The Las Vegas Raiders have hovered in mediocrity for far too long. For the last two decades, they have neither contended for a Super Bowl nor truly bottomed out and accepted a rebuild. Every offseason, they've tried to patch together a competitive team, but to no avail.
During the 2025 NFL season, however, something miraculous happened: Las Vegas finished 3-14 and earned the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. Suddenly, with young quarterback Fernando Mendoza in the crosshairs, this team can finally build for the future. But how quickly can they contend?
Well, Maxx Crosby clearly didn't want to find out that answer. He reportedly asked for a trade privately, and his fate as a Raider was sealed in mid-December. But he wasn't officially traded until Friday, when he was dealt to the Baltimore Ravens in exchange for first-round picks in 2026 and 2027.
Now, it's a full-blown rebuild in Las Vegas under John Spytek.
Raiders just signaled a full-blown rebuild with Maxx Crosby trade
With a rookie quarterback all but certainly coming in next month and equipped with four first-rounders in the next two drafts, the Raiders are set up for future success. The question now becomes how the Silver and Black will maximize those resources.
Of course, the last time that Las Vegas (I guess it was Oakland) found itself in this situation, they completely squandered the return they got for Khalil Mack and Amari Cooper. One of those Day 1 picks turned into Josh Jacobs, yes, but the others turned into Damon Arnette and Jonathan Abram.
Hopefully, Spytek is ready for the situation that he just thrust himself into. Replacing Crosby, even in the aggregate or through adding multiple players, certainly won't be easy. But fans should have the utmost confidence in him to finally turn this franchise around and return us to glory.
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Las Vegas can go any number of directions at No. 14 next month, and that is part of the beauty of having multiple first-rounders. Not only does it give the Raiders two eventual players with fifth-year options, but they have the flexibility to move around the draft board and get even more picks.
Anyone who knows Spytek knows that he is probably bursting at the seams with excitement about having more darts to throw at the board in the draft. His picks will be heavily scrutinized, but that is okay. He should be up to the task.
Spytek and Kubiak are spearheading a new era for the Silver and Black, and they have proven this offseason that they are the ones in charge. Not any one player. Though a sad day for Las Vegas and Raider Nation, and likely Crosby himself, hopefully, fans can look back at this as a pivotal moment.
The Raiders never won with Crosby. But they can use the picks that they got in return for him to have a brighter future. He won't be a part of the tide turning, but he may be responsible for it. This is a rebuild in Las Vegas. Let's be patient and get excited.