What is the story about?
The Las Vegas Raiders don’t break for training camp for another 6 weeks, but their has already been positional battles to start, and to be talked about. The Raiders coming off a 3-14 season are not going to pencil in their starters, there’s a lot of youth, and with that a lot of unproven talent. The Raiders completely overhauled their offense, defense, and special teams with a projected 29th ranking in the NFL for returning snaps largely due to many Carrol veterans & defensive veterans leaving the organization
last off-season. With training cap set to break soon, some core battles on all three phases will take light.
Starting DT – 2 Spots: Adam Butler (70%) vs Thomas Booker IV (50%) vs Jonah Laulu (40%) vs Tonka Hemingway (30%)
Dark Horse: JJ Pegues (10%)
- The Raiders starting DL will basically all be battling for their jobs this training camp. It’s a truly tough room to sort out, more because they are likely one of the worst rooms in the league. Thomas Booker showed to be a good pass rusher on the interior, and I think he has a very good chance to start in 2026, though Booker’s inability to play the run will drag down his true odds to make an impact consistently despite his 24% pass rush win rate on stunts and twists. Adam Butler likely is penciled in right now, and the 32 year old saw a dip in his production for the 2025 season. Butler played more 3/4 Tech at a rate higher than any other year, and I’d expect Rob Leonard to use him in diverse fronts similar to how he did prior to his extension in 2025.
Butler won’t be handed the spot, he did regress in 2025, and he did struggle vs the run. In an ideal world, Butler is a 4th option in the room, but for Las Vegas he’s likely the starter. Jonah Laulu was productive in 2025, playing nearly 1800 snaps across the last two seasons, and he showed some flashes as a run defender with alright pass rush traits. Laulu is a quality depth player, he can work across the line, but I don’t see him in line to start. Tonka Hemingway is a true wildcard, he flashed in his limited opportunities for the 2025 season, and has true 10+ sack potential as a pass rusher on the interior. Las Vegas could use Hemingway’s pass rush juice, athleticism, and strength but he’s not good vs the run, and that can limit him on the amount of snaps he’ll see in the future or odds to start. JJ Pegues is likely pushing for the NT position, he’s more of a traditional run defender with limited pass rush athleticism, though I wouldn’t count him out but expect more of a 200-400 snap rotational defensive tackle.
Nose Tackle: Benito Jones (30%) vs JJ Pegues (30%) vs Brandon Cleveland (30%)
Dark Horse: Gary Smith (9%), Laki Tasi (1%)
- Rarely do you see a post minicamp signing not only push for a roster spot, but also a starting role though Benito Jones could break that mold. Jones is a stout, experienced nose tackle, and while he’s not exceptional in any capacity he does his job well & has proven to be a capable pass rusher at times as well. The Raiders under Rob Leonard & Travis Smith have elevated nose tackles with Andrew Billings & John Jenkins seeing career revivals. Jones biggest competition will be JJ Pegues, if he’s truly converting back to nose tackle, and I do like Pegues more in that role especially with his youth and the ability to provide more on non run downs. The third player in the race is NC State’s Brandon Cleveland, who struggled at times with the Wolfpack, but he’s big, strong, and does come off the ball quickly.
He’ll need to improve his consistency, get better as a pass rusher, and I don’t see a ton of consistency at times which does concern me. Additionally, those three while the top three aren’t alone with Gary Smith pushing as a UDFA to possibly start. Smith will need to translate to a fulltime nose, but he does have versatility and that is something the Raiders value on their defensive line. He’s a stout, long defensive tackle with good core strength and anchor, which could elevate his game despite having a low ceiling. I don’t think Tasi is in the mix for 2026, but he’s likely a candidate in 2027 though Raiders fans, smartly, like him though it’ll be his first season on the DL and that will have it’s flaws despite his 6’7, 370 frame.
Starting EDGE: Kwity Paye (23%) vs Malcolm Koonce (75%)
Dark Horse: Keyron Crawford (2%)
- Something not overly talked about this off-season, is who the Raiders plan to start across Maxx Crosby (assuming Crosby is here). The Raiders paid Kwity Paye a large contract, and it was an overpay without a doubt. They handed Malcolm Koonce another 11 million, and then they returned Maxx Crosby after the trade fell through with the Ravens. Las Vegas is dedicating a lot of resources to the room, and while all three mentioned above & Keyron Crawford will play key snaps the true starter is going to be up for grabs. Paye is a better run defender than pass rusher, though he can function as a pass rusher when not the top option on defensive line, but the best path for his career is likely as a rotational situational player vs the run and pass. Koonce had a down year in 2025, but coming off the torn ACL it was to be expected, and you’d expect him back to form in 2026. I doubt Keyron Crawford truly will push to start, as he needs to slowly work into the room, but Crawford is twitchy, highly athletic, and a pass rush first player. He’ll likely see snaps, but hard to see a starting role right now.
Depth EDGE: Cian Slone (20%) vs Jahfari Harvey (10%) vs Brennen Jackson (20%) vs Roster Spot (50%)
Dark Horse: None
- Cian Slone has been talked about by Raiders fans, reporters, players, and coaches on his impressive playstyle at NC State & throughout the beginning of the off-season. Slone is violent, aggressive, and physical while also having an elite first step, good ability to turn the corner, and he plays with an extreme violent tendency. Slone truly can push for the roster, but a strong pre-season will be the best time for him to show his chances at the roster, while he likely wouldn’t see much playtime if he shows traits, you can’t let a talented pass rusher be exposed to waivers.
Jackson was claimed by the Raiders last off-season, and the former 5th rounder of the Rams missed most of 2025 with a foot injury. Jackson has size, is a physical run defender, and while he lacks pass rush traits, technique, and needs to develop his ability to put things together he’s shown flashes and the run defense could put him above others on this list. Harvey was a UDFA of the Raiders in 2025, playing just 51 snaps in 2025, but he will have a chance to compete for the final EDGE position, should the Raiders carry 5 pass rushers. History states they will, but this is also arguably the deepest Raiders room off the EDGE in recent seasons, so that could change the need for 5 pass rushers instead of 4.
Depth ILB – 2 to 3 Spots: Tommy Eichenberg vs Segun Olubi vs Cody Lindenberg
Dark Horse: Xavian Sorey, Cam McGrone, Chris Thomas
- I didn’t do percentages for this one, because mainly I didn’t want to do the math & secondly regardless what I did in 5 months we’ll look back and think “damn he was completely wrong”. Eichenberg & Olubi are the only two linebackers in the room with NFL experience, though both mainly on special teams. Olubi likely takes the Raiders role as their backup SAM and Eichenberg as the MIKE & WILL backup. Eichenberg is compounding for a bigger 2026 season, and he’s a run first linebacker with potential to improve vs the pass, while Olubi is unproven but athletic and instinctual. Cody Lindenberg likely rounds out the room, but I don’t think his spot is a complete lock.
Lindenberg is smart, a good athlete, and likely limited in his ceiling but he has the ability to translate his game to the NFL level off the instincts and athleticism. Xavian Sorey ironically was teammates with Quay Walker & Nakobe Dean, and has a chance to be the team’s 5th or 6th linebacker if the team carries more than 5. He’s smart, highly athletic, and while very raw does show some positive traits. McGrone is a former 5th rounder, who I don’t expect much out of, but I think he’ll spend the season on the practice squad as a depth option due to system familiarity. Do not sleep on Chris Thomas, the Maine standout doesn’t pop but he’s an elite tackler, defends the run exceptionally well, and he showed out on special teams last season. While not the best in coverage, the last roster spot usually come down to special teams and if he can flash there with decent defensive snaps during pre-season that’s not out of the chances. There’s also a chance the teams’ 5th or 6th linebacker is on another roster right now as well.
Starting CB: Darien Porter (40%) vs Jermod McCoy (40%) vs Hezekiah Masses (15%)
Dark Horse: Decamerion Richardson (5%)
- Porter, McCoy, and Masses rotated at the boundary position opposite Eric Stokes during minicamp and OTA’s, and that will continue into camp. The Raiders expect McCoy to be healthy for 2026 and beyond, though even so I don’t see him playing a high volume of snaps early on to limit the tax on a possible degenerative knee. Darien Porter has experience in the system under Jim Woods, and he showed the ability to be a possible longterm starting CB in his rookie season. An older 2nd year cornerback, already 25, Porter does have length, ball skills, and despite his size good movement as well. I lean Porter due to his experience, and the other factors with McCoy’s knee but at their true ceiling McCoy is the better player. Lastly, Masses showed elite ball skills in his lone season at Cal, and he apparently has looked good throughout the early part of the off-season. He’ll see some snaps this season but likely nothing as a starter unless injury happens. Richardson is pushing for the roster, but an elite athlete he could spark and fly into the starting role though I likely doubt it.
Depth CB: Caleb Offord (10%) vs Decamerion Richardson (20%) vs Chigozie Anusiem (10%) vs Roster Spot (60%)
Dark Horse: Non Rostered Player
- If the Raiders only carry five cornerbacks, and Jermod McCoy is healthy then this section means nothing as Stokes, Johnson, Porter, Masses, and McCoy are the room. If a 6th spot opens, it’ll have to be for the 52nd or 53rd rostered player and a top special teams candidate. Richardson is headed into year three, and the former 4th rounder didn’t see much playtime last year but he’s an athlete, with good ball skills who needed to refine his technique. Offord is a fun UDFA that doesn’t get talked about enough, and while he’s smaller, and coming from a lower tiered school he showed good instincts, tackling, and versatility. Anusiem has length, athleticism, and that’s about it but also familiarity with Joe Woods. Overall, I think this spot comes down to Richardson solely for his special teams ability but he’ll need to force his way onto the roster with a Raiders team that does lack talent in the middle of the roster, but is strong in the bottom.
Starting Free Safety: Treydan Stukes (80%) vs Isaiah Pola-Mao (20%)
Dark Horse: None
- This likely won’t be a huge battle, it doesn’t seem as if the Raiders will run a traditional FS as Rob Leonard & Jim Woods mentioned numerous times how they plan to rotate Chinn, Stukes, and Taron Johnson around the secondary into the nickel, SS, and FS roles. Pola-Mao did work at FS when Stukes was lining in the nickel with Taron Johnson absent, so I won’t rule him out in terms of having a role on the Raiders roster. Stukes, the Raiders 2nd rounder just two months ago, is very likely the key to the Raiders secondary with his versatility, ball skills, and instincts. Las Vegas & Rob Leonard want to play aggressive, and they want to be multiple in both the front 7 and secondary. I doubt Pola-Mao will not have a role for the Raiders, and he likely will work as a big nickel or box safety.
Depth Safety: Tristin McCollum (20%) vs Starting FS loser (60%) vs Dalton Johnson (10%)
Dark Horse: Tanner Wall (10%)
- I like Dalton Johnson a lot, I think he has the ability to be a potential starting FS in the NFL, and he showcases the traits of a high floor, low ceiling safety. Johnson should have a chance to push for the Raiders 3rd or 4th safety role, his experience with Treydan Stukes can’t go unrecognized and Johnson does have an ability to play free, strong, nickel, and big nickel which will be crucial. Pola-Mao likely is the teams third safety, but he struggles to play downfield coverage and despite his size hasn’t been great matching up vs tight ends and bigger receivers in space. The last two come down to the Raiders fourth safety in 2025, Tristin McCollum and a 2026 UDFA in Tanner Wall.
McCollum has an excellent frame at 6’3, 215 and he’s athletic. McCollum struggled in 2025 with poor tackling in space, his coverage film is pretty inconsistent, and McCollum was mainly used on special teams following the return of Lonnie Johnson. McCollum does have experience on defense in the NFL, with nearly 600 career defensive snaps. Wall has played safety just three years now, but he’s been excellent with a sub 15 QBR allowed in 2025 & over 18 forced incompletions over the last two seasons at BYU. Wall is athletic, he’s a capable player on special teams, and shows a true knack for the ball in the backend. A true FS, he has range, size, and instincts which if they translate to the NFL, will be hard to push off the roster should the special teams value cross over.
