As the rebuilding phase gets underway, two critical questions loom: the future of veteran defensive end Maxx Crosby and the team’s plan for the top pick in the draft, with all eyes on quarterback Fernando Mendoza. The Super Bowl-winning offensive coordinator, Klint Kubiak, recently spoke to the defensive player when he arrived in Vegas as the new head coach.

“I look forward to continuing those conversations,” said Kubiak during the first press conference with the Raiders. “We want him to be part of our success going forward.”

New coach Klint Kubiak’s tenure began with a crucial conversation with disgruntled star Maxx Crosby, but it may have been too little, too late. Reports have already surfaced that Crosby, frustrated with the team’s direction and a controversial stint on injured reserve last season, has requested a trade, putting the new regime in a difficult position before it has even settled in.

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He seemingly disagreed with the decision, believing he was healthy enough to wrap up the season on a high note.

Crosby was the fourth-round pick from the 2019 NFL Draft. The defensive end spent seven seasons with the silver and black, becoming one of the key defensive players of the franchise. Even though the Raiders struggled with inconsistency in the past few seasons, the 28-year-old’s individual output remained unchanged, as he has been in the Pro Bowl for five consecutive seasons, including the 2025 season.

The Raiders finished at the bottom of the AFC West last season, but the defensive end’s consistency showed no signs of fading. Despite the Raiders finishing at the bottom of the AFC West, Crosby remained a dominant force, earning his fifth consecutive Pro Bowl nod after registering 45 solo tackles and 10 sacks in 15 games. While navigating the situation with their defensive cornerstone is Kubiak’s priority, his biggest challenge lies in rebuilding a broken offense, a process that begins with the No. 1 pick in the upcoming NFL Draft.

Fernando Mendoza emerges as the Raiders’ top QB prospect

After finishing the 2025 NFL season with a 3-14 record, the Raiders hold the number one overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. Given the advantage, Fernando Mendoza is emerging as the favorite pick after guiding the Indiana Hoosiers to the national championship in college football and winning the Heisman Trophy.

During the same press conference, the Raiders’ head coach was asked about Mendoza and the flexibility of having the number one draft choice.

“The resources the Raiders have, this building, having cap space, having the 1st pick, that all goes into the decision,” said Kubiak. “As far as who the 1st pick will be, we have a lot of tape to watch to figure out who it’ll be.”

The team’s ineffective quarterback play makes drafting a new signal-caller a top priority. The primary Raiders quarterback, Geno Smith, fell short of expectations in the 2025 season, securing only 3025 passing yards while throwing an alarming 17 interceptions. Now, the 35-year-old is expected to be traded or released by the Raiders, although his contract runs through 2027.

With Geno Smith’s future uncertain, Mendoza emerges as a promising long-term solution at quarterback. He registered the most touchdowns (41) alongside 3535 passing yards in the 2025 season. Given the way Kubiak maximized Sam Darnold’s abilities as the Seahawks OC last season, he could very well repeat that success with the Raiders’ prospective new QB.