The Las Vegas Raiders have been in the basement of the NFL for as long as most fans can remember. They were metaphorically let upstairs during the 2016 and 2021 seasons, but this was a brief hiatus from being condemned to mediocrity and worse over the last two decades.
While the perception around the Silver and Black continues to find new all-time lows, the tide should be starting to turn here soon in Las Vegas. It'll take substantial proof and some regular season wins for Raider Nation to really believe that, but even the team's biggest detractors are seeing the vision.
ESPN's Adam Schefter has developed a reputation within the fanbase for being harsher on the franchise than most other national reporters. In fairness, his nefarious history with the franchise dates back to his friction with late owner Al Davis, who didn't always appreciate Schefter's reporting.
Adam Schefter actually praising Raiders says it all about Klint Kubiak hire
That said, even Schefter is changing his tune and starting to paint a picture of a bright future in Las Vegas. On Tuesday's edition of The Adam Schefter Podcast, Schefter talked about the Raiders' reported hiring of Klint Kubiak as their next head coach.
Not only did Schefter dispel any rumors about Kubiak flaking on Las Vegas and pulling out of the job at the last minute, but he praised Kubiak for staying laser-focused on the Seattle Seahawks' Super Bowl LX matchup with the New England Patriots this Sunday. Then, Schefter layered in some praise.
"Now, if you're the Raiders, you've got some elements here, where there's some real hope. You've got the number one pick in the draft. So, you got the chance to go take Fernando Mendoza, the Heisman Trophy-winning Indiana quarterback, which is, again, he'll be the number one pick in the draft. You get to pair him with Ashton Jeanty and Brock Bowers. You've got $90 million in cap space this offseason, which means they're going to be bolstering the offensive line. Look at all the free agent offensive linemen. Couple of them are going to wind up in Las Vegas as rich men, and they're going to attack it."
Now, Schefter isn't saying anything that Raiders fans don't already know. But it is vindicating to hear it from a reputable reporter like him, and it means more coming from someone who doesn't always have the nicest things to say about the Silver and Black. Schefter is honest about this franchise.
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Schefter also made a promising comparison for Las Vegas' current situation, as he believes that John Spytek and Tom Brady could follow a Chicago Bears-like path in the offseason. Of course, the Bears went from last in the division to the No. 2 seed in the NFC in a span of one year.
"I think the way the Bears did last offseason, when Ryan Poles went out and traded for Jonah Jackson and Joe Thuney, and he signed Drew Dalman in free agency. I think the Raiders are going to have a similar approach this year to their offensive line," Schefter said. "So, you get Mendoza with those offensive weapons, with 90 million in cap space, with Tom Brady as part of the ownership group, and you match him with Klint Kubiak, who's done a great job running the Seahawks' offense, and all of a sudden, lo and behold, we have the makings of a respectable Raiders team."
Raider Nation, of course, wants to be more than respectable. This organization and fanbase want to win Super Bowls. But being respectable is a good place to start. And, according to Schefter, getting Kubiak in the building was paramount to building the right kind of program and gaining that respect.
"The nucleus is going to be there. The foundation is going to be there. And that's why it was so important, I think, for this team to go hire and get the deal done for Klint Kubiak," Schefter said. "They'll never have to worry about finding an offensive mind as long as he's their head coach. He's going to be there every year. He's going to be their guy."
His co-host, Ty Schmit, then went on a tangent about how the NFL is just better when Las Vegas is good, or at least not the worst team in the league. To that, Schefter said perhaps the most important thing for Raiders fans to hear:
"They're going to be back. They're going to be back."