Las Vegas Raiders football is finally back as they are set to have their first preseason game of the 2026 NFL season on Thursday against the Arizona Cardinals. Kickoff is at 5 p.m. PT. While Silver & Black Pride’s Bill Williamson noted a few players he’ll be keeping tabs on, including a few rookies, here we’ll touch on other first-year pros worth watching and what they have to prove against the Cardinals.
CB Hezekiah Masses
If we’re picking the biggest winner of training camp in Las Vegas so far, Masses has to be the choice.
The fifth-rounder had a strong showing during the spring and picked up where he left off when the team returned from break, getting reps with the first team defense this summer. He’s competing with second-year pro Darien Porter for a starting job, and those two will likely get plenty of reps against the Cardinals.
Arizona isn’t exactly flush with talent at wide receiver, but rookie quarterback Carson Beck had an impressive showing in last week’s Hall of Fame game, completing 15 of 19 pass attempts (78.9%) for 188 yards and a touchdown to test the Raiders’ secondary. That led to a three-catch, 99-yard performance from wide receiver Jalen Brooks and five grabs for 66 yards for fellow receiver Reggie Virgil, so maybe the position group has more depth than what originally meets the eye.
WR Malik Benson
If Masses is the big winner of training camp so far, Benson holds the second spot on the podium. Another Day 3 selection (sixth-round), he seems to have quickly found a connection with fellow rookie quarterback Fernando Mendoza. Those two appear to have instant chemistry, with several camp reports noting that Mendoza has found the Oregon product on crossing routes, which are a staple of head coach Klint Kubiak’s playbook.
Thursday will be the first stress test and opportunity for the duo to show the public what they’ve been building over the last couple of weeks, assuming they’ll get plenty of time on the field together. Also, Benson has the potential to contribute from the slot or out wide, so it will be interesting to see how the coaching staff decides to use him against Arizona.
CB Jermod McCoy
The organization is planning to have McCoy play in this game. The fourth-round pick has had a few days off and primarily worked with the second-team defense during camp despite being considered one of the most talented cornerbacks in the draft class.
That’s because the Tennessee product missed all of last season with a torn ACL, which is also what makes him a good player to keep tabs on against the Cardinals. McCoy hasn’t played in a game since the Volunteers’ 42-17 loss to eventual National Champion Ohio State in the 2024 College Football Playoff. So, it will be interesting to see if he can pick up where he left off because the first-round talent’s tape was pretty impressive pre-knee injury. Again, that’s assuming he plays, though, which is unclear at the time of writing.
DT Gary Smith III
It’s no secret that the Raiders’ defense is looking for someone to step up at nose tackle, especially if defensive coordinator Rob Leonard is going to run a lot more 3-4 or odd fronts this season. There hasn’t been much reported about the position, but our Marcus Johnson noted that Smith caught his eye during this past Friday’s practice session.
Despite being an undrafted free agent, the UCLA product has a chance to carve out a role as a gap filler in the trenches. Starting the preseason strong would be a good way to accomplish that goal and generate some buzz for the rest of the summer.
WR E.J. Williams
Along the same lines, Williams hasn’t received a ton of attention since Benson is seemingly stealing the show among the rookie wideouts. But a handful of reports from camp have noted that the Indiana product has made some plays to help catch the coaching staff’s eye. The Silver and Black are looking for a wideout or two to fill out the depth chart, and Thursday is an opportunity for Williams to stand out from the rest of the competition. If Mendoza gets a decent amount of playing time, it should help that the former Hoosier duo already has some chemistry.
