Klint Kubiak’s previous input in roster decisions could help show what Las Vegas will do at a crucial position after training camp
The Las Vegas Raiders have a good problem to have–do they keep all three quarterbacks who are very good? Or do they cut the obvious guy?
The Las Vegas Raiders will enter training camp with a quarterback room that presents one of the more compelling roster puzzles in the NFL.
With Kirk Cousins, Fernando Mendoza, and Aidan O’Connell all capable of starting at the professional level, the question is simple on the surface but complicated beneath the surface: Do the Raiders keep all three on the 53-man roster?
Las Vegas will need to trim its roster from 90 to 53 after the preseason, and the quarterback position could be one of the trickiest cuts to make. Cousins and Mendoza appear locked in as the top two, with Mendoza being the franchise’s No. 1 overall pick this spring and Cousins serving as the veteran bridge.
O’Connell, who has started multiple games for the Raiders in his career, is the odd man out in terms of roster hierarchy, but his experience and familiarity with the organization make him a valuable commodity.
Do the Raiders keep 2 or 3 quarterbacks?
There is some precedent within the building for keeping three quarterbacks. Coach Clint Kubiak’s Seattle Seahawks kept three quarterbacks on the roster last season: Drew Lock, Sam Darnold, and rookie Jalen Milroe. That was a different situation with different personnel, but it shows Kubiak is at least open to carrying three if the circumstances call for it.
The circumstances here are worth examining. All three quarterbacks on the Raiders roster can play. Two of them have started a significant number of NFL games. That kind of depth is rare, and it creates a good problem to have. But roster spots are finite, and carrying a third quarterback means one fewer spot at cornerback, linebacker, or another position group, where the Raiders also face difficult decisions.
The alternative is either trading O’Connell before the final roster cutdown or keeping him through training camp and exploring a deal before the trade deadline. O’Connell’s trade value is real.
He’s a young quarterback with starting experience, and teams around the league are always looking for capable backups or potential starters. If Vegas can get meaningful draft capital in return, moving O’Connell could help the Raiders address other roster needs while clearing a spot for a player at a thinner position.
Tough decisions extend beyond quarterback
The quarterback room is far from the only position group giving the front office headaches. The cornerback room will require some difficult evaluations, and the linebacker group has the potential for an undrafted free agent like Xavian Sorey to push his way onto the roster, which would mean a veteran or late-round pick gets squeezed out.
These are the kinds of decisions that define a roster-building philosophy, and for both Kubiak and general manager John Spytek, this will be the first time either is truly leading the charge. Kubiak is making these calls for the first time as a head coach after serving as an assistant in Seattle. Spytek is in his first year as a GM running the show, even though he gained valuable experience working alongside Pete Carroll last season with the Seahawks.
The partnership between Kubiak and Spytek will be tested throughout training camp and the preseason as they shape this roster together. Neither has been in these exact seats before, and the decisions they make on the back end of the 53 will reveal a lot about how they prioritize depth, upside, and positional value.
The quarterback question will be the one everyone watches most closely. Keeping three means believing O’Connell’s value to the team on game day outweighs what he could bring back in a trade and what another player could contribute in his roster spot. It is a legitimate debate, and one the Raiders will have to settle before the final preseason game wraps up.