Raiders mailbag: Time for team to get serious about 2026 QB prospects?

The Raiders return from their bye week to host the Jaguars on Sunday at Allegiant Stadium.

The club has plenty of soul searching to do coming off a 31-0 loss to the Chiefs on Oct. 19. Plus, the NFL trade deadline is Tuesday.

Fans have plenty of questions about what comes next. Here is a sampling of what arrived in this week’s mailbag:

Matt Berger (@matt_berger): Since the team seems to be steamrolling into another top 10 pick, is 2026 the year the Raiders make a serious investment in the QB position?

Vincent Bonsignore: It makes sense on the surface. The 2026 quarterback class is considered lackluster compared to previous years, however.

A prospect like Oregon’s Dante Moore, Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza or Alabama’s Ty Simpson could always work their way up the board the next few months. But the Raiders also can’t be reckless and reach for a quarterback that isn’t worthy of a first-round pick.

Dan O’Neil (@CLC4eva): What is the status of Kolton Miller? Can he come back this year, and in what time frame, based on the rules?

Bonsignore: The Raiders’ stalwart left tackle is on injured reserve due to an ankle sprain he suffered Week 4 and is eligible to return to practice next week. However, the sense is it might be a while before Miller can get back on the field.

The team will have 21 days to decide whether he is ready to return to the active roster once he starts practicing again.

Alan in Vegas (@alaninvegas): What happened to cornerback Decamerion Richardson? Will Kyu Blu Kelly continue to start and be developed, or will they move to someone else?

Bonsignore: Richardson, a 2024 fourth-round pick, has almost exclusively played on special teams to date. He just hasn’t shown the coaching staff enough to earn snaps on defense.

As for Kelly, the Bishop Gorman alum has struggled this year. The next man up behind him is rookie third-round pick Darien Porter, who could start to get more playing time soon if Kelly doesn’t improve.

Go Raiders (@GoRaiders19): Can you ask (coach) Pete Carroll why he keeps taking Jackson Powers-Johnson out of the game when he is clearly their best lineman?

Bonsignore: Powers-Johnson, a 2024 second-round pick, has been in a season-long battle with veteran Alex Cappa at right guard. The 22-year-old was benched for Cappa during the Chiefs loss.

In that game, Powers-Johnson looked overmatched. The benching was warranted.

The situation isn’t complicated. The Raiders believe Powers-Johnson has talent, but they want him to be more consistent. There’s a gap between the player he is now and the one he is capable of being.

AZ_Raider75 (@AZRaider75): What do we think the return will be for (wide receiver) Jakobi Meyers?

Bonsignore: A realistic return for Meyers, who requested a trade before the start of the season, would be a fourth-round pick. Maybe the Raiders could get a third-round pick from a team that’s desperate to improve.

Christopher Collier (@CCollierTHFC): Do you think there is a chance, once he’s healthy, that Aidan O’Connell gets the nod at quarterback, and they use the offseason to start a serious rebuild with so much cap space available?

Bonsignore: A lot of things would need to happen for the Raiders to turn back to O’Connell, who returned to practice this week after breaking his right wrist during the preseason.

Starter Geno Smith would need to continue to play poorly. Backup Kenny Pickett, who would likely get the next crack at the job, would then need to struggle in relief.

As for the offseason, the Raiders are projected to have $103.2 million in cap space next year, the third-most in the NFL. Expect significant moves.

Contact Vincent Bonsignore at vbonsignore@reviewjournal.com. Follow @VinnyBonsignore on X.