SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- Coach Klint Kubiak said his calculations of the Las Vegas Raiders change weekly.
In the Raiders' 38-17 loss to the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday afternoon, during which they committed five turnovers on six possessions in the second half, Kubiak saw a team that can be close to competing with the best, but doesn't have enough talent to close that gap.
With the NFL trade deadline on Tuesday at 4 p.m. ET, the Raiders sit at 4-5 and are mathematically still in the playoff hunt. At the same time, they are not in a position to be aggressive and make a big deal for a wide receiver or interior defensive lineman -- two positions of significant need. Meanwhile, the list of players they could trade to obtain draft capital is fairly thin. Of course, there's Maxx Crosby, but the team is not expected to move him, and the star defensive end said he wants to be with the organization for a "long time."
To that end, the Raiders are better off standing pat and pushing through the remainder of the season with the roster as is.
"I really like our team," Kubiak said. "I don't like losing games like this. We've got to have a lot more resilience when you're playing a really good team like we played today. When you start that slow, you don't put yourself in a good position, but I'm proud to coach the guys that we're coaching."
To some degree, the Raiders might've exceeded expectations by starting 3-0 and posting a .500 record through eight weeks, the first time since 2021. Going into the season, Las Vegas wanted to be competitive, which is why they spent big during free agency. Nonetheless, the Raiders are not oblivious to the organization's current state.
They have a first-time head coach, offensive coordinator and defensive coordinator, and No. 1 pick Fernando Mendoza is in the developmental phase. Running back Ashton Jeanty is in the second year of his career, and the secondary is mostly made up of rookies (safety Treydan Stukes, cornerbacks Hezekiah Masses and Jermod McCoy).
Yes, the Raiders wanted to be competitive this season. But it's going to take time before Las Vegas is viewed as a serious contender. But they have cracked the door open for a playoff berth in Kubiak's first season in Las Vegas. If they somehow get five or more wins before their Week 13 bye, the Raiders have a chance to make a postseason push since they have a favorable schedule to close out the regular season.
Three of the Raiders' final five games are at home, with two of those matchups against the 0-8 Los Angeles Chargers and 1-7 Tennessee Titans. Las Vegas will wrap up the season on the road against the Kansas City Chiefs, who could very well rest their starters during that game in order to prepare for the playoffs.
With that said, there's a strong argument for the Raiders to strengthen their wide receiver room or defensive line. Two players who come to mind are Jacksonville Jaguars' Brian Thomas Jr. and Indianapolis Colts' Josh Downs.
Thomas burst onto the scene as a rookie, totaling 1,282 receiving yards in 2024. His role has diminished ever since. Thomas has collected one catch for 12 yards on seven targets in his past four games. Downs, on the other hand, is in the final season of his rookie contract and recently requested a trade.
Both players would be an upgrade, and they are still young in their respective careers. Indeed, Las Vegas has drafted three wide receivers in the past two years (Jack Bech, Dont'e Thornton Jr. and Malik Benson). But none of them have panned out yet, so perhaps adding more experience into the room could be the best path forward.
As for the interior defensive line, Las Vegas desperately needs help in the trenches. They allowed the 49ers to record 190 rushing yards. It was the fifth time in six weeks that the Raiders have allowed 150-plus rushing yards.
The Raiders, however, could build toward the future by parting ways with the few tradeable assets on the roster. Outside of Crosby, quarterback Kirk Cousins is the second-best trade asset, despite throwing three interceptions in the second half on Sunday. Teams such as the Minnesota Vikings could use a veteran. But the Raiders haven't received any calls about Cousins and have said that they have no intention of trading him, league sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter. The expectation is to keep Cousins past the deadline and have him start until the organization believes Mendoza is ready to play.
Cousins said any decisions made on his future with the organization are out of his hands. He added that he loves being in Las Vegas and "feels good" about what they are building.
When taking Crosby and Cousins out of the picture, the list of trade candidates gets thinner. Right guard Jackson Powers-Johnson could be an option. Powers-Johnson was drafted in the second round in 2024. Once viewed as a starter at interior lineman, Powers-Johnson lost his role to Caleb Rogers and rookie Trey Zuhn III, who started at right guard for the second straight week.
Even when Zuhn exited the game in the second half due to a concussion, Rogers stepped in and finished out the game at right guard. Powers-Johnson has fallen to third on the depth chart at right guard, and there's no sign of reverting to center as long as Tyler Linderbaum is holding down the position. However, if a team needs interior support, whether it's guard or center, Powers-Johnson is a perfect candidate.
"We're always talking about that with [general manager John Spytek] and looking at everything," Kubiak said.
Las Vegas' loss to the 49ers was dreadful. It was another harsh reminder of the gap between the Raiders and the league's elite squads. The Raiders have lost 15 straight games to opponents who are five games over .500 -- the longest active streak in the NFL.
Still, the Raiders are in a better position than they were a season ago. But their rebuild wasn't meant to be quick. As painful as afternoons such as Sunday can be to swallow, the Raiders shouldn't turn away from their long-term vision.
"We're right in the mix," Crosby said. "...We had a tough loss, but when we're at our best, we can beat anybody. We know it's going to be a tough challenge. We have a lot of football left.
"...We're going to keep believing and keep fighting."