The Las Vegas Raiders made one of the biggest splashes in 2026 NFL free agency, signing former Baltimore Ravens center Tyler Linderbaum to a historic contract for an interior offensive lineman. However, the Ravens got their revenge by pulling one of the shadiest moves in league history when they reneged on the Maxx Crosby trade. So, what's next for the Raiders?
When the Ravens slapped the return label on Crosby's box, they sent the Raiders' offseason plans into a tailspin. Not only did they lose the No. 14 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, but they also lost the $30 million in cap space they thought they gained by trading their star pass rusher. That is a major problem when you consider, on top of Linderbaum's $81 million deal, the Silver & Black gave out approximately $200 million in additional NFL free agency deals during the legal tampering period.
Las Vegas is saying it will still honor all its major deals to players like Quay Walker, Nakobe Dean, Jalen Nailor, and Kwity Paye despite the Ravens' double-dealing. So, while that is good news for the franchise, it also means they are almost certainly done signing new players.
That leaves the 2026 NFL Draft as the next chance the Raiders will have to add impact players, and here's what they need to do in April's selection meeting after signing Tyler Linderbaum in 2026 NFL free agency.
The Raiders must find a way to draft OL Spencer Fano
We all know that the Raiders are taking Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza No. 1 overall in the 2026 NFL Draft. That's not something the franchise must do. It is something that is going to happen no matter what, so there is little use in talking more about it. What happens with the team's next pick is the crucial piece of its rebuild process.
And what must happen next is that the Radiers must draft Utah offensive lineman Spencer Fano.
Fano is one of the top offensive line prospects in the 2026 NFL Draft. However, after measuring in with 32 1/8-inch arms and nine-inch hands at the combine, there are questions whether he can play offensive tackle at the next level. That pushed Fano down to the middle of the first round, which is exactly where the Raiders could have scooped him up at pick No. 14.
Now, with its second pick coming at 36, Las Vegas will have to figure out a way to still get Fano.
The reason Fano is the perfect fit for the Raiders is because of how he would fit on the team's revamped offensive line. Three positions are now spoken for, with Kolton Miller at left tackle, Linderbaum at center, and 20244 second-round selection Jackson Powers-Johnson at one of the guard spots. That leaves one guard spot and right tackle open, with guard Dylan Parham a free agent and RT DJ Glaze a young player who the team could easily upgrade on.
In Fano, the Raiders would get a player who could hold down the right tackle spot while the team re-signs Parham or a low-level veteran to take over at guard. However, if Glaze makes a leap or Fano proves he can't play RT in the NFL, the former Ute can slide into the guard spot and possibly become a Pro Bowl-level player at that position.
So, with Fano as the perfect fit, what can the Raiders do to get him?
One option is to trade Crosby again and get another mid-round 2026 NFL Draft pick for him. While Las Vegas likely won't get two first-round picks anymore after Baltimore hosed them, they are more likely to get a 2026 first-rounder than a 2027 one. That's because next year's draft class seems much stronger and deeper than this group.
What they have to watch out for is, most likely, the Detroit Lions at No. 17. In ClutchPoints' most recent mock draft, that's where Fano lands. If the team does trade Crosby again for a pick in the late first round or has to stick at 36, then trading up in front of Detroit is the only way to get Fano. While this is not ideal, it may be what the Raiders have to do, as drafting Spencer Fano is the next move the Raiders must make after signing Tyler Linderbaum in 2026 NFL free agency.
