still be available at that point in the draft, which gives Vegas plenty of options to choose from.
This free agency frenzy from the Raiders show that they are ready to turn things around in 2026. They may not be the craziest moves out there, but they show that the franchise doesn't want to be a bottom feeder again in 2026.
With Mendoza leading the offense as well as another top-15 pick and plenty more cap space to work with, Indiana's Heisman Trophy winning QB could be heading to a decent situation in Vegas for his rookie season.