Returning Raider Nation’s questions for the week.
The Las Vegas Raiders have a Week 16 matchup against the Houston Texans, but this week’s mailbag is primarily focused on the 2026 NFL draft and the quarterback class, especially Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza.
Q: If the Raiders wind up with the second pick in the draft, and a team such as the Giants has the No. 1 pick, should they trade up for the No. 1 pick to get the quarterback so no other teams can jump up ahead? I personally say no since we have a lot of needs to fill, but what say you?
A: If any organization feels that a quarterback prospect can be the future of the franchise, I’m always going to be in favor of making whatever deals necessary to get said player. The position is too important to let a price tag get in the way of getting your guy.
Yes, the Raiders have plenty of needs, but a good quarterback can make up for those flaws. Meanwhile, the other scenario is a lot more difficult, where a team has a good roster overall but is deficient at the most important position on the field.
In other words, I’d be perfectly okay with the Raiders trading up for Mendoza in a scenario where they aren’t picking No. 1 overall.
A: Yes.
Are we forgetting that Jared Goff was the first overall pick, led the Rams to playoffs three times in five years, including a Super Bowl appearance, made the Pro Bowl twice and never had a losing record with Sean McVay as head coach in Los Angeles? Would you not take Goff right now? And Kirk Cousins was a pretty good starter in Washington and Minnesota.
Also, I think Mendoza has a better arm than those two, which has been their biggest flaw in the NFL. Mendoza is more like Matt Ryan, in my opinion. I really don’t understand why some people are so down on him.
Q: It’s looking like next year’s QB draft class will be better than this year’s. Do you see any QB that is equal or better than Mendoza coming out next year? I ask because if the Raiders end up with the 1st pick, they can trade down to maybe the Jets. The Raiders would more than likely still have a top ten pick this year. They can load up on draft capital and pair a couple ofhigh draft picks next year, if necessary, for a top QB.
A: Just. Take. Mendoza.
I feel like we do this every year, saying that next year’s quarterback class is better than this year’s. So much can change in a year, especially at that position, that it’s a disingenuous claim to make, in my opinion. It’s the NFL draft version of the “a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush” idiom.
I don’t think counting on the 2027 class to be like 2024, which was historic in how quickly quarterbacks flew off the board, is a smart decision. If the Raiders are in a spot where they have the No. 1 overall pick, Mendoza should start looking at houses in Las Vegas.
A: If I had to put a number on it, I think there’s a 40 percent chance the Raiders beat the Giants. New York has been struggling lately, and Jaxson Dart isn’t consistent enough for me to think Las Vegas can’t win that one. If it wasn’t for the G-Men’s strong defensive line, that game would be 50/50 for me.
As for the Chiefs, I’m curious to see how they play this week. It wouldn’t surprise me if they pack it in for the rest of the season since they’ve already been eliminated from the playoffs and will have Gardner Minshew starting at quarterback. The only factor that gives me pause is that this could be the last three games of Travis Kelce’s career, adding some motivation for Kansas City.
So, I feel comfortable that the Raiders will lose this Sunday, but the last two games of the schedule have me nervous that they could screw up the tank by winning one of them.
Q: What’s the probability we see Charles Grant at left tackle and Stone Forsythe swing back to right tackle? It seems now would be an ideal time, before Kolton comes back.
A: I don’t have a percentage to put on it, but I think it was pretty telling that Pete Carroll said this week he’d like to see Grant get more snaps. That’s a good sign the rookie will at least get some opportunities, likely similar to Caleb Rogers’ workload against the Chargers, where Rogers rotated with Atonio Mafi and ended the game with 17 snaps.
But I think Grant is more likely to get snaps at right tackle than on the blind side. DJ Glaze has been struggling recently, and Forsythe actually played well against the Eagles last week. Plus, Grant’s future is probably going to be at right tackle since Kolton Miller signed a contract extension in the offseason.
Q: Could this offensive line complete a year turnaround with Kolton Miller at left tackle, DJ Glaze and Caleb Rogers at guard, Jackson Powers-Johnson at center and Charles Grant at right tackle?
A: That’s unrealistic to assume since there are a lot of variables that would have to work in the Raiders’ favor for that to happen. Glaze successfully switching positions, JPJ coming back from injury and continuing to progress, as well as Rogers and Grant developing into quality starters. But I do think the offensive line can improve next year (granted, it can’t get much worse) and start to be at least an average group in 2026.
One or two of those variables should hit where the team has three quality starting linemen, including Miller, and then it’s just a matter of filling in the gaps in 2027. Also, I’m expecting John Spytek to bring in a couple of offensive linemen this offseason, whether that’s via free agency, the draft or both.
Q: Do you agree with the scuttlebutt that Pete is really in control of the defense and not Patrick Graham by running more Cover 3 than Graham ever did and not calling as many blitzes?
A: This year’s defense definitely has Carroll’s fingerprints all over it, from the personnel to the play calling. Graham did run a good amount of Cover 3 in the past, but he also mixed it up a lot more.
I do think the lack of blitzing can also be tied to a lack of talent in the secondary. The few times the Raiders do dial up the heat, the pressure isn’t getting there in time and they’re getting burned by completions for first downs. Also, the secondary has a tackling issue, making it harder to justify bringing pressure and relying on those guys to make plays in open space. Then again, it ain’t like Las Vegas is getting to the quarterback when Graham only brings four.
So, I do think Carroll is in control of the defense, but I don’t think results would be much different if Graham had full autonomy.
Q: With Pete so hung up on tall corners with long arms ala Richard Sherman, what size are the top corners in the league, and would you name a few?
A: It’s a mixed bag. Patrick Surtain II (6-foot-2, 32.5-inch arms), Sauce Gardner (6-foot-2.75, 33.5-inch arms) and Christian Gonzalez (6-foot-1.5, 32-inch arms) fit Carroll’s profile, while Derek Stingley (6-foot-0.25, 30.5-inch arms), Trent McDuffie (5-foot-10.75, 39.75-inch arms) and Quinyon Mitchell (6-foot-0, 31-inch arms) don’t.
That’s why I don’t think having strict size thresholds is a good practice when it comes to evaluating prospects. If two guys are tied or have similar grades, then sure, let the physical traits be the deciding factor. But don’t pass up on good players who have good tape just because they don’t meet a few measurements. Evaluate what the prospect has done on the field and go from there.
A: I think Spytek should have some say in who the next head coach is. He doesn’t have to be the final decision maker, but it’s been reported multiple times that he and Carroll aren’t on the same page, which is part of the problem this season. So, the general manager should at least be involved in the interview process and have some say in who gets hired.
And I’d stick to coordinators who call plays. There’s always a risk of hiring a coordinator who was simply in the right place at the right time with their current job, but that’s an even bigger gamble when someone was a coordinator in name only.
Even if it’s someone like Matt LaFleur, who only had one season as a legitimate OC before Green Bay hired him as head coach, I’d feel a lot more comfortable with that decision than someone who has never called plays. The only way I could get on board with the latter is if it’s a former quarterback coach who has a track record of developing several QBs.
Q: What and how much should Santa bring the Raiders?
A: They deserve a massive lump of coal for being so bad this year. But, hopefully, the elves have been working on putting together the No. 1 pick for the Raiders and remember to pack it into Santa’s sleigh before next week’s Tank Bowl (version thee this season) against the Giants!
That’ll do it for this week’s mailbag. Thank you all for submitting questions and, as your weekly reminder, if you’d like to have your questions answered in a future column, tweet them at me, @MHolder95, email them to [email protected] or look for our weekly call for questions on the site. The latter will continue to publish on Thursdays.
Category: General Sports
