Tristin McCollum is doing the kind of work that keeps a player hanging around the bottom of an NFL roster - and maybe nudging his way onto it again.
The Las Vegas Raiders claimed the Philadelphia Eagles safety on waivers just before the 2025 NFL season, a move that made sense given their need for help at the position. John Spytek already knew his brother from their time together with the Tampa Bay Bucs, and McCollum fit the profile of a useful depth piece. He barely had a role on defense last year, appearing in meaningful snaps in only two games, but he stuck because he could be used when needed and was valuable on special teams, where he played with five different units.
Even with that background, McCollum looked like an uphill case once the Raiders added two promising young safeties in the 2026 NFL Draft. The numbers pointed toward a tough path, especially with the possibility that Las Vegas would carry fewer defensive backs because of the unit’s versatility. But preseason has a way of changing the picture, and McCollum has been making noise in a hurry.
That was especially true in Las Vegas’ 22-20 win over Houston last Thursday. With the first-team defense out, McCollum started next to rookie Treydan Stukes, a clear sign he’s being treated as a second-stringer ahead of first-year safety Dalton Johnson. And second-stringers don’t get cut.
He backed that up against the Texans’ starters. McCollum stuffed Houston’s first-team running back for no gain, logged two open-field tackles after bursting through the first line of defense, and added two run stops. He did miss a tackle on Houston’s rushing touchdown on the opening drive, but outside of that he was sharp.
The numbers matched the eye test. McCollum tied for the team high with seven total tackles and led the game with six solo tackles while playing 43 defensive snaps.
What also helps his case is the way he can move around. Against Houston, he lined up for 27 snaps at free safety, 13 in the box, two at slot corner and even one as an outside linebacker on the defensive line. That kind of flexibility gives Rob Leonard and Co. options.
He kept that versatility going on special teams, too, working at five different spots with four different units and adding 10 more snaps there. In coverage, he was targeted only once in 29 snaps, and the pass was incomplete.
If McCollum keeps stacking tackles at the line and in space, holds up on the back end, and keeps doing the dirty work across the defense and on special teams, he’s giving the Raiders every reason to keep him around.
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