HENDERSON, Nev.-The Raiders finished training camp by hosting the San Francisco 49ers at Allegiant Stadium in the final preseason game, and now the harder part begins: figuring out the practice squad.
This is not a typical roster to project. Las Vegas is deep, but it is also very young, and that makes the post-camp math trickier than usual. The Raiders’ rebuild has produced a group that is still taking shape, which means the practice squad picture is less settled than it has been in past years.
General manager John Spytek and his staff - Brian Stark, Brandon Yeargan, and Brandon Hunt, along with their respective teams - earned praise for a strong draft. That class was capped by QB Fernando Mendoza going No. 1 overall, the quarterback NFL executives viewed as the best prospect at the position over the last four drafts.
The roster also includes several undrafted free agent standouts, and those players could show up in the practice squad picture as well. They already made their mark in helping shape the 53-man roster, and they remain part of the equation here.
Under NFL rules, teams can carry 16 players on the practice squad in addition to the 53-man roster. There is also room for a 17th player if that player qualifies through the international pathway.
In this projection, the Raiders keep K Kansei “Tokyo Toe” Matsuzawa from Japan as that International Pathway Player.
There is one more wrinkle that makes this process especially unpredictable: because the Raiders were the worst team in the NFL last season and hold the No. 1 overall pick, they have the right of first refusal on every player cut by the other 31 teams.
That means Las Vegas can claim any contract released by another club, with no say from the player or the team that let him go. Because of that waiver-wire advantage, the Raiders are expected to add players who are not currently on the projected 53-man roster and not yet on the roster in Las Vegas.
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Raiders Defense Suddenly Has An Early Rookie Scare
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Crawford was expected to be a key part of Las Vegas defense, which makes the next round of health updates especially important for a team counting on its rookies to contribute right away. The injury leaves the Raiders waiting to see how serious it is and what kind of setback, if any, it could become as they work toward the regular season. [Read more 🡒]
Raiders Fans May Need More Patience With Fernando Mendoza
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Mendozas night was uneven, finishing 5 of 9 for 38 yards with an interception and taking two sacks, a reminder that young quarterbacks often need more than a few preseason appearances to settle in. The Raiders are clearly giving him a chance to learn on the job, but the performance also showed why patience may be part of the package if he is going to become a real factor down the line. [Read more 🡒]
Raiders Preseason Finale Raised Real Week 1 Questions
The Raiders preseason finale at Allegiant Stadium offered a last look at some of the rosters newest faces, and it came with enough uneven play to keep the conversation going well into September. In an 18-12 loss to the 49ers, Kirk Cousins handled the first two series and moved the offense for 51 passing yards, while rookie quarterback Fernando Mendoza finished 7 of 14 for 57 yards and an interception.
There were encouraging flashes elsewhere, especially from rookie running back Mike Washington Jr., who picked up 49 yards on eight carries before leaving early, but the night also brought a setback on defense when rookie end Keyron Crawford went down with an ankle injury and did not return. For a team still sorting out depth and roles, the final tune-up left more questions than answers about how ready the roster is for Week 1. [Read more 🡒]