HENDERSON, Nev.—The Las Vegas Raiders (3–2) are barreling toward a matchup Sunday at Allegiant Stadium against one of the two favorites to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl, the Buffalo Bills (4–1).
Later this year, they will also play the three favorites to represent the NFC. To say that their schedule is difficult would be an enormous understatement.
But looming on the horizon for the rebuilding Raiders is the NFL trade deadline on Nov. 10, 2026, at 4 p.m. ET.
The Reality of the Raiders
Rumors fly around a gigantic fanbase like the Raiders because Silver & Black fans see their fandom more as a way of life than a simple football game. It is personal.
Good, accurate information must reach fans through reputable sources.
Earlier this year, we spoke of the Raiders and Tyler Linderbaum in December of 2025, the Raiders’ interest in Fernando Mendoza early in September 2025, and Brock Bowers as the main target for the Silver and Black in February of 2023.
All from quality sources.
Earlier this year, erroneous reports claimed the Raiders made head coaching offers. They were rejected by our reporting, including Jesse Minter (now the Ravens' head coach) and Brian Daboll (now the Tennessee Titans' offensive coordinator), neither of whom received an offer from the Silver & Black.
Even more recent rumors claimed the Raiders had “made an offer” for Tampa Bay Buccaneers DT Vita Vea, and had strong interest in WR Marvin Harrison Jr. and were “in it at the end.”
Again, our reporting rejected all of it long before those situations were settled.
What Are the Raiders Thinking?
As we enter this rebuild, we told you the Raiders saw it as a three-year process. This is a year of implementation; 2027 will be a get-right season, and the expectation is that the Raiders will reach the playoffs in 2028 (if not sooner) and remain there consistently, as the New England Patriots were when Tom Brady led them.
Nothing has changed.
When the Raiders signed Kirk Cousins, we told you he would be the starter, and as long as he played at a high level and the team was truly in contention, he would remain so.
Nothing has changed.
What We Learned About the Raiders
A long-time highly successful GM let us in on Tuesday what the conventional wisdom is around the NFL, and he named names.
“Everybody knew when they saw the contract Tommy (Tom Delaney, Raiders SVP, Director of Football Administration) put together for Cousins, that he was trade bait, once the season went south. Aidan O’Connell staying on the 53-man proved that.”
In a league starved of QBs, he went on, “Kirk is playing great football. That (Male Cow Excrement) in New England wasn’t his fault at all. If the right team needs a QB, once this season goes south, he has great value.”
The executive believes, and I have confirmed with one other team executive, that once the Raiders make the inevitable move to the rookie No. 1 overall QB selected in the NFL Draft, who had executives calling the best QB prospect in the last four years, Fernando Mendoza, Kirk is instantly on the market.
He went on, “The moment they make that move (to Mendoza), as much as they love Kirk, it would be foolish not to trade him, get value in return, and the Falcons paid him for playing for you for free.”
So what does this executive think of Cousins’ value?
“If you are a team that is all in on 2026, like the Rams and you lose Stafford, or whatever QB an all-in contender has, you could maybe even get a fourth (Round pick in the NFL draft) depending on how many other players, but if it is an all-in team, or a contender and maybe only one is looking, a fifth.”
The Caveat
The issue is not just Cousins, but the executive believes that the Raiders are buyers before the deadline for sure, “Everybody knows that,” but added, “If they are out of the hunt (for the NFL Playoffs) I think they are for sure sellers. Why would you not be? You are rebuilding, and you have some assets that won’t be here long-term, or certainly diminished.”
He then added the caveat again, “But they have to be out of it in their mind.”
Buyers
The Raiders have been buyers all year. The issue is that they are now led by the master of discipline, John Spytek. They aren’t going to make deals that aren’t singularly focused on the plan and the future. No more Raiders futility chasing pipe dreams and overplaying players for a temporary high who, when the price tag comes due, hinder your team.
The Raiders will always be buyers under Spytek. He is aggressive but does not mistake aggression for stupidity. As one NFL coach told me, “I would have to play poker with that (SOB).”
No matter what happens over the coming weeks, the Raiders will always be willing to upgrade and get better. But it must fit the Spytek narrative and doctrine that now lead this organization.
Sellers
So what would turn the Raiders into sellers, and what could that possibly look like?
Per the executive, “The Raiders aren’t going to sell short their guys if they are in the hunt. No way, (Klint) Kubiak would go ballistic, and so would Spy (Spytek), and Tom Brady is the single-most competitive human being on earth.”
He elaborated, “But the moment they determine 2026 is done from a standpoint of the playoffs, and make the move to Mendoza, I think every veteran is in play that doesn’t fit the narrative.”
He didn’t want to talk about names, so I called another executive and relayed this opinion to him. He agreed and was quick to name names.
The next executive told me, “The Raiders aren’t shopping Maxx (Crosby), and from what I know he isn’t looking to leave, but that trade deadline people are going to call. He burns for a title; he craves it and maybe a contender could make the offer that would make John (Spytek) say yes, and Maxx as well.”
He continued, “Don’t forget (Adam) Butler. He is playing great, is 32, and has the rest of this year and next on his deal at a terrific price. That was a great deal for the Raiders by John.”
Right there are three names. We talked about a few others, and he thought the interest level would have been from nominal to possible, but none were overly substantial.
Assessment
The Raiders want to keep their promising young players and veterans who fit the long-term narrative. Still, they’ve already decided that the veterans and young players they have aren’t part of the answer, and NFL teams feel strongly that those players are available now.
But around the NFL, they also think veterans who are absolutely part of the dream right now could hit the market the moment the team’s brain trust thinks the dream of the NFL playoffs in 2026 is dead.
Or as one executive said, “If Cousins loses his job because he stinks (not the case presently) moving to the kid (Fernando Mendoza) is a smart move. But if he is playing well, and they replace him, game on. They have moved on to a 2027 mindset, and the Raiders are smart enough to become sellers to the right buyers.”
The Trade Deadline
The Raiders are buyers; they always will be. But with the Bills this Sunday, the Rams next Sunday, the Jets the following week, and the 49ers in the final game before the deadline, the Raiders will quickly assess the reality of the NFL Playoff dream in 2026.
At worst, they would be 3–6, with a good chance at 4–5, and if they play as they did against the Chiefs, they have a legitimate puncher's chance at 5-4.
No matter what, there is plenty of time before the deadline to learn what they are.
The playoffs are looming, but so is a rookie QB who looks the part. Make a playoff push with a veteran in Cousins? Great. Get your rookie in, trade your veteran for quality compensation, and get his play and mentoring for your rookie, with the Falcons paying the bill? Great.
Either way, the Raiders win, or we get a front-row seat to what may be the most exciting NFL trade deadline around the Silver & Black in years.
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