Scott Gulbransen
Nobody saw this coming. A year ago, the Las Vegas Raiders were a punchline. They finished 3-14, had a roster full of question marks and a franchise that couldn’t find a quarterback with a map and a flashlight. Now, less than 72 hours into the 2026 NFL free agency period, second-year GM John Spytek has turned the Silver and Black into the most interesting team in the AFC West. Maybe the most interesting team in the entire conference.
Let that breathe for a second.
Spytek Goes Big on Day 1 for Raiders Rebuild
Spytek opened the legal tampering period by landing Tyler Linderbaum on a record-setting deal for a center — three years, $81 million. That’s not a rebuilding team move. That’s a team that knows what it’s doing and isn’t afraid to pay for it. Linderbaum, just 25 years old and coming off back-to-back dominant seasons in Baltimore, is one of the two or three best centers in football. He doesn’t just upgrade the Raiders’ offensive line; he builds the foundation for whatever Fernando Mendoza’s career is going to look like. You don’t shell out that kind of money at center without a plan for who’s taking snaps behind it.
Then Spytek kept going. Kwity Paye on a $48 million deal. Nakobe Dean and Quay Walker — former college teammates who are thrilled to play together — bolster a linebacker corps that desperately needed it. Taron Johnson, a former Second-Team All-Pro, was added at cornerback in a trade that cost a measly pick swap. Kicker Matt Gay, who won a Super Bowl with the Rams. One after another, the moves have been efficient, targeted, and coherent.
The AFC West is Strangely Quiet Behind the Raiders
Now look across the division.
The Kansas City Chiefs spent the offseason bleeding out. They traded Trent McDuffie — one of the best young corners in the league — to the Rams for picks. They lost Jaylen Watson and Bryan Cook on top of that. Yes, they signed Kenneth Walker III to address the backfield, and Travis Kelce is back for another year. But this is a Chiefs roster with gaping holes in the secondary and a defense that finished 2025 looking nothing like the units that dominated this league for much of a decade. Brett Veach is scrambling, not scheming.
The Denver Broncos? They re-signed J.K. Dobbins and kept things relatively quiet. Sean Payton’s team isn’t without talent, but they haven’t made a move that changes the conversation. The Chargers have been busy overhauling their offensive line after losing Linderbaum to the Raiders, of all things, bringing in Tyler Biadasz and Cole Strange. They’re patching holes, not building something. Jim Harbaugh’s team has promise, but they’re reacting this offseason rather than dictating.
Spytek is dictating.
The Maxx Crosby Boomerang is A Blessing for Spytek, Raiders
What makes this especially impressive is the context. The Maxx Crosby trade to Baltimore collapsed when the Ravens backed out after a reportedly concerning physical. A lesser front office panics. They dump Crosby for whatever they can get.
Spytek’s response was essentially: we’ll hold.
Teams are already calling. He’s not desperate. He has Paye and Koonce signed, the cap can manage it, and if the right deal comes along, he’ll make it. Crosby is still a chip on the table. That’s asset management, not asset anxiety.
There are still a lot of blanks to fill in. The Raiders went 3-14 last year and a couple of free agency signings don’t erase that. The AFC West remains the Chiefs’ division until someone physically takes it from them, and Patrick Mahomes makes fools of good-looking rosters every autumn. Mendoza hasn’t thrown an NFL pass yet.
But here’s the thing about rebuilds: the best ones don’t announce themselves with fanfare. They announce themselves through coherent decision-making, a clear vision, and a front office that treats every move as if it matters. Spytek is doing all three. His AFC West counterparts are not.
