The Las Vegas Raiders made plenty of noise this offseason, and for good reason. Between Fernando Mendoza coming in through the 2026 NFL Draft and the additions of Kirk Cousins, Tyler Linderbaum, Quay Walker and Nakobe Dean in free agency, the roster looks a whole lot different heading toward the 2026 NFL season.
But the splashy moves weren’t the only ones that mattered. Buried beneath the headline-grabbing additions were a handful of signings and draft picks that could end up paying off in a big way once September arrives.
Some of them barely registered at the time. That might change fast.
One of the quieter pickups was Benito Jones, a defensive tackle with real mileage and a familiar face for new defensive coordinator Rob Leonard. Jones has played in 48 games and started 38 over the last three seasons, piling up 1,309 snaps in that stretch. His workload has dipped, sure, but the Raiders still have a lot to sort out on the interior, and Jones gives them a veteran body who can steady a young group while the rotation sorts itself out.
Spencer Burford is another addition that didn’t come with much buzz, but he’s suddenly looking like a real candidate to open the year as the starting left guard. Through OTAs and mandatory minicamp, he’s emerged as the clubhouse favorite over a group of young linemen. The Raiders would probably prefer Trey Zuhn III or Caleb Rogers to grab that job, but if they’re not ready, Burford offers something useful: experience, affordability and a solid grasp of Klint Kubiak’s system.
The draft also brought in Hezekiah "Zeke" Masses in the fifth round, and while the pick didn’t generate the same reaction as Jermod McCoy going a round earlier, Masses has already turned heads in the early going. The Cal cornerback showed off strong ball skills and sticky coverage in college, and if McCoy isn’t healthy, Masses gives Las Vegas more than just insurance. He could be part of the answer if Darien Porter doesn’t take the leap the Raiders need.
Cian Slone is the kind of undrafted free agent who can disappear in the shuffle, except he’s starting to make some noise. He wasn’t even the most talked-about name in the Raiders’ UDFA group, but he’s putting himself in the conversation.
If he keeps it up in training camp, he has a real shot to crack the 53-man roster in September. That matters because the edge group behind Maxx Crosby is thin enough that opportunity is there for the taking.
Then there’s Thomas Booker IV, a restricted free agent who may have been overshadowed by the bigger spending spree around him. Booker IV was a solid defensive tackle for Las Vegas in 2025 after arriving in a preseason trade, and now he gets the benefit of a full offseason with the team and a chance to learn the system from the start. That kind of continuity can matter, and if he builds on last season, the Raiders may look back at bringing him back as one of the smarter moves they made.
In Other News...
Raiders Could Be Eyeing A Shocking Veteran Trade Next
The Raiders offseason has already been busy, with free-agent additions, some familiar faces brought back and a quarterback room that suddenly looks very different after the club used the No. 1 pick on Fernando Mendoza and added Kirk Cousins on a long-term deal meant to bridge the gap. Even with that kind of investment at the games most important position, the roster still feels like it has more moving parts than most teams this time of year, especially with Las Vegas trying to balance short-term competitiveness against a longer reset.
Eric Stokes is one of the names that fits that uneasy middle ground. He was re-signed this spring, but the Raiders also have a crowded group of young defensive backs, which makes him the kind of player that can draw interest if the front office decides to keep reshaping the roster. Cousins brings a different kind of intrigue, since his contract structure leaves room for the Raiders to pivot if Mendoza gets up to speed quickly, and that possibility alone keeps the quarterback situation from feeling settled just yet. [Read more 🡒]
Raiders Already Have One Painful 2025 Roster Miss To Explain
The Raiders spent real energy this spring trying to uncover roster value in the undrafted free-agent market, but the early returns on that 2025 class have been rough. Several of the most notable additions never made it to the active roster, and names like Mello Dotson, Jah Joyner, Tank Booker and Jarrod Hufford have already fallen off the pro-football map or landed elsewhere after failing to stick in Las Vegas.
For a team that has spent years searching for cheap depth and hidden contributors, that kind of turnover is more than a footnote. Carter Runyon is the one UDFA from that group who has actually advanced with the Raiders, while the rest of the class has splintered into different paths, including alternative leagues for some. It leaves the front office with an uncomfortable early reminder that not every low-cost swing turns into a useful piece, even when the team thinks it has found a few. [Read more 🡒]