Klint Kubiak and the Las Vegas Raiders seem to have one national outlet believing in them way more than others are
Klint Kubiak and the Las Vegas Raiders seem to have one national outlet believing in them way more than others are. Bleacher Report seems to think this team could be a surprise playoff team.
The Las Vegas Raiders made Bleacher Report Gridiron’s list of five potential surprise playoff teams, and while they may be one of the few outlets willing to put that prediction into the ether, it raises a fair question about where this roster actually stands heading into the 2026 season.
Most expect Vegas to double its win total from last year, which sounds nice until you remember the Raiders won only three games. Jumping to six wins isn’t exactly a seismic leap. Making the playoffs, though? That’s a different conversation entirely.
The AFC West is still a gauntlet
The Raiders play in one of the toughest divisions in football. If they want to win the AFC West, they have to go through the Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Chargers, and Denver Broncos. Kansas City is still a dynasty until proven otherwise, with one of the best players in NFL history in quarterback Patrick Mahomes and multiple Super Bowl titles over the last few years.
The Broncos were a few plays away from a Super Bowl appearance last season. The Chargers are always a strong regular-season team, even if they never seem to translate that into postseason success. That leaves the Raiders still trying to figure out where they fit. Even making the wild card, which likely requires finishing second in the division, feels like a stretch right now. Las Vegas could just as easily finish third or fourth again.
On paper, the talent is there
The Raiders have built a roster that looks like a potential playoff team, at least on paper. The offense features tight end Brock Bowers, who could be the best at his position in football for years to come, and running back Ashton Jeanty, who has the potential to be a top-three to top-five back in the league.
Then there’s quarterback Fernando Mendoza, the franchise signal-caller, who might not even play this season because veteran Kirk Cousins is still performing at a high level. Vegas also improved its offensive line depth this offseason. On the defensive side, the Raiders spent heavily in free agency and used draft capital to bolster that unit as well.
Should you bet on this team? Probably not
The honest answer is no, nobody should put their money on the Raiders making the playoffs. The roster improvements are real, and the talent is undeniable in spots. But translating that into enough wins to crack the postseason field in the AFC West requires more than on-paper potential. It requires consistency, quarterback clarity, and a lot of things breaking their way.
That said, Bleacher Report thinks Vegas is a team worth watching, and that alone has to feel good for a franchise coming off a three-win season. The Raiders have built something worth monitoring, even if the playoff conversation still feels premature.