The Las Vegas Raiders entered the 2026 offseason with one of the largest cap spaces in the NFL, and when free agency opened, General Manager John Spytek wasted no time .
In his first full offseason running the operation, Spytek brought in a wave of veterans designed to address immediate needs while keeping the Raiders competitive in the AFC West. Now, with his sights on the NFL Draft, we're seeing a clearer picture of what the Raiders may do next month in Pittsburgh .
All of it sets the table for head coach Klint Kubiak's first season.
"We won three games last year," Spytek said at the NFL Scouting Combine last month. "We've got to be super honest with where we're at. We've got a lot of needs to address and we've got a lot of capital to do it."
Related: Raiders 2026 Free Agency: Spytek's Day 1 Haul Jumpstarts Rebuild
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Free agency can address roster holes, but some needs can only be solved through the draft. The 2026 NFL Draft runs April 23-25 in Pittsburgh , and Las Vegas holds the No. 1 overall pick along with nine additional selections — including picks in the second and third rounds and three fourth-round choices.
With seven weeks until Pittsburgh, Spytek and Kubiak are meeting internally and with prospects to make sure they get every pick right. And if the right trade opportunity surfaces, expect them to be ready.
Also read: John Spytek Is Outplaying Every GM in the AFC West This Offseason
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Based on the Raiders' free agency moves, the path Spytek takes is already coming into focus.
The Raiders are widely expected to select quarterback Fernando Mendoza with the first overall pick. Kubiak, who served as offensive coordinator in Seattle , has experience developing young passers and building an offense around them.
Everything after that is where the real decisions begin. Let's look at the Raiders' needs entering the draft and their high-level overall approach vs. needs.
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In the second and third rounds, the Raiders have a couple of clear options — shore up either side of the line or target a true No. 1 receiver.
On offense, the foundation already exists. Linderbaum anchors at center, and veteran left tackle Kolton Miller provides Mendoza with a trusted blindside protector. How Spytek views the guard spots and right tackle — including what he gets out of Jackson Powers-Johnson, the versatile lineman drafted in the second round two years ago — will determine how aggressive the Raiders are in adding offensive line help.
Defensively, the interior gets a boost from the returns of both Malcolm Koonce and Maxx Crosby , whose trade to Baltimore fell through when the Ravens backed out of a deal that would have sent two first-round picks to Las Vegas. Add Tyree Wilson and a veteran presence like Adam Butler, and the defensive line has real building blocks.
Football games are won in the trenches. This position group is the one to watch come draft night.
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Finding a receiver who can be Mendoza's go-to target is the other pressing need. Whoever the Raiders draft here has to fit Spytek's offensive system and be willing to work alongside Jack Bech, a versatile, proven contributor who Spytek clearly believes in .
"I trust Jack Bech the football player," Spytek said. "Where he aligns, we're going to move people all over the place. I think you guys saw how Klint used Jaxson Smith-Njigba. We're going to move them all over the place. We're not going to be an offense where we just stick a guy and he's the No. 1 on the outside.
"I don't think there's many of those walking on the face of the earth: the true 'X.' So, if you're lucky to get one of them, you hang on for dear life. If you don't, you work with what you've got."
The receivers Spytek signed in free agency — Nailor and Young — project more as special teams contributors or complementary options at the No. 2 and No. 3 spots. That makes a true difference-maker at receiver a legitimate draft priority.
Later rounds are where teams find diamonds in the rough — players like Crosby, a fourth-round pick, or even Raiders minority owner Tom Brady , who lasted until the sixth round.
Behind Ashton Jeanty , the backfield depth is thin, with Dylan Laube and Chris Collier as the other options. Under Kubiak in Seattle, both Kenneth Walker III and Zach Charbonnet got consistent touches when healthy. If Kubiak runs a similar scheme in Las Vegas, a tailback in the middle rounds makes sense.
Cornerback depth is another area worth monitoring. Stokes returns, but the value of depth behind him becomes obvious the moment an injury strikes.
The options are there. What matters now is how Spytek and his scouting staff use the next seven weeks to build the board.
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