If not for a cheap win in the season finale against the Kansas City Chiefs, who barely played any of their starters, the Las Vegas Raiders would have gone winless in the AFC West for the second straight year. After going 3-3 in the division in 2023, the Raiders have now lost 11 of their last 12.
Having success in the division is the surest way to success in the NFL, but that has been a lost art in Las Vegas recently. The Raiders, however, made some wholesale changes this offseason, which should at least make things more interesting under Klint Kubiak during the 2026 NFL season.
Most would even say that the Silver and Black had one of the best free agencies and drafts in the league, not just the division. And the latest offseason report card not only proves that, but also serves as evidence of the gap potentially closing ever-so-slightly in the AFC West as a result.
Las Vegas Raiders earned highest grade in AFC West for offseason moves
Sports Illustrated's Matt Verderame graded each team in the division's offseason, weighing the additions they made on the open market and from the college ranks, as well as factoring in trades and players lost. The Raiders ended up with an A, the best grade in the AFC West.
"This offseason, the Raiders overhauled the entire program. They hired first-time coach Klint Kubiak away from the Seahawks, after he won a Super Bowl as their offensive coordinator. Kubiak, 39, oversaw a Seattle offense that relied heavily on running the ball, with 507 team rushing attempts, ranking third in the league. This formula, while certainly aided by having leads, will likely be followed, using second-year back Ashton Jeanty, who as a rookie rushed for 975 yards on 3.7 yards per carry.Â
"To help create some rushing lanes, Kubiak has Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza, who led the Hoosiers to a championship last season. The No. 1 pick, Mendoza’s presence should help back teams off the line of scrimmage, while he throws to tight end Brock Bowers and a receiving corps led by Tre Tucker and free-agent signing Jalen Nailor. Bowers is coming off an injury-riddled season that limited him to 12 games and 680 yards, but in 2024 as a rookie, he earned first-team All-Pro honors.Â
"The big question is whether Tucker and Nailor, neither having produced more than 700 yards in a season, are enough to threaten opposing secondaries.Â
"Finally, look for the run game also to be enhanced by center Tyler Linderbaum, who signed a market-setting three-year, $84 million deal in March. Coming over from the Ravens, Linderbaum will set protections for Cousins and Mendoza while also leading the way for Jeanty, having played for a Baltimore team that finished first or second in rushing yards each of his four seasons there.
"Defensively, the front seven should improve. Crosby is now flanked by Kwity Paye instead of Tyree Wilson, while Walker and Dean are completely remaking the second level. Paye brings 30.5 career sacks to Las Vegas, while Walker and Dean combined for 183 tackles, 15 tackles for loss and 13 quarterback hits between them in 2025 despite missing 10 games combined.
"The Raiders spent a whopping $281.5 million on the first day of free agency in an attempt to climb out of fourth place in the AFC West, a spot they’ve occupied for the past two seasons."
Suffice it to say, Las Vegas made the most of its extensive resources this offseason. But the best part is that, not only did they do a great job, but they seemingly did a better job than their rivals. The Chiefs earned a 'B', while the Denver Broncos got a 'C+' and the Los Angeles Chargers received a 'D'.
Those are all a far cry from the 'A' that the Raiders got. Yes, it's easy to improve more when you have less of a foundation, and last year's roster is so bad that nearly every addition is an upgrade. But Las Vegas still made those upgrades and cashed in with a myriad of young and talented players.
Even if Kansas City still improved this offseason, if it wasn't as much as the Raiders did, then that is a win for the Silver and Black. Overhauling an entire team, which finished with the NFL's worst record, in one offseason is unrealistic. But this was a major step in the right direction for Las Vegas.
They still have to go out and prove it on the field. But from the outside looking in, nobody is looking at them as the same old Raiders. The gap is closing in the AFC West, and teams like the Broncos and Chargers, who have pitter-pattered while Las Vegas struggled, could soon see their windows close.
Kansas City is still Kansas City. But the Raiders have situated themselves well to be the team peaking right when the rest of the division is in trouble financially, or their best talent is aging. This offseason was a major first step for Las Vegas on the front.
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