The 2026 NFL Draft is still over two months away, but you can already pencil in the Las Vegas Raiders spending the first overall selection on Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza.
In a sense, that gives them an advantage with the free agency period on the horizon. Whether Mendoza is the Raiders’ immediate starter or they sign a veteran signal-caller that provides Mendoza the opportunity to learn and absorb without being thrown into the fire remains to be seen, but no matter what, they’ll need to strengthen their offensive line.
All-Pro Offensive Lineman Expected To Test Free Agency
All five members of the Cleveland Browns’ offensive line are expected to enter the open market when unrestricted free agency begins next month. That includes Wyatt Teller, a two-time All-Pro and three-time Pro Bowl guard who said his farewells to the organization on Wednesday.
A former fifth-round pick of the Buffalo Bills, Teller has spent the last seven years of his career in Cleveland. At 31 years old, Teller is anticipating a change of scenery, and he’ll have no shortage of suitors for his services.
The Herd’s Colin Cowherd even insisted that the Raiders pursue Teller. Creating a formidable offensive line to protect your rookie quarterback is paramount.
“This is too obvious,” Cowherd wrote in a post on X Thursday morning. “Fernando Mendoza will appreciate it.”
Hey @Raiders This is too obvious. Fernando Mendoza will appreciate it. https://t.co/deHlR3XPWU
— Colin Cowherd (@colincowherd) February 19, 2026
Teller has blossomed into a full-time starting right guard for the Browns over his tenure with the team. He’s started 94 total games across a seven-year span, helping provide a sense of continuity for a team that seemed to rotate through a carousel of quarterbacks on a yearly basis without any level of consistency.
He’d be a monumental acquisition for the Raiders, and they have no shortage of money to throw at him and lure him to Las Vegas. According to Over the Cap, only the Tennessee Titans have more salary cap space than the Raiders at the moment.
Raiders Hoping To Land Their Franchise QB in Fernando Mendoza
With their Heisman-winning quarterback at the helm, the Hoosiers capped off a stellar season by securing a national championship in a win over the Miami Hurricanes last month. Mendoza finished his season with 48 total touchdowns from scrimmage.
Mendoza didn’t throw a touchdown in the game, but he did account for a 12-yard rushing score in the fourth quarter that boosted the Hoosiers’ lead to double digits. It was the first time since the season-opening win over Old Dominion that Mendoza finished a game without throwing for a single touchdown.
That isn’t to take away from such a remarkable campaign that saw him toss 41 touchdowns to 6 interceptions, including another seven touchdowns on the ground. The week prior, Mendoza completed 85% of his passes and threw five touchdowns in the semifinals against Oregon.
By all accounts, Mendoza appears destined to join the Raiders in three months. But all that matters is the trajectory he’ll be on once he gets there; the Raiders aren’t exactly known for developing players.
With Geno Smith at the forefront of their offense for much of the regular season, the Raiders finished 31st in PFSN’s NFL Offense Impact Metrics in 2025. Only the Cleveland Browns finished with a lower ranking.
