The Raiders are heading into Week 6 with a depth chart that shows plenty of moving parts as they try to stop a two-game skid and get something going at home against the Buffalo Bills on Sunday.
At quarterback, Cousins is still the starter, but the picture around him is pretty clear. The offense has an identity with him under center, and just as importantly, it has limits too.
The backfield remains a spot where Las Vegas is trying to squeeze out more. The team will keep working to get the most from Jeanty, but there’s a strong case for leaning more on Washington and Laube as well.
On the line, the left side needs to tighten up. Burford had a rough outing last week, and the Raiders need more stability from him. Powers-Johnson, meanwhile, is trying to keep building back toward form after missing time recently, while Glaze continues to be the most dependable offensive lineman the team has had since he was drafted.
Tight end could also be a busy area on Sunday. The Raiders will probably need all three of their tight ends to contribute in one way or another.
There’s a similar story on defense, where depth and rotation may matter more than usual. Laulu and Pegues could see extra snaps depending on Hemingway’s health, and the Raiders may lean on a deeper rotation across the interior line than they have in recent weeks.
That front will need to do its part for Crosby and Koonce, who work well together when the interior group holds up. Both edge rushers are expected to play against the Bills, and each brings a different set of strengths and weaknesses.
Behind them, the secondary still has work to do. Stokes remains the leader at corner, but the big plays have to stop.
Dean, in particular, will be under the microscope after last week’s loss. It was a team-wide flop, but as one of the veterans and one of the players brought in for his leadership as much as his talent, he has to help get the defense pointed back in the right direction.
Walker is another piece the coaching staff has to handle carefully. The goal is to get the most out of his talent without wearing him down or putting him in the wrong spots too often.
The support system around the linebackers matters too. The Raiders need their defensive line to help cover for the back end, and the secondary has to give the linebackers help as well.
Stukes has had a rough couple of weeks, and his lack of experience has shown. Even so, he’s still the team’s best free safety, and the Raiders need him to keep learning fast and adjust to the mental demands of the league. Chinn, one of the veteran voices in a young defensive backfield, has played well this season, and Las Vegas needs the rest of that group to match him.
Special teams may not escape the shuffle either. Gay missed his first regular-season kick last Sunday against the Patriots, and the miss - the ball hitting the field goal post - summed up how the day went for the Raiders. Las Vegas may look at a change there, much like it did last week against New England, while Laube is expected to stay in one of the spots.
And then there’s Benson, whose season is now close to halfway done and still hasn’t produced much. Returning punts gives him a chance to get moving, but the coaching staff could decide somebody else deserves that opportunity instead.
In Other News...
Raiders Need Their Young DBs Ready For A Brutal Bills Test
The Raiders came out of the New England game with plenty to sort through on defense, and the spotlight naturally landed on the young secondary. Defensive coordinator Rob Leonard and head coach Klint Kubiak both acknowledged the need for improvement after a rough outing, while rookie defensive backs Treydan Stukes and Hezekiah Masses were among the players highlighted as encouraging pieces who also took some lumps along the way.
Both young DBs have already shown they can make plays, with interceptions on their season resumes, but the next test comes quickly against Buffalo. With the Bills looming, Las Vegas is looking for Stukes and Masses to steady themselves, rebuild confidence and show that the lessons from New England can translate into cleaner coverage when the competition ramps up again. [Read more 🡒]
Ashton Jeantys Biggest Raiders Problem Is Getting Harder To Ignore
Ashton Jeantys early-season workload has already become a focal point for the Raiders, and not in the way anyone imagined when the offense started leaning on him so heavily. He has carried the ball 88 times without a rushing touchdown, and the frustration is especially visible near the goal line, where the Raiders have repeatedly asked him to finish drives behind an offensive line that has too often let runs get stopped at or behind the line of scrimmage.
The biggest complication is that Jeanty has been doing it while managing an ankle injury, which has made the evaluation even murkier for Las Vegas. The Raiders have not had much room for error in short-yardage situations, and this weeks matchup only adds to the urgency, since both teams have been vulnerable to touchdowns allowed from inside their own 5-yard lines. [Read more 🡒]
Raiders Cornerback Battle Suddenly Puts An Offseason Starter On Notice
The Raiders cornerback picture is shifting quickly, and Eric Stokes is suddenly at the center of it. Signed to a three-year contract as an offseason addition, the veteran has not settled into the role the team envisioned, and through five games he has struggled enough in coverage that the Raiders are clearly taking a harder look at what comes next on the back end.
Darien Porter has been one of the brighter developments in that evaluation. The second-year corner has played well enough recently to draw praise from head coach Klint Kubiak, and his rise has also caught the attention of media analyst Ted Nguyen, who suggested his snap count could keep climbing as the Raiders sort out the depth chart. For a defense still trying to find the right mix at corner, the competition is very much alive. [Read more 🡒]