Although Davis chose to play it silly, there are no secrets to be kept in Las Vegas. The entire football world expects the Raiders to spend the pick on Indiana quarterback and 2025 Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza, providing Las Vegas with the franchise quarterback it has been looking for since the last months of the Derek Carr era.
Still, as Davis noted, there’s no guarantee Mendoza will win.
With that in mind, Davis’ chosen leadership duo of general manager John Spytek and coach Klint Kubiak have worked diligently throughout the spring to improve the Raiders’ roster. Las Vegas overspent to lure center Tyler Linderbaum to Nevada, added former 49ers guard Spencer Burford to the starting offense, signed receiver Jalen Nailor and quickly rebuilt the team’s linebacking corps with the new trio of Quay Walker, Nakobe Dean and Kwity Paye.
At the very least, the Raiders should expect to do better up front, protecting Mendoza (or a veteran bridge option, a role Kubiak said Tuesday he still wants to fill this offseason) in a better way than they could afford to continue the offseason’s big signing, veteran quarterback Geno Smith.
However, there is still work to be done. With three picks in the first 67 picks and six in the first 150 picks, Las Vegas has plenty of ammunition to continue building. The Raiders are also beaming after retaining star producer Maxx Crosby after their failed attempt to trade him to Baltimore.
“Like I said, I never wanted Maxx to go, so I’m glad he’s back and I’m glad we got Tyler Linderbaum,” Davis said. “So I think we got out of it pretty well.”
Things are looking up in Las Vegas. Hopefully, as it once did during Russell’s disastrous season with the Silver and Black, it won’t end with its head hanging in disappointment.