Raiders GM John Spytek Addresses Getting Fernando Mendoza More Receivers
For the Las Vegas Raiders, it’s the beginning of a new era after drafting this year’s Heisman Trophy winner, Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza.
The No. 1 pick in the NFL Draft carries high expectations with him, as he was the undeniable best quarterback available in a draft that didn’t have many options after he was off the board. Mendoza delivered a championship last college football season to the Hoosiers, and the Raiders are now hoping he’ll do the same.
However, there may be some early concerns from naysayers, doubters, and even fans regarding Mendoza’s receiving corps. During a recent chat with Kay Adams, Raiders general manager John Spytek addressed the possibility of the team needing to add more receivers for Mendoza.
More news:Bears Rookie Addresses Viral Non-Reaction to NFL Draft Moment
“Can I convince you to get a couple of veterans that are out there? What’s going on at receiver?” Adams asked Spytek during “Up and Adams with Kay Adams.”
Spytek joked that his kids always ask him if they can have 15 wide receivers on the team and suggested we “live in a fantasy football world.”
“I love Tre Tucker. He’s a good player, and we’re excited about Jalen Naylor. We drafted Jack Bech in the second [round] last year. We have belief in Jack. We drafted Dante Thornton in the fourth last year. We believe in him. I’m excited with Malik Benson,” he said.
“We’re not gonna force anything either. We have a very thorough evaluation of every player at every position. It never goes the way you want it to go, Kay,” Spytek said.
Another player whom Adams mentioned is tight end Brock Bowers, who had a stellar 2025 rookie season for the Raiders, and Spytek agreed he deserves mention with the other players he named.
The Raiders GM said they wouldn’t stop “trimming the roster” or “devalue any position,” but also wouldn’t force anything, indicating they are currently in “the team building exercise.”
Last season, the Raiders, relying mostly on quarterback Geno Smith, were fifth-worst in the NFL for passing with only 167.7 passing yards per game.
Tucker and Bowers led the way with 696 and 680 receiving yards, respectively. Jeanty emerged as a dynamic young back who finished fourth in receiving yards and scored five receiving TDs. Overall, their receiving corps struggled.
After drafting Mendoza, the majority of the Raiders’ draft picks were made for the defense, including safety Treydan Stukes, edge rusher Keyron Crawford, and cornerback Jermod McCoy.
However, they did add a receiver, the aforementioned Malike Benson from Oregon, in the sixth round. In addition, they added Texas A&M’s Trey Zuhn III as a guard or center to help protect Mendoza.
As with other teams’ rosters, Spytek and company will see how things look with Mendoza in his debut season and likely determine if he needs better weapons on the field. For now, they’ve started building the core of what could be a successful silver-and-black squad in the future.
More news:Michael Irvin Rips ESPN for ‘Classless' NFL Draft Coverage of Reuben Bain
For more about the NFL, head over to Newsweek Sports.
2026 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.
This story was originally published April 29, 2026 at 4:22 PM.