John Spytek’s second offseason in Las Vegas has given the Raiders something they badly needed: real roster options.
That shows up most clearly in the depth chart, where the team’s reset is no longer just a theory. It’s a roster built with a different balance now - younger, deeper, and, in a few key spots, ready to hand major responsibilities to players who haven’t been around long.
The Raiders have spent the last two offseasons trying to dig out of the hole created by one of the league’s weakest rosters. Spytek’s first spring with the team was about making the most of limited resources, and Las Vegas found affordable starters in free agency while also adding several draft picks they expect to matter down the line.
This offseason was a different kind of operation. The Raiders entered it with more cap space and more draft picks than any other team in the league, and they used that flexibility to add talent fast.
Week 1 against the Miami Dolphins will offer the first real look at how that overhaul is taking shape under new head coach Klint Kubiak. The Raiders won’t look anything like the team that finished its last game in January, and the goal is obvious: a better roster should produce better results.
Kubiak said the staff has spent the spring and summer learning what it has in this group, especially with so many young players now in the mix.
“That's our job as coaches to improve our roster, to improve our players, and we obviously realize that when young guys are playing, you got to be cognizant of how much you can load up on them. But we've learned a lot about our guys from April until now, and excited for them to go play,” Kubiak said.
The clearest sign of that youth movement is rookie safety Treydan Stukes, who has climbed all the way to a Week 1 starting job. That wasn’t the most obvious outcome when camp opened, even though it was clear early that he would have a real role. His rise has been one of the sharper developments on the roster.
Before Thursday’s practice, defensive coordinator Rob Leonard said Stukes began to separate himself by playing with more conviction as camp went on.
"I felt like all of a sudden, he [Treydan Stukes] was playing with more confidence. He was playing faster and communicating loudly. I think even he mentioned the other day, it was somewhere in middle of training camp, but those are the decisions that they make to carry themselves a certain way,” Leonard said before Thursday's practice.
Leonard also pointed to the traits that pushed the rookie into the lineup, especially in a secondary that still has plenty of questions.
"Speed, closing speed, his ability to close is glaring. His ability to cover, good tackler, good blitzer. He's a great top-down player," Leonard said.
Stukes is expected to start next to veteran Jeremy Chinn, and that pairing says plenty about how the Raiders are building this thing. They want the steadiness that comes with experience, but they also know that experience carries wear and tear. Youth brings less polish, but it also brings fresher legs and, in Las Vegas’ case, a lot of upside.
That mix is the point. Spytek’s roster construction has created a team where several young players are not just making the roster, but are already positioned to play important snaps right away. The Raiders will lean on rookies and players with less than three years of experience in starting jobs or roles high enough on the depth chart to expect immediate contributions.
For Stukes, the starting nod is only the beginning. What matters now is what he does when the games count.
Still, his rise is a strong example of the bigger plan in Las Vegas: identify young talent, get it on the field early, and hope that growth now turns into something sustainable later.
In Other News...
Raiders Suddenly Have A Quarterback Decision Seattle Could Complicate
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For the Raiders, that situation is worth watching because Seattles search for depth could ripple into the trade market and create a new layer to Las Vegas own quarterback decisions. The Seahawks have internal options in Drew Lock and Jalen Milroe, but the possibility of a move for Kirk Cousins has started to surface as they sort through their next step, and any serious pursuit there would be the kind of quarterback domino effect the Raiders cannot ignore. [Read more 🡒]
Raiders Just Opened The Door For A Bigger Roster Decision
The Raiders created some much-needed breathing room for the future this week, restructuring the contracts of Jalen Nailor and Quay Walker to open up about $8.2 million in 2026 salary cap space. It is the kind of move that does not grab headlines on its own, but it can shape everything that comes next, especially for a team trying to keep its options open as roster planning starts to come into focus.
With the added flexibility, Las Vegas now sits at roughly $11.5 million in available cap space for 2026, enough to leave the front office room to maneuver if a trade opportunity or free agent target emerges. The bigger question is how the Raiders choose to use that cushion, because this kind of financial reset usually signals that more roster decisions are coming into view. [Read more 🡒]
Raiders Offense Faces New Week 1 Tension After Bowers And QB Twist
The Raiders are heading into Week 1 with a little more uncertainty on offense after ESPNs Adam Schefter reported Brock Bowers meniscus injury timeline, a development that adds another layer of concern around one of the teams most important pass catchers. At the same time, offensive coordinator Andrew Janocko said Fernando Mendoza earned the backup quarterback job over Aidan OConnell because of his preparation and growth, a decision that gives the Raiders a different sort of depth chart conversation than the one they expected to be having this late in camp.
For Las Vegas, the combination matters because Bowers is central to what the offense wants to do, and the quarterback room behind the starter has now been shaped by a younger option making a case in practice. Week 1 already brings its usual questions, but this one feels a little heavier for a Raiders offense trying to settle in while waiting to see how Bowers responds and how much the backup change affects the teams early-season comfort level. [Read more 🡒]