Every roster evaluation begins the same way and ends differently. The easy part is listing young players. The harder, more honest exercise is identifying which of them are truly part of the long-term core, and which are simply passing through the timeline.
For the Las Vegas Raiders, that distinction is becoming clearer as the organization moves into a period of transition. A head coaching search is underway. The No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft is looming. A quarterback selection feels inevitable, whether that name ends up being Dante Moore out of Oregon or Fernando Mendoza from Indiana. The direction of the franchise is about to shift.
When isolating foundational pieces, this is not a roster flush with long-term certainty. In fact, the opposite is true. The Raiders’ core is narrow, and that reality makes the players who do fit that definition even more important.
Raiders' outlook is bleak for young core, but they may have just enough
Brock Bowers as the offensive centerpiece
Everything on offense begins with Brock Bowers.
Already one of the most dynamic tight ends in football, Bowers enters 2026 moving into year three with a résumé that places him among the league’s elite when healthy. Injuries slowed him this past season, but his impact is undeniable. When Bowers is on the field, defensive structure changes. Safeties widen. Linebackers hesitate. Coverages tilt.
What makes Bowers foundational is not just his production, but his versatility. He can align inline, detached, in the slot, or out wide without signaling intent. He is a mismatch generator in both the run and pass game and a rare offensive piece who can grow with a young quarterback rather than being dependent on one.
In a rebuilding offense, Bowers is the type of player you build around, not one you supplement later. His contract timeline aligns cleanly with a quarterback reset, making him the offensive constant as everything else evolves.
Ashton Jeanty and stability in the backfield
The Raiders doubled down on offense in the 2025 draft by selecting Jeanty in the first round, and that investment is going to hold.
The Boise State product brings physicality, vision, and reliability to a backfield that has lacked identity for years, and his skill set allows an offense to stay on schedule, especially for a young quarterback learning the league.
He is not a luxury piece. He is a stabilizer.
Running backs often get dismissed in long-term planning, but Jeanty's profile is unique. He can handle volume, contribute in the passing game, and serve as an offensive tone-setter. When paired with Bowers, he gives the Raiders two young skill players who dictate how defenses line up rather than reacting to coverage. That will matter immensely for whoever takes over the offense this fall.
RELATED: John Spytek sets the record straight on Raiders firing Pete Carroll
Sorting through the receiving corps
On the perimeter, the Raiders have options, but not cornerstones.
Jack Bech is a player the organization likes internally, and his development will continue to be monitored. Tre Tucker moves into year four in 2026 and is the most interesting name in this group from a contractual standpoint, as he is a potential early extension candidate if the new staff values continuity and speed in the receiver room.
Then there's Donte Thornton Jr., who flashed rotational value as a vertical threat. His speed changes spacing, but his role remains situational. At this point, he projects more as a complementary piece than a true weapon through the air.
Darien Porter as the lone defensive building block
Defense is where the conversation becomes uncomfortable due to the overwhelming lack of talent at all three levels.
With Maxx Crosby potentially gone, the Raiders’ defensive foundation thins dramatically. That leaves Darien Porter as the lone young defender who clearly fits a long-term projection.
A third-round pick out of Iowa State, Porter stepped into meaningful snaps as a rookie and held his own, allowing just 18 catches on 30 targets in 13 games. He is long, physical, and while his developmental arc is still ascending, the traits translate as corners with his size and demeanor tend to age well if properly developed.
Porter may not yet be a star, but he is the type of player you keep building around, not replacing.
A core that reveals the work ahead
When you strip the roster down to true building blocks, the Raiders’ situation becomes clear. Bowers. Jeanty. Porter. And while it's not a complete foundation, it is a starting point.
The upcoming quarterback selection will define the next era, but the success of that pick will depend on how effectively the organization builds around the few core pieces present.
As a whole, the Raiders are not devoid of young talent. They are simply honest about where it resides. And that honesty is the first step toward building something sustainable again.