After a 3-14 debut season, Las Vegas Raiders general manager John Spytek has orchestrated one of the most aggressive roster overhauls in the NFL, headlined by drafting quarterback Fernando Mendoza first overall and signing center Tyler Linderbaum to a record contract. National pundits have called the Raiders the most improved team since the end of the 2025 season, but Spytek is not satisfied.
“I think we’re building, but I don’t think in the NFL that process ever stops,” Spytek said. “Obviously, getting Fernando, who we need to help develop into a great, franchise-level quarterback, is a big add. Every franchise is looking for that. But I think we’re all excited about the young talent in the building. Brock Bowers. Ashton Jeanty. We’ve still got Maxx. We added some great linebackers. But to me, if you think you’ve reached the finish line or even that you’re on your way, I think you’re doing it wrong.”
Spytek’s first year was difficult, as the Raiders tied for the worst record in the league. He fired coach Pete Carroll after one season and hired Klint Kubiak, one of the hottest names on the market. The team also navigated a bizarre situation when the Baltimore Ravens canceled a proposed trade of star defensive end Maxx Crosby for two first-round picks.
“I never want to go through that again, ever,” Spytek said of the 3-14 season. “But, I’m grateful for the things that we learned along the way.”
Spytek owns the failure, refusing to blame Carroll or circumstances. “Our 3-14 record, we earned that last year,” he said. “I think there’s a lot of things that I have to do better and a lot of things the organization has to do better. Then, the players need to play.”
He cited the Christian Wilkins situation as an example of unexpected problems. Wilkins, signed to a big contract before Spytek arrived, suffered a lingering injury and was released after a bizarre locker room incident. “That just wasn’t our reality,” Spytek said of having a healthy Wilkins. “So you just learn in those spaces to solve the problem the best you can.”
Spytek’s offseason success came from a collaborative process. The personnel department and coaching staff agreed that Linderbaum was the top free-agent target. “It was high character, work ethic, highly-competitive,” Spytek said. “Then the film is what it is, which we thought was very good, obviously. It was a unique opportunity because that guy doesn’t always become available at the end of his rookie contract.” The Raiders made Linderbaum the highest-paid interior offensive lineman in NFL history.
The draft process for Mendoza was equally thorough. “I would never classify it as easy. I think it was a great, thorough, well thought-out process,” Spytek said. “And sure, it ended in the spot where everybody expected it to end. But it’s because of who he is as a person and as a competitor and as a football lover that gave us a convicted sense of calm as we went through it.”
Despite the upgrades, sportsbooks still project the Raiders as one of the worst teams. “We’re all hyper-competitive people and nothing would make me happier than to win 17 games next year,” Spytek said. “But, we’re more focused on building it the right way. So when we do have the success, when we show the progress this year and the results come with it on the field, that we can keep it there too.”
Spytek added mostly younger players in their mid-20s, aiming for sustainable success. “That gives us a chance to build that foundation the right way this year to be competitive and have those guys be a part of it going forward,” he said. “Then just continue to add.”
Looking ahead, Spytek knows the work never stops. “Every day I come in here, I just think about, ‘How can we make the Raiders better?’” he said. “You never know what’s going to come up. Some days you walk in and you can’t anticipate what’s going to happen, but we’ll take it as it comes.”
