The Raiders have already seen what roster cutdowns can do: plenty of useful players get pushed out of the way in late August, and not all of them stay out of reach. Once those cuts are made, the practice squad becomes a live market, and John Spytek has a fresh pool of names to work through as Las Vegas keeps trying to upgrade the roster.
That leaves the Raiders with some interesting options to consider. A few players are sitting on other teams’ practice squads right now, but their preseason work makes them look like legitimate fits in Las Vegas.
Trebor Pena is one of the most obvious swings. The Jaguars wideout was excellent this preseason, catching 10 passes for 149 yards and a touchdown across three exhibition games.
He also brings value as a solid run blocker, even if he is still coming along on special teams. Given the Raiders’ receiver issues, Pena is the kind of player they could take a shot on after what he showed in August.
Cedric Tillman is another name that keeps coming up for Las Vegas, and for good reason. He is now on the Saints’ practice squad, which would make him much cheaper than claiming him on waivers. If the Raiders are going to be aggressive at wide receiver, adding someone with real production to a room that does not have much of it should be an easy call.
On defense, Red Murdock stands out as a possible fit at inside linebacker. He put together a strong preseason in the AFC West, piling up tackles and run stops while showing improvement in coverage.
The Broncos did not keep him on their active roster, which is hard to square given their issues at linebacker, but Las Vegas could view him as an upgrade over Segun Olubi. And yes, there is some extra satisfaction in plucking a player from a division rival.
The offensive line offers another possible move in Nick Leverett. If the Raiders are serious about carrying a ninth offensive lineman to open the season, Leverett makes more sense than Atonio Mafi.
He had a tough path in Dallas because of the Cowboys’ interior line depth, but he still stood out in preseason action and can play multiple spots inside. That would be a clear upgrade for Las Vegas.
There are also two safeties on Philadelphia’s practice squad who could draw attention. Maximus Pulley has ties to the Raiders’ front office, which spent time with him during the pre-draft process.
He went undrafted, then turned in an impressive preseason, showing up as a strong tackler, a reliable coverage defender and a useful piece in the run game. He is probably better than Tristin McCollum right now.
Cole Wisniewski brings a similar case. He was buried behind a loaded Eagles defensive back group, but he looked good in limited preseason work and was a steady force for Texas Tech last fall.
He is big, physical, and versatile, with a skill set that can fit in multiple spots. Like Pulley, he also stood out on special teams this August.
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But the choice still comes with an obvious catch for Las Vegas, because the biggest question around the offense may not be who is taking the snaps so much as who is keeping the pocket intact. If the offensive line continues to be an issue, the case for Mendoza as the longer-term answer only gets stronger, and the Raiders could find themselves weighing present-day stability against a future built on better protection. [Read more 🡒]
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What makes it interesting is how tightly all of those roles may connect once the season starts. If Cousins is throwing at a steady clip, Bowers and the receivers can feed off that volume, while Jeantys workload could determine how balanced or pass-heavy the offense becomes from week to week. For bettors looking at individual markets, that creates a familiar Raiders question with a new cast: which player is actually set up to get the touches that matter most, and which one is going to be left waiting for opportunity? [Read more 🡒]
Raiders Offensive Staff Overhaul Says Everything About Last Seasons Problems
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Rick Dennison arrives as the new offensive line coach for 2026, with the expectation that he can bring cleaner fundamentals and better technique to a unit that badly needed both. The overhaul did not stop there, either, as the Raiders also upgraded at quarterbacks coach by hiring Mike Sullivan, whose long NFL background and prior working relationship with offensive coordinator Kubiak should give the staff more continuity as it tries to stabilize the offense. [Read more 🡒]