The asking price was made clear last week to interested teams. The question now is whether someone is sufficiently interested in sending two first-round picks and a player to the Raiders for defensive end Maxx Crosby.
Over the weekend, Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times explored the question of whether the Buccaneers would do it.
Most of Stroud’s article focuses on reasons why the Bucs would refrain. One, longtime G.M. Jason Licht rarely trades draft picks. Two, the team’s recent history with respect to the acquisition of edge rushers hasn’t been good.
But they need help at the position. Haason Reddick was a disappointment in 2025, after signing a one-year, $14 million deal. YaYa Diaby is the primary pass rusher. And they have optimism regarding David Walker, a 2025 fourth-round pick who tore an ACL early in training camp.
On the surface, Stroud seems to devote most of the item to explaining why the Buccaneers won’t pull the trigger on a trade for Crosby. On the other hand, it feels like an effort to plant a flag as to the possibility, in the event it happens.
“If Crosby is available, history tells us Licht won’t go after him,” Stroud writes. “But fortune does favor the bold at times.”
The Raiders may also favor sending Crosby out of the conference. And Raiders minority owner (with real influence over the football operations) Tom Brady may be willing to soften the expectations a bit as a favor to the G.M. who helped Brady get his seventh Super Bowl ring.
For now, it’s something worth keeping an eye on. The Bucs hold the 15th overall pick in the draft. If the Bears, for example, offer the 25th overall pick in 2026 and a first-rounder that could be even lower in 2027, maybe Tampa could attach something less than its first-rounder next year to get it done. The question then would be whether the Raiders want a player with whom the Bucs would be willing to part ways.
While Raiders G.M. John Spytek and coach Klint Kubiak said all the right (and predictable) things about Crosby during the Scouting Combine last week, there’s been nothing to contradict Jay Glazer’s claim from less than four weeks ago that Crosby is “done” with the Raiders.
The Raiders may ultimately have to take the best offer they can get. There’s a chance that the highest 2026 pick they’d acquire would come from Tampa Bay.
Raiders Clips
The Raiders announced Klint Kubiak’s first coaching staff. A quarterbacks coach is not listed, so it is unclear whether Las Vegas intends to hire one.
Kubiak, assistant head coach Mike McCoy and offensive coordinator Andrew Janocko all have served as a quarterbacks coach elsewhere.
The Raiders are expected to draft Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 overall pick.
Passing game coordinator Nick Holz returns to the Raiders after serving as an assistant coach with the team from 2012-21.
Here is the Raiders’ coaching staff for 2026:
Leadership
Klint Kubiak: Head Coach
Mike McCoy: Assistant Head Coach
Matt Capurro: SVP – Coaching Operations
Rohit Mogalayapalli: Director of Special Projects and Game Management
Offense
Andrew Janocko: Offensive Coordinator
Zach Azzanni: Wide Receivers
Pete Collins: Offensive Quality Control
Rick Dennison: Offensive Line
Nick Holz: Offensive Pass Game Coordinator
Mario Jeberaeel: Offensive Run Game Coordinator
Conner McQueen: Offensive Quality Control
Luke Steckel: Tight Ends
Ben Wilkerson: Assistant Offensive Line
Omar Young: Running Backs
Tim Zetts: Offensive Assistant
Defense
Rob Leonard: Defensive Coordinator
Steve Ferentz: Defensive Assistant
Drew Gaither: Defensive Quality Control
Cody Grimm: Defensive Quality Control
Al Holcomb: Senior Defensive Assistant
Kenyon Jackson: Assistant Defensive Line
Ketner Kupp: Defensive Quality Control
Matt Robinson: Safeties
Travis Smith: Defensive Line
Ronnell Williams: Linebackers
Joe Woods: Pass Game Coordinator/Defensive Backs
Special Teams
Joe DeCamillis: Special Teams Coordinator
Marquice Williams: Senior Assistant – Special Teams
Tim McConnell: Assistant Special Teams
The Jets have the misfortune of needing a quarterback, and having the No. 2 overall pick, in a year when there’s only one elite quarterback prospect in the draft. Jets General Manager Darren Mougey would love to trade up and draft Fernando Mendoza, but he doesn’t expect the Raiders to be interested.
Mougey said he would talk to his friend Raiders GM John Spytek about the No. 1 overall pick, but he thinks Spytek will tell him there’s no chance.
“Absolutely, we’ll talk about all those things, but I don’t think that’s happening,” Mougey said, via Rich Cimini of ESPN.
If they wanted to, the Jets could put together a massive package of picks to get Mendoza. In addition to their own picks, the Jets have the Colts’ first-round picks in 2026 and 2027, plus the higher of the Cowboys’ or Packers’ first-round pick in 2027. Teams can trade first-round picks up to three years in advance, so the Jets could call the Raiders right now and offer them a total of six first-round picks for the No. 1 pick.
That would be one of the biggest trades in NFL history, and a trade Mougey doesn’t think is realistic.
Nick Holz is back with the Raiders.
After spending the past two years as the offensive coordinator of the Tennessee Titans, Holz has been hired by the Raiders to serve as the offensive pass game coordinator. He previously worked for the Raiders from 2012 through 2021.
The Raiders announced the move on Friday.
During his prior stint with the Raiders, Holz worked in a variety of lower-level jobs. He was an offensive assistant from 2012 through 2014, offensive quality control coach from 2015 through 2016, assistant receivers coach in 2017, offensive quality control coach from 2018 through 2020, and assistant receivers coach in 2021.
He spent 2022 with UNLV as the offensive coordinator. In 2023, Holz was the Jaguars’ passing game coordinator. Brian Callahan hired Holz as offensive coordinator the following year.
Holz will be working for new head coach Klint Kubiak and new offensive coordinator Andrew Janocko.
Teams making decisions about picking up the fifth-year options on the contracts of their 2023 first-round picks now know how much that will cost.
The NFL revealed the values on Friday afternoon. There are four levels of compensation at each position. Players who have made multiple Pro Bowls as an original selection are at the top followed by players with one Pro Bowl selection and players who have hit playing time milestones before reaching the lowest level.
Panthers quarterback Bryce Young and Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud were the first two picks of that draft and both of them reached the playing time level of compensation. That will leave them with fully guaranteed salaries of $25.904 million if the teams decide to exercise the options, but longer-term extensions are also a possibility now that they have finished their third seasons.
The full list of 2023 first-rounders — there were 31 that year because the Dolphins were stripped of their pick — and their fifth-year option salaries appears below:
1. Panthers QB Bryce Young — $25.904 million (playing time).
2. Texans QB C.J. Stroud — $25.904 million (playing time).
3. Texans DE Will Anderson — $21.512 (Pro Bowl).
4. Colts QB Anthony Richardson — $22.483 million (base).
5. Seahawks CB Devon Witherspoon — $21.161 million (multiple Pro Bowls).
6. Cardinals OT Paris Johnson — $19.072 million (playing time).
7. Raiders DE Tyree Wilson — $14.475 million (base).
8. Falcons RB Bijan Robinson — $11.323 million (Pro Bowl).
9. Eagles DT Jalen Carter — $27.127 million (multiple Pro Bowls).
10. Bears OT Darnell Wright — $19.072 million (playing time).
11. Titans OG Peter Skoronski — $19.072 million (playing time).
12. Lions RB Jahmyr Gibbs — $14.293 million (multiple Pro Bowls).
13. Packers DE Lukas Van Ness — $14.475 million (base).
14. Steelers OT Broderick Jones — $19.072 million (playing time).
15. Jets DE Will McDonald — $14.475 million (base).
16. Rams CB Emmanuel Forbes — $12.633 million (base).
17. Patriots CB Christian Gonzalez — $18.119 million (Pro Bowl).
18. Lions LB Jack Campbell — $21.925 million (Pro Bowl).
19. Buccaneers DT Calijah Kancey — $15.451 (playing time).
20. Seahawks WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba — $23.852 million (Pro Bowl).
21. Chargers WR Quentin Johnston — $18 million (playing time).
22. Ravens WR Zay Flowers — $27.298 million (multiple Pro Bowls).
23. Vikings WR Jordan Addison — $18 million (playing time).
24. Giants CB Deonte Banks — $12.633 million (base).
25. Bills TE Dalton Kincaid — $8.162 million (base).
26. Jets DT Mazi Smith — $13.391 million (base) Smith was traded to the Jets by the Cowboys.
27. Jaguars OT Anton Harrison — $19.072 million (playing time).
28. Bengals DE Myles Murphy — $14.475 million (base).
29. Saints DT Bryan Bresee — $13.391 million (base).
30. Eagles LB Nolan Smith — $13.752 million (base).
31. Chiefs Felix Anudike-Uzomah — $14.475 million (base).
New Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak says he does not want to trade defensive end Maxx Crosby.
Amid talk that Crosby wants out of Las Vegas and the Raiders would be willing to trade him for a big enough offer, Kubiak says he hopes Crosby is a Raider in 2026.
“It’s a guy that we really want on our team, simple as that,” Kubiak said. “We want Maxx to be a Raider and the few interactions I’ve had with him have been very positive. Really excited about working with Maxx this year.”
Kubiak has only been the Raiders’ head coach for a couple of weeks and hasn’t had a lot of time to talk to Crosby, and it’s unclear whether they’ve talked specifically about whether Crosby wants to be a Raider or wants to be traded. It’s easy to see why a new coach wouldn’t want to trade his best player away, but it’s also easy to see why a rebuilding team would trade a great player for a package of draft picks.
Kubiak wants Crosby on the team, but the Raiders might want what they can get in a trade for Crosby even more.
Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza calls himself “unemployed.”
“I have no job,” Mendoza said Friday at the Scouting Combine. “This is my job interview right now, and like everyone says, this is the most important job interview of your life. So, right now, I’m just doing everything to hopefully get employed April 23.”
The Heisman Trophy winner is expected to go No. 1 overall to the Raiders, who sent a contingent to watch him at the national championship game. Going to the Raiders would mean going from a national championship team to the worst team in the NFL.
The Raiders went 3-14 in 2025 and have not made the playoffs since 2021.
“Well, I have not been selected yet, and whatever team drafts me, I’m extremely grateful,” Mendoza said. “Like I said, whether it’s the No. 1 pick or whether it’s the last pick in the draft, I’d be blessed and honored to be drafted by any team. I’m going to give them by all. The possibility — I mean, we see how the NFL turns around so much. The margins are so small. There are so many games decided by so few points, and the difference between a losing record and a winning record is a couple of drives, is a couple of key plays, so whatever team I’m on, I’m just going to take that advice, and take the coaching from the coaching staff, and however I can best serve my teammates on that team, I’m going to do it to the best of my ability.”
Mendoza has already had his formal meeting with the Raiders at the combine.
“I was lucky to have a formal interview with the Las Vegas Raiders. It was a fantastic interview,” Mendoza said. “Went over some of my previous plays, drew up some plays on the board. I thought it was a great meeting. I know they have the No. 1 pick, but anything can happen in the draft, but I’m just excited for the opportunity, and whatever team drafts me I’m going to give everything I’ve got to them.”
Mendoza said whether he goes No. 1 overall or not, he will be “blessed” to get a chance to play in the NFL and will have “nothing” to say to the teams that passed on him.
“There are so many great players in this class,” Mendoza said. “We saw the Ohio State guys run yesterday. There are plenty of Indiana guys who are great in the draft as well. I’m just honored to be a part of the group. There will be no hard feelings. . . . I’m just trying to be the best me possible. Whatever drafts me, I’m grateful, whether it’s the No. 1 pick or the 199th pick.”
The 199th pick refers, of course, to Tom Brady, who now is a minority owner of the Raiders.
If — or probably more like when — quarterback Fernando Mendoza is selected by the Raiders at No. 1 overall in this year’s NFL Draft, he’ll join a franchise that is partly owned by Tom Brady.
As General Manager John Spytek said earlier this week at the scouting combine, Brady would clearly be a great mentor to any young quarterback as the best to ever play the position.
So how would Mendoza feel about heading to Las Vegas and being mentored by Brady?
“Yeah, I mean, who hasn’t admired Tom Brady? More Super Bowl rings than anybody. So, that opportunity would be fantastic,” Mendoza said in his Friday morning press conference. “Tom Brady, I believe, is the best quarterback of all time by a wide margin. And to be able to have the opportunity to be mentored by him, it would mean so much. Especially to learn, and I’m all about learning, so Day 1, I’ve got to learn a lot. It’s going to be a long journey. And to potentially have a mentor like that would be pretty impressive and pretty meaningful.”
Brady and much of the Raiders’ brass were in South Florida to watch Mendoza and the Hoosiers play the Hurricanes in the national championship game last month. Mendoza said he wasn’t aware of that until after the game, though it’s not as if Mendoza could’ve had any contact with the team at that time. But generally, Mendoza said he was glad his teammates were able to get more playing time in front of NFL decision-makers because they’d all like to play in the league.
But at the combine, Mendoza was able to talk with Brady — albeit for a short time.
“When I walked in the formal interview with the Raiders, I was able to say a brief ‘hi’ on the phone with Brady,” Mendoza said. “So, that was very special for me. Looking forward to seeing him in person, hopefully, one day and learning from him.”
Raiders coach Klint Kubiak says Ashton Jeanty will not carry the whole load of the running game in 2026.
Kubiak said that he wants to have a running back who can share carries with Jeanty, and he’ll be looking to add runners in the draft and free agency.
“We definitely want to have a two-man show, guys that can share the load,” Kubiak said. “It’s a long season. You don’t want to put all the carries and targets on one guy. So right now we’re identifying guys that are available in the draft, identifying free agents we might go after, looking at our own roster and seeing who can share that. It’s important that Jeanty has a wingman.”
Last year Jeanty’s backups were Raheem Mostert and Zamir White, both of whom become free agents next month. The only other running back on the roster, Dylan Laube, had seven carries for nine yards last season. The Raiders haven’t found Jeanty a wingman yet, but Kubiak will be looking this offseason.
The Raiders are widely expected to select quarterback Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 overall pick in April’s draft.
That means veteran quarterback Geno Smith, who was traded from the Seahawks to the Raiders last year, is likely either on his way out, or could be headed to the bench.
“Looking at all options right now,” Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak told reporters this week at the scouting combine. “Watching Geno play last year, obviously very familiar with what he had done before. We’re just kind of putting it all on the table right now, trying to see every possible avenue we can go right now at quarterback. He’s definitely one of those options we’re considering.”
Kubiak added that he and Smith have spoken “a little bit” since he was hired after winning Super Bowl LX with the Seahawks. Kubiak had also gotten to know Smith a bit before he was traded from Seattle to Las Vegas last year.
Smith is under contract through 2027, as he signed a two-year, $75 million extension with Las Vegas in April of last year.
