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Clint Kubiak has been the Raiders head coach for approximately three months. He has already told his front office that the time for explanations is over.

“I’m very familiar with the resources and facilities the Raiders have,” Kubiak told Raiders.com. “I was practicing here when I was with the 49ers, playing at Allegiant. It’s as good as it gets.” “So as coaches and administrators we have no excuse for not going out and getting great players and getting them to perform at their best.”

This is the kind of quote that travels. It also sets the tone for what analysts are predicting when the OTAs come out.

Other insiders are excited about Raiders 2026

The Athletic’s Sam Warren made a post-draft case for cautious optimism, pointing to the under-the-radar work done following the Mendoza selection.

“There was always going to be something to be excited about in this draft class because of Fernando Mendoza,” Warren wrote. “But what the Raiders did on days two and three should also be cause for optimism. Las Vegas addressed its lack of defensive backs in a big way, drafting four of them, all of whom are known for their ball skills,” Warren wrote.

The quarterback room is where most national pundits are descending on this week. He is of great interest in the position battle for Clint Kubiak’s Raiders.

CBS Sports analyst Nate Burleson, seen in the Sports Illustrated video, did not say anything about the QB1 conversation. “I think Kirk is going to miss that opportunity. Mendoza is just not going to be able to beat Kirk Cousins. Kirk is still a veteran quarterback, and if you look at the money they paid him, he’s going to play quarterback there,” Burleson said.

Kubiak isn’t holding back on QB framing

Clint Kubiak places no emphasis on the framing created by Burelson. It has made it more complicated.

Kubiak said, “Between Kirk, Aiden and Fernando, they’re three really outstanding players. We’re going to coach our own team, but no matter what they do they always bring out the best in each other.” “So, when it’s a competitive room, it’s a good thing,”

The phrase competitive room keeps coming up again and again. So, what does the phrase “there’s still a long way to go” mean?

Owner Mark Davis opened another door this week by saying, “Fernando Mendoza potentially coming in as the starting QB is very exciting,” Davis said, contradicting the soft consensus that Cousins ​​has locked down the job.

read between the lines. Cousins ​​arrived knowing the offense, having played three seasons under Kubiak at Minnesota. Mendoza comes in as the No. 1 overall pick, the reigning Heisman winner, and by his own admission, is still learning to take a snap from under center.

Nothing is certain about that. Kubiak likes it that way.

Scott Gulbransen, a quintessential expert in the field of sports journalism, serves as an editor, nfl , mlb , Formula 1 … More about Scott Gulbransen

During the NFL Draft, the Las Vegas Raiders focused heavily on their secondary. They needed it.

Last season, only Tennessee and Miami allowed opponent quarterbacks to complete passes at a higher clip than the Raiders, who tied Dallas for the third-highest opponent completion percentage in the league.

General manager Jon Spityek used four of the team’s 10 picks at cornerback and safety. Las Vegas drafted Arizona safeties Traydon Stukes and Dalton Johnson in the second and fifth rounds. The team added cornerbacks Jermod McCoy and Hezekiah Maas on day three.

“We definitely needed to add competition to the defensive back room,” Clint Kubiak said. “It’s very rare to get two safeties on the same team playing together. It’s exciting. Get two new corners. That was an area on defense we needed to address.”

The question now is how four rookies fit into a defensive rotation that has to handle some of the game’s best pass catchers.

Traydon Stookes highlights the versatility of all four players

Treydan Stukes can rotate at nickelback and safety. At Arizona, he defended in man and zone, played the line of scrimmage and back end, and graded out at 90.1 overall last season – sixth best among cornerbacks nationally.

He allowed a 34.4 passer rating when targeted.

“I’m going to learn both (positions) and wherever I can fit in best and help the team win some games, that’s what I’m going to do,” Stukes said during rookie minicamp.

The Raiders traded down two spots and still took advantage of first-round talent to send them to the second round. Four interceptions and six pass breakups last year show why this matters.

Defensive coordinator Rob Leonard wants the interception. Stukes gives him a ballhawk in the middle of the field.

ALSO READ: Las Vegas Raiders 2026 NFL Draft recap: Best class in years, but the wide receiver room still needs an answer

Arizona teammates join veterans in Raiders secondary

Dalton Johnson was selected at No. 150 due to his versatility. He can play free safety, strong safety, nickelback and the slot. The Day 3 pick has a value of four positions.

Johnson totaled 277 tackles in his final three seasons in Tucson. He’ll learn behind veterans Jeremy Chinn and Isaiah Pola-Mao, who played 96% and 89% of defensive snaps last season – both clearing or approaching 1,000 snaps.

RELATED: Las Vegas Raiders draft recap: Knowing about the selections

Jarmod McCoy proving himself despite knee concerns

Jermod McCoy went from a potential first-round pick to the first pick on Day 3. Injury history ruled him out.

He missed all of 2025 due to a torn ACL at Tennessee. Reports surfaced before the draft that some teams believed a second surgery was imminent due to degenerative concerns surrounding a bone plug in the same knee. The Raiders made a one-spot deal to take him anyway.

“Confidence wasn’t an issue,” said vice president of player personnel Brandon Hunt. “We felt good about where we took him. It was an opportunity to get value. This was probably the best corner in the draft, and we feel like we have great people and a great process to make sure we get the best out of this player.”

Despite the medical report, McCoy worked out of rookie minicamp. At Tennessee in 2024, after transferring from Oregon State, he posted four interceptions and nine pass breakups and earned All-American honors. The next three months will show the attackers what they really have.

Also Read: Las Vegas Raiders QB Fernando Mendoza faced criticism from anonymous coach and it didn’t stop

Maas and McCoy join veteran cornerback room

If Stukes is the ballhawk in the middle, Hezekiah Maas is the ballhawk on the outside.

Masses led the nation with 18 passes defensed last season. He finished seventh with five interceptions and earned AP Second Team All-American honors. At over six feet tall, he reads route concepts well on the field.

The veteran room he and McCoy step into is solid. Teron Johnson comes to Buffalo with eight seasons of double-digit games, 48 ​​pass deflections (seven or more in four consecutive years from 2020-23), 98 tackles and AP All-Pro Second Team honors on his resume. Eric Stokes played more than 90% of the defensive snaps for the Raiders last season – that group included Pola-Mao and Devin White – and added five pass deflections and 53 tackles.

You have two rooms led by veterans and four rookies, which gives the Raiders a lot to be excited about.

As a result, both defensive back rooms have an opportunity to turn their great draft picks into a top unit by combining them with their veterans. The next three months of preparation before the season will tell how far they come along.

ALSO READ: Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver depth chart 2026: No clear No. 1 option heading into training camp

Braven Honda graduated from San Diego State with a bachelor’s degree in Journalism in May 2021. During his time at SDSU, … More about Braven Honda

The Las Vegas Raiders officially began their 2026 offseason schedule on Tuesday. No pad. No live representative. No, Fernando Mendoza is not taking pictures in the silver and black just yet. Just meetings, strength and conditioning work, and rehab of players coming back from injury.

Sounds boring, right?

it.

What happens in those first days, especially how Clint Kubiak runs them, will tell us more about the direction of this franchise than any free agent signing or mock draft projection. Culture doesn’t start in training camp. It doesn’t start with a draft. It starts now, in a building in Henderson, Nevada, with a first-year head coach trying to establish something this organization has lacked for too long: a coherent identity.

Kubiak has a chance to set the tone for whatever is to come this week. How he uses it is what matters.

Meetings are where culture is made – or broken

Stage one is essentially a classroom stage. The players are in the building, they’re conditioning their bodies and they’re sitting in the meeting room. For Kubiak, it’s really an opportunity, not a limitation.

Every new coaching staff faces the same challenge in Year 1: Players are bringing habits, tendencies and, frankly, the baggage of whoever came before them (ahem, Pete Carroll!). The Raiders have had substantial coaching changes in recent years, with some of the veterans having seen this film before. They know how to nod in meetings and wait to see if the new guy is really different. Three coaches will do this to one player in three years.

Clint Kubiak really needs to be different.

This means that messages in those rooms may not be as normal this week. It can’t be “we’ll work hard and hold each other accountable” boilerplate. Raider Nation has heard it. The players in that building have heard it. What they haven’t heard, and what this organization hasn’t had for years, is a clear, specific, non-negotiable vision of how this team will operate. Just not aggressively. Just not in a planned manner. Culturally.

This is Kubiak’s chance to draw that line in the sand before even throwing a single ball.

Max Crosby sets the tone if Kubiak empowers him to do so

Here’s something that isn’t discussed enough: Max Crosby’s presence in that building this week is just as important as Kubiak said.

Crosby’s trade with Baltimore was voided. He is an attacker. And does Kubiak still fully understand it, Crosby is the most important cultural asset he has. Not because of his rush numbers, although they speak for themselves, but because of what Crosby represents to every player who walks through that door.

He decided to stay. He could force his way out. He didn’t.

This means a lot in a locker room environment where players want to see who really believes in what is being built in Vegas. If Kubiak is smart, he’s leaning on Crosby in those early meetings. Not in a fanciful, “let’s cheer on the star” way — but in a genuine acknowledgment that the approach of the veteran leadership and coaching staff has to work in the same direction, or none of it will work.

A coaching staff that sidelines its own culture bearers in Year 1 is a coaching staff that is already behind.

What Kubiak’s approach says about his leadership style

New head coaches fall into two camps as the early offseason begins. Some people treat phase one as a formality, like getting bodies into the building, checking compliance boxes and saving the actual setup for OTAs and training camp. Others consider it the basis.

Given what Jon Spytek and the Raiders have built this offseason, Clint Kubiak can’t afford to treat this as a formality. They are having a voluntary veteran minicamp April 20-22, three days before the draft begins in Pittsburgh. That minicamp, combined with the first two weeks of Phase One, gives Kubiak about three weeks to establish the relational equity he’ll need when real competition begins.

Three weeks is not long. But it is enough to show the players what kind of head coach you are. Does he know their names before he knows your snap counts, do you walk the same way in the practice facility, are the cameras running or not, are the standards you preach the standards you actually enforce.

Attention is paid to those things. They are discussed. They go from veteran to young players faster than any plan.

All eyes are on Kubiak and the tone he sets

Tuesday is the beginning of something. Is this the start of something real. Will this be a cultural change that will actually stick in Las Vegas or not? It depends on what Clint Kubiak actually decides to do these early, quiet, unnatural weeks.

The Raiders have plenty of big moments and bold announcements. What they’re missing is the foundation beneath all this.

The first phase is starting from Tuesday. Now the foundation is laid.

Scott Gulbranson is the editor-in-chief of our Silver & Black TODAY Las Vegas Raiders community, a member of the Pro Football Writers of America, and host of Silver & Black TODAY on 101.5 KDAWN in Las Vegas.

Scott Gulbransen, a quintessential expert in the field of sports journalism, serves as an editor, nfl , mlb , Formula 1 … More about Scott Gulbransen

For the first time since the failed Max Crosby trade, Las Vegas Raiders general manager John Spitek and head coach Clint Kubiak publicly addressed the fallout — and both looked like men who came out the other side just fine.

At the NFL’s annual league meetings in Phoenix this week, the two spoke candidly about the five-time Pro Bowl defensive end and what the chaotic sequence of events at the start of free agency ultimately meant for the franchise.

Las Vegas Raiders GM gets an ‘elite’ member during free agency

Earlier this month, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported on March 6 that a deal was underway to send Crosby to the Baltimore Ravens in exchange for two first-round draft picks. The new league year was required to start on 11 March before the deal could be made official. But before that could happen, Baltimore backed out – citing concerns about Crosby’s surgically repaired knee – and the pass rusher returned to the silver and black.

The timing of that reversal didn’t disrupt the team’s offseason plans as much as it might seem, Spytek said.

“Just the timing of it, it didn’t really happen,” Spytek said. “We did what we did on Monday, and that was Tuesday when it all happened. We had a lot of cap space and a lot of cash was provided to us by Mark [Davis] And the ownership group has to be aggressive and build the team in the best way possible. I’ll echo what Clint said – the way it worked out, it was like we got another elite defensive end in free agency.

Those signings — notably center Tyler Linderbaum and edge rusher Qwity Paye — came during the legal tampering window, just before the Ravens pulled the plug.

Development of a General Manager

Crosby has seen a parade of general managers and head coaches come through the organization since being drafted in 2019. Spytek, who has worked to build trust with his star player from the beginning, said communication between them has never stopped.

“I have had many great conversations with Max since the beginning of his tenure here and we have had many great conversations throughout the season,” Spytek said. “We had a deal at the end of the season, which everyone knows about. We talked about it in the months leading up to the deal. Max and I have continued to have good conversations since. I know he and Clint have had good conversations, too. We just try to tell each other the truth and not have a lot of secrets or unknowns. Max, Clint and I will continue to work that way.”

Spytek also talked about the importance of making those difficult roster decisions – ones that impact players beyond the football field.

“Those are all challenging conversations,” Spytek said. “I try to sit down with that person in that moment and explain the reasons why we’re doing it, and try to be as honest and candid as I can. For me, those are all deeply personal conversations because you know how deeply it affects that person. I don’t just see them as a player. This is changing their lives.”

Also Read: Mark Davis Isn’t Selling the Raiders So Stop Acting Like He Is

Kubiak: “Our team is better now”

Kubiak came to Las Vegas after helping Seattle win the Super Bowl last month, giving him a compressed timeline to assemble his coaching staff — all while watching this trade saga play out in real time.

He didn’t hide how he felt when Spytech told him the deal was off.

“Anytime there’s a trade, you always know there’s a downside to it,” Kubiak said. “Once it happened, I was really excited. When Spy came and talked to me about it, we sat down and my first thing was to smile. ‘Oh, we have Max back. Are you kidding me? It’s great.’ “Our team has gotten better.”

With the signing of Paye, Malcolm Koonce retained, and Tyree Wilson still on the team, Las Vegas enters 2026 with legitimate depth along the defensive line. Crosby’s return only solidifies what was already shaping up to be a priority area.

One remaining question is whether Crosby will be in the reckoning immediately when the regular season opens. He had meniscus surgery in January and is not expected to make a full recovery until this summer.

“These are things we have to work on,” Kubiak said. “We have to get him healthy enough to practice. I know he’s going to put himself in great condition to do that, and we’ll probably have conversations about that as we move forward. Just taking small steps right now.”

The coach did not seem worried about the deadline. He’s seen how Crosby works.

“Max is our guy. He’s the leader on defense.”

Also Read: Las Vegas Raiders: 5 second round pick options for GM John Spytek

Braven Honda graduated from San Diego State with a bachelor’s degree in Journalism in May 2021. During his time at SDSU, … More about Braven Honda

Deandre Ayton has had a mixed start to life with the Los Angeles Lakers, largely due to his new role with the team. Accustomed to being the focal point on offense, it’s no secret that Ayton has faced his struggles being the defensive lynchpin on an offensively stacked roster.

There was even a feud with Houston Rockets star Clint Capela, with Ayton claiming after a game that the Lakers were trying to make him play like the former Atlanta Hawks man. However, things have changed recently, with the 27-year-old recently telling The Athletic that he has taken a part out of his game.

“That’s a fact. That’s a true fact. But I, I scratched him, I took him out. I said… when it comes to scoring, we don’t need that. We need you to put that energy into offense and defense,” he said.

Lakers fans have been saying this since the beginning. However, it appears Ayton needed a ‘mirror session’ to get it on his game.

“I just started looking in the mirror and saying ‘Yo bro, … you’re not that guy. You don’t need to be on this team at all to do this. This team, you’re here to try and be the guy to shut down possessions, get rebounds, run the floor very hard, do big things, outwork superstars,'” he revealed.

And well, even though it came late, the No. 1 pick of the 2018 draft claimed he’s finally “having fun with it,” which also seems like the way to go. The Lakers are one of the most offensively talented teams in recent NBA history, featuring players like LeBron James, Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves as their Big-3, all three of whom have recently returned to form.

This means that Ayton’s job in the team is to shore up the defense and ensure that his team is not weak inside. This undoubtedly represents a huge difference in what a successful game could look like for Ayton.

“I’m telling you, once I sit that long, that’s usually what happens. It’s like… ‘You got kicked out (of the game) for some reason – think about it. But lately it’s been like, ‘No, DA. You’re good.'” he said.

Ayton said he has ‘completely bought in, 110%’, claiming that he was hoping fans would also be able to see the work he was doing. This coincides with the Lakers’ stellar performance recently, with Ayton finishing with a positive plus/minus in each of his last five games.

DeAndre Ayton recently made headlines when he expressed his frustrations about his role for the Los Angeles Lakers. He was heard saying that the Lakers were turning him into “Clint Capela”, as if that in itself was a bad thing.

It seems as if Ayton wants a bigger role in the Lakers offense rather than being relegated to a roll man/dive option for players like Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves and LeBron James. But Ayton hasn’t shown enough consistency to warrant that kind of involvement in the Lakers offense.

Capela has known her role from day one and has tried to be the best version of herself as possible. And from the perspective of retired big man Channing Frye, he urged the Lakers center to do just that in a fiery speech on the Road Trippin’ Show.

“Deandre Ayton is not an expert at anything. In what world would I play basketball to Deandre Ayton when I’m messing with Austin Reeves, LeBron and Luka. Stop it. You’re going to fire JJ Redick. Who’s running those plays? When have you seen consistency in that guy? You’ve never seen it. So he said, ‘They want me to be Clint Capela.’ “Yeah, crap, he’s averaging double that for most of his career,” Fry said.

Deandre Ayton needs to buy into his role for the Lakers

Ayton’s offensive game hasn’t developed enough for him to be a consistent night-in-night option for the Lakers. It may be better to try to help the Lakers win rather than trying to do it your own way.

The 27-year-old big man has flourished on a winning team in the past, as he was the starting center on a team that was two wins away from winning the title. So it’s not that he doesn’t know what it takes to win. Now maybe it’s time for him to look in the mirror and admit that he probably isn’t “the one.”

Following the Los Angeles Lakers’ loss to the Orlando Magic on Tuesday, Deandre Ayton was heard saying the team has put him in a Clint Capela-like role. Capela, who is currently playing for the Houston Rockets, has made his career as a big man who does the dirty work on the glass and on the defensive end.

Capela was never a major scoring threat in the NBA, and he was never one to take many shots during a game. His career average is 8.1 field goal attempts per game, and in his 12-year career so far, he has only had two seasons where he made double-digit shot attempts.

But then again, Capela was a late first-round draft pick. He was not expected to become any kind of star player. He always knew what his role was in the NBA and he played that role well. Ayton, on the other hand, was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 NBA draft. There has only been one season in his eight-year career where he has attempted fewer than 10 shots per game, and that is this season with the Lakers.

When the Lakers initially signed Ayton as a free agent last offseason, it wasn’t without some doubts. His previous stints with the Phoenix Suns and Portland Trail Blazers were marred by alleged behavioral issues. But Ayton insisted he knew what was at stake in terms of his career when he joined the Lakers.

And now, more than halfway through the season, some of those issues are starting to resurface. But if DeAndre Ayton wants to continue to shape his image and the overall perception of him in a good way, he needs to embrace Clint Capela’s role for the Lakers.

Deandre Ayton becoming Clint Capela would help the Lakers

The way Ayton referred to his role in Capela’s transformation made it seem like he was a player of his caliber. But beyond all that, Capela actually played a major role as the starting center during a period when the Rockets were viewed as a legitimate contender in the Western Conference.

His Rockets career averages are 11.1 points, 9.0 rebounds and 1.4 blocked shots while shooting 61.4 percent from the field. During the playoffs, he averaged 8.5 points, 8.4 rebounds and 1.3 blocked shots making 60.2 percent of his shots from the field. Again, Capela knew his role and played it to perfection.

According to Daniel Starkund of Lakers Nation, coming into this season, Ayton himself knew he would have to sacrifice some of his offense while playing alongside Luka Doncic, LeBron James and Austin Reaves. The same three players will have the ball in their hands most of the time and will take the lion’s share of shot attempts. This is not a bad thing and this is how the Lakers should operate.

Ayton has already shown that he can be a good defensive anchor for the Lakers team. He has shown he can be employed on both ends of the court and on the glass. Before the Lakers’ matchup against the Atlanta Hawks on January 13, head coach JJ Redick mentioned how Ayton couldn’t fool anyone by giving up effort on the defensive end on a consistent basis.

“When he’s been engaged, he’s been good. There are some technical things we’ve worked on with him throughout the season, both in his individual workouts and in our defensive circles,” Redick said. “It’s just more consistency. He’s shown he can do that… DeAndre has shown it himself. He can be a really good defender.”

For a Lakers team that has faced problems defensively, Ayton could be the one that can make a big difference. It’s just that he has become more active on the defensive end when he is getting more consistent shot attempts.

However, there is a trade-off to this. Ayton is attempting a career-low 9.0 shots, but he is shooting a career-high 66.7 percent from the field. Playing alongside creators like Doncic, James and Reeves, the quality of his looks is going to be better.

Capela’s embrace of a role of playing strong defense and driving hard on the glass is important not only to raising the team’s ceiling, but also to furthering his NBA career. Should Ayton exercise his team option, he potentially has one more year remaining on his signed contract with the Lakers.

Whether he stays with the Lakers or chooses to go elsewhere, if he can show that he is capable of playing a Capela-like role, he will find a place in the league. The NBA is often a rude awakening for those who are accustomed to having the ball in their hands and being the primary offensive option. That was Ayton’s role during his lone season in Arizona. That was his role in high school.

But in the NBA, players don’t become No. 1 options at the end of their careers. It’s either there or it’s not. And Ayton has the potential to be a good complimentary player on a winning team. He just needs to understand this before it’s too late.

DeAndre Ayton had one of his best games as part of the Los Angeles Lakers when they faced the Orlando Magic, scoring 21 points and 13 rebounds. Although they still lost, Ayton showed what he can do when he is involved in the offense, making him more active on the other side of the ball.

After the game, Ayton was asked if he felt his effort was being recognized by his teammates.

“The ball gets energy,” Ayton said, via Dave McMenamin of ESPN. “When I’m out there and sealing and they believe in me and they see me sprinting to the sideline and crashing, they reward me.”

After doing media, Ayton went to the showers and yelled, “They’re trying to make me Clint Capela.”

This seems to be a reference to how Capela has been used for most of his career, which is as a rim-running, lob threat who can grab rebounds at a high level. Ayton is basically saying that there’s more to his game than that, and he’d probably like to utilize his strengths more.

Unfortunately for Ayton, his role on the Lakers is very similar to Capela’s, according to a team source.

“When he’s at his best, and we’ve seen it, we’ve seen glimpses of it, he’s playing with power,” the team source said. “And playing with great strength on both ends of the floor when it comes to screening. Then rolling and putting pressure on the rim; [when the] The bullet goes up, breaking the glass; running backs in transition; Loading for basketball; Calling your communication; To be in perfect condition; Competitive shots; Boxed out. These things are really thankless for big guys when you’re a skilled big guy. But that’s his role in this team.”

With all the other talent on the Lakers like Luka Doncic, LeBron James and Austin Reaves, it will be hard for Ayton to become who he truly believes he is.