The Las Vegas Raiders have an illustrious history, highlighted by some of the greatest players to ever set foot in the NFL. That's not anything that this fanbase doesn't already know, but have the good people of Raider Nation ever thought about hypothetically adding one of them to the current roster?
Of course, we'd have to mesh several timelines together or defy the fabric of time and space (or we could just use our imagination), but I'd do just about anything for the Silver and Black to return to the Super Bowl, or even the postseason.
So, let's highlight a handful of greats from the Oakland and Los Angeles days who, if time travel were a real thing, could join this Las Vegas roster and instantly turn it into a playoff contender. Several players would always be nice to have, and others would be game-changers at positions of need.
But one would dramatically tip the scales and have the Raiders playing football late into the winter.
1 Raiders legend could turn them into instant playoff contender in 2026
Would always be tremendous to have
CB Charles Woodson
Woodson enjoyed a Hall of Fame career in Oakland, earning All-Pro nods in each of his two stints with the Silver & Black, one at cornerback and another at free safety. He would lock down an entire side of the field, take the ball away and lead a young group of cornerbacks with tons of potential. C-Wood is also a great leader and someone who gets people in stadiums. The Raiders need all of that in spades.
G Gene Upshaw
Upshaw is arguably the greatest Raider of all time, and he'd bring dominance up front for a re-tooled offensive line and a championship pedigree to a group of players that haven't won anything. Although Las Vegas has promising pieces at guard, Upshaw just might be the best to ever play the position, and it'd be tantalizing to watch him between Tyler Linderbaum and Kolton Miller on the left side.
K Sebastian Janikowski
Matt Gay fared just fine this preseason, but imagine how much less pressure there would be on the offense if Janikowski were sitting on the sidelines, doing whatever it was that he did before booting NFL-record-length kicks for Oakland. The lefty truly had a bazooka attached to his hip, and both his consistency and range would be a godsend for a young Raiders offense with so many new pieces.
Game-changing player at a position of need
DL Otis Sistrunk
Sistrunk may have had a short career, but it was an incredible one. The versatile lineman was a violent and outright dangerous player at the front of the defense, and he wreaked havoc on quarterbacks for years. The Raiders would love to have that kind of impact on the defensive interior. The "University of Mars" graduate really was an alien, and I am salivating at the thought of him next to Maxx Crosby.
RT Lincoln Kennedy
Kennedy was an All-Pro right tackle, and finding someone that talented who spends most of their career on the right side of the line is rare. With Kolton Miller bookending one side of the line, Kennedy could thrive on the other and would certainly be an upgrade over DJ Glaze, who may be the unit's weakest link. Kennedy was also on the last great Raiders teams, so maybe he brings that mojo back.
The one to tilt the balance
WR Tim Brown
If all the Raiders added to this team was Touchdown Timmy Brown, they would go to the playoffs. I wholeheartedly believe that. Brown is one of the best wide receivers in NFL history, and easily the most consequential in this franchise's lore. With such a weak corps of players at the spot in Las Vegas, Brown would revolutionize the room and the offense all in one. Just imagine him catching passes from Fernando Mendoza and running routes next to Brock Bowers. I smell February.
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