The Las Vegas Raiders have no intention of trading the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, with Fernando Mendoza as their possible target. That said, for the right price, they’d absolutely consider letting the No. 1 pick go in exchange for several key pieces. I went to Spotrac’s trade machine and landed on three teams with the draft capital and key players to realistically be in the market for the No. 1 pick.
In every deal, I added Maxx Crosby as part of the deal. It worked out that all three teams needed an upgrade in the pass rush so it worked, but each of these teams would equally be interested in trading for the right to draft Fernando Mendoza. These offers are aggressive, but it ultimately ends up being the best case for both sides. Here are four teams that have every reason to poach the No. 1 pick from the Las Vegas Raiders.
Houston and Las Vegas with a blockbuster deal that shakes the NFL
C.J. Stroud has seemingly plateaued. OK, not literally, but the fact that he’s been to the playoffs in each of his first three seasons and has never made it past the divisional round has perked up some critics’ ears. It would take a lot for Houston to move on from Stroud, even if he’s due for a lucrative extension that might be overvalued. The only reason the Texans would do this deal is to part ways with a quarterback they’ve seen enough of. I don’t think they’re there yet, but this is what it would take to land Fernando Mendoza as his replacement.
As for the Raiders, I think they’d very much welcome Stroud in over a rookie quarterback. In this mock deal, they get an upgrade at receiver and two picks to not only protect Stroud, but to give him another weapon in the offense. The Raiders still need a true No. 1 receiver and Xavier Hutchinson isn’t that. They’ll have more moves to make, but this already puts them well ahead of where they were to start the offseason.
Arizona ends the Kyler Murry era for Fernando Mendoza
In this mock deal, the Raiders land Kyler Murray. For better or worse, it’s an upgrade at quarterback. Murray had a rough run with Jonathan Gannon, but I think he’s still good enough to produce in this league. With a coach like Klint Kubiak, I believe he’d be able to build a scheme around Murray. The Raiders have one of the worst offensive lines so bringing in a quarterback with Murray’s mobility is a plus too.
This helps the Cardinals put an end to the Murray era and welcome in a new franchise quarterback. As part of this deal too, the Cardinals get a massive upgrade on their defensive line and if Walter Nolen comes back healthy, it could be what helps them be competitive in the NFC West division. On top of that, Mendoza gets Marvin Harrison Jr. to throw to. The Cardinals surrender two first-round picks in the process and the Raiders start their rebuild around their new quarterback.
Minnesota abruptly ends the J.J. McCarthy trainwreck before it gets out of hand
The Minnesota Vikings would desperately move off of J.J. McCarthy if it meant landing Fernando Mendoza. McCarthy played badly last year, and though the Vikings ended the season on a five-game winning streak, McCarthy was inconsistent during that stretch. That’s why if they could pull the trigger on a move for Mendoza, they’d consider making a trade. Sure, they give up a lot of draft capital and Jordan Addison too, but it would be worth it. Landing Geno Smith simply gives them another backup quarterback.
The Raiders really aren’t going to do this deal for anything less than two first-round picks. The Vikings are probably a quarterback away from going on a playoff run and if they want that to be Mendoza, this is what Las Vegas would ask for. They’d get McCarthy as a bridge option to possibly build around, a receiver that could turn into a No. 1 and two first-round picks. I don’t know how the Raiders pass that up if they get a deal like this.
New York Jets makes an offer the Las Vegas Raiders can't refuse
Aaron Glenn could be desperate. He, and this front office, could cough up two first-round picks and a fifth-round pick to land Mendoza. This is a team that's had quarterback problems for years. If New York's front office really does think Mendoza is their savior, they'd be willing to give up some draft capital. The Jets are closer to being playoff contenders than the Raiders so giving up extra first- and second-round picks doesn't feel like a reach.
The Raiders would only do this if the draft capital was significant. Landing a first- and second-round pick in this year's draft and a first next year is a great haul. The 2027 first-round pick is insurance you can draft in next year's draft. The quarterback class has depth, so having two first-round picks increases their chances of finding their quarterback.
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