Although the excitement around the team is seemingly at an all-time high, the Las Vegas Raiders are still, as rookie quarterback Fernando Mendoza would put it, "starting at the bottom of the totem pole." Promise and looking good on paper certainly matter, but not a fraction as important as the results.
For as long as the Silver and Black have been a struggling franchise, they are going to have to go above and beyond if they want the rest of the NFL to recognize them as a competitor. But the gears are already slowly, ever-so-slightly, marginally shifting that way, even before they've played a game.
Obviously, the Raiders finished the 2025 NFL season as the worst team in the league. Then, they moved up to No. 30 in ESPN's way-too-early power rankings. After free agency, NFL.com had them slotted in at No. 29, which is an improvement, albeit a very minor one.
And after a strong 2026 NFL Draft class, Las Vegas creeped up again.
Las Vegas Raiders rise ever-so-slightly to No. 28 in latest NFL power rankings
ESPN's post-draft power rankings came out on Tuesday, courtesy of local NFL Nation reporters. The Raiders' 10-man draft class was apparently enough to move the needle, even if it was negligible. ESPN's Ryan McFadden explained why Las Vegas moved up to... No. 28!
"The Raiders' quarterbacks room is in a better spot now that they have a short-term and long-term answer at quarterback. Free agent signee Kirk Cousins, a four-time Pro Bowl selection, is more than capable of starting until Fernando Mendoza is ready to take over.
"At the same time, Mendoza has spent a fair amount of time ahead of the draft getting accustomed to the West Coast offense, and his strong processing ability could lead to a training camp battle. Let's not forget that the Raiders still have Aidan O'Connell, who is entering his fourth season."
Now, still being considered the fifth-worst team in the NFL after a strong offseason isn't necessarily ideal. But the fact that a series of moves is enough to at least push the Raiders in the right direction is promising and a credit to John Spytek and the work he and the front office have done recently.
As McFadden detailed, the quarterback situation has vastly improved. But just how much better Las Vegas has gotten under center will dictate just how good this team will be, and as a result, how high they'll ascend in NFL power rankings.
AFC West foes like the Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Chargers and Denver Broncos, all of whom have been more put-together in recent years than the Raiders, will get the benefit of the doubt more. They might not have made tons of offseason splashes, but they were starting a base or two ahead.
Still, the future is bright for the Silver and Black, as they are slowly but surely climbing the rankings before even playing. When they finally start to show that improvement on the field, as Raider Nation expects them to, then it'll be a different ballgame.
Hopefully, it is not long until Las Vegas starts earning its respect.
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