The Raiders’ first camp under Klint Kubiak is going to be packed with real competitions, but one of the most consequential fights may come far from the spotlight: Jordan Meredith versus Will Putnam for what could be the final seat in the offensive line room.
That battle matters because the Raiders may not even keep enough linemen to make room for either one. With 53 roster spots to work with, Las Vegas is expected to split things roughly into 25 offensive players, 25 defenders and three specialists. How those 25 offensive spots get carved up is still unsettled, and this one decision could ripple into other parts of the roster.
The current thinking is that the Raiders have eight offensive line locks: tackles Kolton Miller, DJ Glaze and Charles Grant, guards Jackson Powers-Johnson, Caleb Rogers and Spencer Burford, center Tyler Linderbaum and chess piece Trey Zuhn III. Because this group carries so much flexibility, eight may be enough. Still, plenty of NFL teams keep nine linemen, and Kubiak did that last year with the Seattle Seahawks.
If Las Vegas goes that route, Meredith and Putnam look like the two players fighting for the spot.
Meredith brings the stronger résumé. According to Pro Football Focus, he was one of the league’s best guards in 2024, finishing ninth in overall grade, 13th in run-blocking grade and 16th in pass-blocking grade.
Once minimum snap thresholds were applied, those numbers improved to fifth, ninth and 11th. He did struggle at center last season, finishing in the bottom quarter of NFL players at the position in PFF grade, but his ability to handle multiple interior spots and his guard track record give him a real case.
Putnam has his own reasons to stay in the mix. The Raiders brought him in as a UDFA in 2024, John Spytek kept him around last season, and he even made the 53-man roster despite not doing much in the preseason. His limited regular-season work wasn’t especially clean, but he can move around the interior, costs very little to keep, and brings the kind of size and edge teams like inside.
The outcome could have consequences beyond the offensive line room. If Meredith or Putnam earns a roster spot, that means one fewer place elsewhere, and that could squeeze out a third quarterback like Aidan O'Connell, a fifth running back like Roman Hemby, a seventh wide receiver like Shedrick Jackson or a fourth tight end like Carter Runyon. If neither lineman seizes the job, those other roster hopes stay alive.
Of course, the Raiders could also decide the final spot belongs to somebody else entirely. That’s what makes this camp battle tricky: even if Meredith and Putnam perform well, there’s no guarantee either one survives the numbers game.
On Wednesday, The Athletic’s Sam Warren projected Meredith to beat out Putnam in his 53-man roster prediction, though the decision could come down to money. Spotrac lists Meredith’s release as carrying no dead cap hit while opening roughly $2.64 million in cap space.
Putnam would also cost nothing to cut, but wouldn’t create that same financial gain. Meredith could also hold trade value, something that has been mentioned by some outlets.
So while this may look like a fight for the ninth offensive lineman, it could end up shaping the Raiders’ entire roster.
In Other News...
This Overlooked Raiders Pass Rusher Could Crash The 53-Man Roster
With Tyree Wilson and Charles Snowden no longer in the mix, the Raiders have a little more mystery than usual at the back end of their edge-rusher group. One undrafted rookie has quietly made the most of offseason practices, drawing attention as a potential answer for the fifth spot on the depth chart and putting himself on the radar as someone who could stick when roster cuts arrive.
His case is built on more than just pass-rush flashes. The path to a 53-man job may come down to whether he can help on special teams, where extra value often decides the final places on the roster. Brennan Jackson and Jahfari Harvey are still in the fight for that same spot, so this remains a true camp battle, but the rookie has already done enough to make the conversation interesting. [Read more 🡒]
Raiders Just Sent A Strong Message Amid Maxx Crosby Trade Buzz
Trade chatter around Maxx Crosby has grown louder, but the Raiders stance has been pretty clear even as the noise picks up. The Eagles and 49ers have emerged as the teams most often tied to a possible swing at the pass rusher, and insiders Vinny Bonsignore and Hondo Carpenter have both weighed in on what kind of move would even get Las Vegas to listen. For now, the Raiders are not actively shopping Crosby, and Crosby is not pushing for an exit, which only adds to the intrigue around a situation that has plenty of outside interest without a public trigger.
What makes this one worth watching is how carefully the Raiders appear to be handling the market. There is no indication they are eager to move one of the leagues most disruptive edge players, but the buzz around him has reached the point where any serious offer will be scrutinized closely. If another team decides to make a real push, Las Vegas has already shown it will not treat this as a simple salary dump, and that is exactly why the next step in this saga still feels wide open. [Read more 🡒]
Maxx Crosby Just Gave Raiders Fans The Update They Needed
Maxx Crosbys offseason update should ease plenty of nerves around Henderson. The Raiders defensive end said his recovery from the knee issue that bothered him during the 2025 season is moving faster than expected, and he believes he is on track to be cleared when training camp opens in late July. Coming off a year in which he had to manage the injury while still carrying the defense, Crosby said the biggest sign of progress has been how much stronger and more like himself he feels as the rehab has gone on.
For a Raiders team that leans on Crosby as the tone-setter up front, the timing matters almost as much as the news itself. He has been working through strength and conditioning gains and sounds confident he can be ready for a full return to play once camp arrives, which is exactly the kind of update the organization and its fans wanted to hear after a season of uncertainty. The next step is simply getting to that clearing point and seeing how seamless the transition back to football actually is. [Read more 🡒]