The Raiders are still a couple of days away from their season debut, but the matchup with Miami already offers a clear defensive checklist. Las Vegas has to deal with a Dolphins defense that could make life difficult if the Silver and Black don’t come out clean on offense.
A lot of the attention will naturally land on Chop Robinson. The third-year defender is coming off a dip in production after an explosive rookie season, but he remains the kind of edge player who can tilt a game if he starts winning consistently.
With the Raiders rolling out a new offensive line, Robinson has the chance to disrupt Kirk Cousins and force the pocket to get uncomfortable. He should be the top priority for protection, especially with Zach Sieler and Jordan Phillips also expected to play and Kenneth Grant and Rene Konga already on the injury reserve list.
Miami’s rookie cornerback Chris Johnson is another name the Raiders have to account for. Drafted this offseason, Johnson could be in position to challenge anything thrown downfield, particularly against a Las Vegas receiving group that doesn’t exactly look overwhelming. He’ll be making his NFL debut in a Kubiak offense, and the Dolphins may be tempted to let him settle in - but he already showed strong ball-tracking skills in college, which is exactly why the Raiders probably shouldn’t make him a frequent target.
Then there’s Jordyn Brooks, who does what Jordyn Brooks does. He’s a tackle-heavy presence in the middle of the defense and can erase space quickly once the ball is in front of him.
His biggest effect should come against the run, especially with Ashton Jeanty still questionable for Week 1. If the Raiders want to get to 1-0, they’ll have to be sharp enough offensively to keep Brooks from dictating the middle of the field.
In Other News...
Raiders Depth Chart Just Settled Several Big Week 1 Battles
The Raiders finally put some structure around the opening weeks of their 2026 season by releasing an official depth chart before Week 1, and it answered several of the roster questions that had lingered through camp. Kirk Cousins is the starting quarterback, while battles at right guard and the second cornerback spot are now settled on paper, giving Las Vegas a clearer sense of how the first game plan will come together.
There is also some important clarity on special teams and the back end of the defense, where Dylan Laube and Dareke Young will handle kick returns and Malik Benson is listed as the punt returner. On defense, veteran Foley Fatukasi has carved out a meaningful place in the defensive tackle rotation, and Stukes is set to start at free safety ahead of Isaiah Pola-Mao, a sign the Raiders are leaning into a few different lineup choices as they head into the opener. [Read more 🡒]
Brock Bowers Suddenly Leaves Raiders With A Big Week 1 Problem
Brock Bowers knee situation has quickly turned into one of the biggest early storyline shifts around the Raiders, because the tight end is not just another piece of the offense. After undergoing a meniscus trim, he is expected to miss one or two games, leaving Las Vegas to navigate the start of the season without one of its most important playmakers.
For a Raiders team trying to get its footing in Week 1, the timing is far from ideal. Bowers had already dealt with a knee issue earlier in 2025, and his absence has even moved the betting market for the upcoming matchup with the Miami Dolphins, a reminder of how much pressure now falls on the rest of the offense to pick up the slack. [Read more 🡒]
Raiders May Be Ready To Use Brock Bowers Very Differently
The early read on Brock Bowers in Las Vegas is that the Raiders may not be treating him like a conventional tight end at all. Head coach Klint Kubiak is expected to feature the first-round pick heavily in the offense, and the buzz around the league has only grown as former coaches and media voices have described him as the kind of weapon who can shape how a passing game is built.
That shift matters for a team that took plenty of heat when it used a first-round pick on Bowers in the first place, only for the move to start looking smarter to outside evaluators. The more intriguing question now is how far the Raiders are willing to go in pushing his role beyond the traditional tight-end label, especially with some around the game already talking about him in terms usually reserved for wide receivers. [Read more 🡒]