The Raiders are deep into the part of the offseason where every rep matters and every preseason snap can tilt a roster battle. After two preseason games, a few players have clearly done more than just survive the grind - they’ve made real cases for bigger roles in Las Vegas.
One of the clearest risers has been Johnson. Las Vegas’ decision to move on from Charles Snowden came as a surprise, but the additions of Kwity Paye and Keyron Crawford gave the team room to make that call.
Johnson also helped create that flexibility. He’s backed up a strong training camp with two standout preseason performances, and that kind of momentum can carry real weight when the Raiders start sorting out the edge rotation.
Johnson may not need to be a full-time piece to matter. Even a handful of snaps a game could help Rob Leonard and the Raiders’ defensive ends keep Maxx Crosby, Paye and the rest of that group from getting worn down. That’s the kind of role that can quietly stick.
At cornerback, Vance has been making his own push. The Raiders need help there, and he’s kept showing growth all offseason.
In practice, he picked off Fernando Mendoza twice, and both plays would have gone the distance in live action. With Las Vegas planning to use a variety of looks this season, Vance has done enough to earn more chances.
Masses is another name the Raiders are leaning on more and more. He’s gone from being viewed as a mid-round draft pick to someone who could end up starting in a defense that needs exactly what he brings. That said, the rookie still has development ahead of him, and the Raiders will need that growth to keep coming.
The receiver room has its own battle, and Benson has made one of the bigger climbs on the depth chart. Not long ago, he looked like a player who might not even make the team.
Now he has a legitimate shot at meaningful playing time on Sundays. His two drops against the Texans showed there’s still work to do, but the talent and production have been enough to get him noticed.
If he stays locked in, he could end up being the steal of the draft.
Aidan O’Connell was also one of the biggest winners. There was some belief the Raiders might explore trading him this offseason, but that never really felt likely given the uncertainty around Kirk Cousins’ health and performance this season. Now, any doubt about O’Connell’s place on the roster seems to be gone.
That matters because Las Vegas may need a backup quarterback at any moment, and O’Connell gives them a chance to stay steady if that happens. His preseason showing against the Texans reinforced that idea. After the win, Raiders offensive coordinator Andrew Janocko laid out exactly what makes O’Connell valuable:
"I think Aidan [O’Connell], like all of those guys, to play quarterback in this league, you have to be very intelligent, and you have to be functionally intelligent," Raiders offensive coordinator Andrew Janocko said about O'Connell following the team's win over the Texans.
"The things that Aidan sees, based off of his experience, and things he's seen, whether he's played the game or some of the other quarterbacks he's been around, he just brings a wealth of knowledge to the position that's really beneficial to everybody else and myself especially.”
“He sees things in a manner where he can see it from playing the game, and he can see it from a perspective of how a receiver may see it or how a running back may see it, how the overall offense sees it. So, I think his just overall awareness of game and position is really valuable to us."
On defense, the Raiders’ starting linebacker spots belong to Quay Walker and Nakobe Dean, but the depth behind them still has to hold up over the course of the season. Keeping both starters fresh will require reserve linebackers to keep improving.
Olubi has emerged as one of the more interesting depth pieces in that group. He was expected to be mostly a special-teams player when the Raiders signed him this offseason, and that will still be part of his role.
But he’s shown enough on defense to make himself worth a longer look. He flashed during training camp and again in the preseason win over the Texans, and Leonard would be smart to start mixing in more defensive snaps for him and the other reserves once the season begins.
Up front, Mafi has also made a quiet move in the right direction. As Las Vegas keeps searching for answers on both the starting and backup offensive line, he’s looked more like an interior lineman physically than he did last season.
That matters. He doesn’t project as a starter, but he’s putting himself in position to lock down a roster spot and potentially be useful in a reserve role if the Raiders need him.
With a new coaching staff in place, he entered the offseason as a player who could have been on the outside looking in. Instead, he’s worked his way into the conversation.
There are plenty of other players making cases at practice, because there’s always a lot happening when nearly 90 players are in the building. But the bigger picture is clear: the Raiders have improved their roster through both additions and subtractions.
They still have a long way to go, and the turnaround Las Vegas wants will take several seasons under Kubiak along with more strong offseasons in free agency and the NFL Draft. For now, though, they’ve got a roster full of players who are putting good tape on display - more than enough to make this a difficult set of decisions.
In Other News...
Raiders Center Just Offered A Telling Read On The QB Battle
Joint practices have given the Raiders a useful early window into Fernando Mendoza, and Tyler Linderbaum likes what he has seen from the rookie so far. The center said Mendoza is starting to take command of the huddle and is picking things up quickly, which matters as much as any throw in a competition still taking shape. Linderbaum also pointed to the snap exchange as a key part of the job, a reminder that for a young quarterback, the basics can be every bit as revealing as the highlight plays.
Kirk Cousins remains the standard in the room from a preparation and experience standpoint, and Linderbaum made clear that comparison is part of what Mendoza is working against and learning from. For the Raiders, the comments add a little more texture to a quarterback battle that is still unfolding, with the rookie showing signs of readiness while still having plenty to prove before anything is settled. [Read more 🡒]
Tom Brady Just Sent Raiders Fans A Loud Fernando Mendoza Message
Tom Brady has found a new way to stir up Raiders buzz, and it comes through a piece of memorabilia tied to Fernando Mendoza. The Raiders part-owner recently landed a one-of-one Mendoza rookie card that includes the quarterbacks first NFL autograph, and the deal took weeks of negotiation before Brady finally secured it with a cash payment and an autographed jersey.
Brady then showed off the card publicly, turning a collectors prize into a pointed message about what he sees in Mendozas future. For Raiders fans, it reads like more than just a flex from a Hall of Famer. It is also a sign that Brady views the young quarterback as both a desirable collectible and a possible long-term asset for the team. [Read more 🡒]
Raiders Already Moved On From Their Newest Receiver Addition
The Raiders latest receiver shuffle lasted barely a week, with Noah Brown moving on almost as quickly as he arrived. Brown had appeared in a preseason game and finished with one catch for 11 yards, but Las Vegas decided to release him without immediately bringing in another player, a reminder of how quickly the back end of the roster can change in August.
Receiver depth has been a moving target for the Raiders, especially with injuries affecting the group and another wideout expected back soon. Browns departure fits the kind of short-term adjustment teams often make this time of year, when every spot is under review and even a recent addition can become the odd man out in a hurry. [Read more 🡒]