John Spytek spent Monday at the NFL annual meeting in Phoenix, Arizona, doing what Raiders fans have come to expect from the second-year general manager: refusing to fake certainty, and then offering a roadmap anyway.
Spytek did make plenty clear. Maxx Crosby is back. The Raiders are shifting into draft mode. And with the No. 1 pick, Las Vegas plans to treat quarterback Fernando Mendoza like an evaluation, not a coronation.
Crosby is back, and the Raiders expect him for the long haul
Asked about the fallout from the Maxx Crosby trade saga, Spytek said he has no real opinion on how it played out. Instead, he focused on the ending.
“Maxx is back,” Spytek said. “It’s like he never left.”
Spytek said Crosby is “working his ass off to get healthy” and expects him ready for training camp. Even so, he added the team expects Crosby to play “a bunch of good football for many years to come.”
As for the immediate roster ripple, Spytek said the timing did not change how the Raiders operated in early free agency. He noted the team had cap space and cash support from Mark Davis and the ownership group. In Spytek’s words, it felt like the Raiders added an elite defensive end.
Spytek is ready to get to the draft
Spytek said he prefers the draft to free agency, so the shift into draft prep feels like “a breath of fresh air.”
Still, he said the Raiders might do “a few things” to bolster the roster. For now, though, he said the focus has shifted to the draft.
Spytek credited the personnel staff for the plan and the execution during free agency. At the same time, he said the front office and coaches had to work in parallel while the organization finalized its coaching hires after the Super Bowl.
Why the center spot matters in Kubiak’s offense
Spytek did not dodge the obvious: the Raiders made a major investment at center.
To explain it, he pointed to how Kubiak’s staff values the position because the center touches the ball every play. More importantly, he said a high-end center can take mental load off the quarterback, whoever that quarterback ends up being. Spytek also called the player intelligent, competitive, and a special athlete in space, and said that type of center “unlocks” what the offense wants to do.
Along the way, Spytek added he loves linemen and has a particular affinity for Big Ten linemen.
Aidan O’Connell is the lone quarterback on the roster, for now
Spytek called Aidan O’Connell a great teammate and said he has played “a lot of good football” in the league.
However, he also acknowledged the obvious reality of March. O’Connell is the only quarterback on the roster right now. Spytek said the Raiders are considering several options and expects more clarity “in the coming weeks.”
Ready is the standard, not the calendar
Spytek pushed back on the idea that he does not want to play a young quarterback. Rather, he framed it as readiness and roster support.
He said the Raiders want to build an environment where young players do not feel forced onto the field. He referenced additions in free agency and added the team still has work to do.
“When they’re ready, that’s when you play them,” Spytek said. “When they’ve earned it, that’s when you play them.”
Mendoza gets the No. 1 pick spotlight, without the coronation
Spytek confirmed he plans to attend Mendoza’s pro day. While he said most pro days for top quarterbacks look good, he explained the value is time, context and another touch point.
He also said the Raiders study how prospects move through the building, how they treat people and how they operate in their own environment.
With the No. 1 pick, Spytek said the Raiders “start and control the draft.” Even then, he said he hopes it is the last time he ever holds that pick.
“There’s no coronation here,” Spytek said. “It’s process over results.”
The film note on Mendoza, and what Spytek likes about him
Spytek’s praise for Mendoza centered on competitiveness and team success. He referenced a quarterback who led his team to a national championship and a 16-0 season, and he said it is always fun to watch a player who competes and gives everything to his team.
At the same time, he spread the credit to the roster around him, calling it a team full of players who did “really cool things.”
The Raiders have three weeks until the decision. Spytek said the process will run to the end, and the answer will come when the evaluation does.
For now, his message was clear.
Crosby is back. The draft is the priority. And if Mendoza is the pick, Spytek wants the choice to be earned on the film.
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Dice City Sports editor Mark Hebert covers the Vegas Golden Knights, Las Vegas Raiders, Athletics, and UNLV baseball and softball. He has 24 years of journalism experience, is also a senior reporter at Exhibit City News, and previously covered the Dallas Stars and Texas Rangers. Follow him on X or connect on LinkedIn.
