The Raiders’ early-season push has come with one unexpected name forcing his way into the conversation: Cody White.
After Las Vegas knocked off the Los Angeles Chargers 26-14 on the road in Week 2, the roster picture at wide receiver got a lot more complicated for general manager John Spytek and head coach Klint Kubiak. The position was already one of the biggest question marks entering the year, with the Raiders lacking a true No. 1 target even though there is talent in the room.
White, signed to the practice squad on Aug. 31, has spent most of his time in Las Vegas there, but the Raiders have elevated him to the 53-man roster in each of the first two weeks. That move has paid off in a big way.
The 27-year-old, now in his fifth NFL season after stops with the Pittsburgh Steelers and Seattle Seahawks, did his damage in different ways over the first two games. In Week 1 against the Dolphins, he saw just one target but still earned a game ball for his work on special teams. Then in Week 2, he made his presence felt as a receiver.
White caught two passes against Los Angeles, and both went for touchdowns in the second half. He finished with 24 receiving yards and had one career receiving touchdown before this game.
That production has put the Raiders in a tight spot. NFL rules allow a team to elevate a practice-squad player to the active roster three times, but after a fourth elevation, that player has to stay on the 53-man roster. Las Vegas has until 1:00 pm PT tomorrow to tell the league whether White will remain on the active roster or go back to the practice squad.
The risk is obvious. If the Raiders send him down, another team could claim him. White has only been elevated twice, but his play has been strong enough that keeping him on the roster permanently now looks like a serious consideration.
For a Raiders team still sorting out its early identity, White has already gone from depth piece to one of the most interesting decisions on the board.
In Other News...
Raiders Get An Early Opening Against A Shorthanded Chargers Defense
The Raiders are getting a first look at a Chargers team that is already dealing with some lineup uncertainty on both sides of the ball heading into Week 2. Los Angeles has had to shuffle pieces because of injuries, and that has opened the door for changes up front and in the secondary, including Kayode Awosika settling in at left guard and Tony Jefferson projected to start at safety.
From Las Vegas perspective, the bigger issue is how much the Chargers can clean up on defense after a rough opener. With key players either questionable or ruled out, the matchup gives the Raiders a chance to test a group that is still trying to settle its rotations and restore some stability before the division race gets any deeper. [Read more 🡒]
Raiders Could Catch Chargers At The Perfect Time Up Front
The Chargers are already dealing with some early turbulence up front, and that matters to the Raiders as they look down the AFC West schedule. Los Angeles brought in Odafe Oweh in a trade, then moved on from him in free agency and tried to fill that spot by drafting first-round pick Akheem Mesidor, but the early returns have not matched the hope that came with the move.
For Las Vegas, that makes this a matchup worth watching closely. A front that is still trying to find its footing can be vulnerable if the pass rush does not hold up and the offensive line keeps giving ground, which is exactly the kind of opening the Raiders would love to exploit while the Chargers are working to avoid an early-season hole. [Read more 🡒]
Raiders Young Talent Suddenly Carries Big Weight Against The Chargers
Week 2 brings a little more clarity, and a lot more pressure, for a Raiders roster that is leaning on younger pieces sooner than expected. Tre Tucker, Tonka Hemingway and Hezekiah Masses all move into sharper focus against the Chargers, and their roles matter even more with injuries shaping what both teams can and cannot do. The Raiders got a decent look at how those players fit in Week 1, and now the challenge is whether that early usage translates into something sturdier in a divisional game that tends to punish any hesitation.
For Las Vegas, the matchup is less about waiting for proven names to carry the load and more about whether emerging talent can hold up when the game plans get tighter. Tuckers speed, Hemingways interior work and Masses presence all sit at the center of that conversation, especially with the availability questions on both sidelines potentially opening doors in different spots. What the Raiders learn here could say a lot about how much trust they can place in that young group, and how quickly they need that trust to grow. [Read more 🡒]