While the Denver Broncos sit out the first night, the Las Vegas Raiders are slated to open the 2026 NFL Draft on Thursday night, and there are practically no questions about who the pick will be. Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza will be the new franchise man for the Raiders, and it should usher in a new era of Raiders football. Drafting Mendoza immediately changes the longterm outlook of the Raiders franchise, and could be the move that vaults them back into contention in the division.
The Raiders are armed with draft capital and have the flexibility to make any move they want. Las Vegas picks near the front of every round, plus a few extra fourth-rounders and an extra sixth-round selection. Realistically, the Raiders could very easily move back into the first round if a player they like begins to fall. With countless rumors of teams looking to move out of the first round, including the Seattle Seahawks at 32nd overall, the Raiders might jump back into night one.
If the Raiders can find themselves in a situation where a first-round wideout is falling, possibly someone like Denzel Boston from Washington, it could be the perfect opportunity for them to jump back into the first. Pairing Washington with the already talented duo of running back Ashton Jeanty and tight end Brock Bowers is a great opportunity for the team. Now, include Mendoza throwing them the ball? The Raiders could be positioning themselves as the biggest threat to the Broncos in 2026.
The Las Vegas Raiders could be the biggest threat to the Denver Broncos with a strong 2026 NFL Draft
If the Las Vegas Raiders can move back into the first round and add a legitimate playmaker for Mendoza to throw to, the Raiders could immediately become the biggest threat to the Broncos in the West. As we head into what feels like the 20th year in a row of the Los Angeles Chargers being a few injury breaks away from contention, it would be wise not to believe it until you see it. The Kansas City Chiefs still have question marks abound, and they might not finish with a much better record than they ended 2025 with.
Looking further into the Raiders and Chargers, the two teams had seemingly polar opposite springs. The Chargers' biggest move of free agency was hiring former Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel as offensive coordinator; otherwise, they did not make any free agent splashes or trades that move the needle for their 2026 season. Elsewhere in Las Vegas, the Raiders might have had the best free agency period of any team in the game, hired a young head coach that the league seems to have great confidence in, and are set to bring in Mendoza to run their offense.
After signing Tyler Linderbaum to the highest average annual value for a center in the history of the NFL, the Raiders are now going to pair the best tight end in the game and the first running back taken in the 2025 draft with the reigning Heisman winner and national champion. Things are pointing up in Las Vegas, and it might be enough to put the Broncos on notice.
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