New year. New coaching staff. New evaluation period.
Such is the case for head coach Klint Kubiak and his Las Vegas Raiders as the team continues its journey through training camp. The hotshot offensive-minded 39-year-old is the man leading the Silver & Black into the 2026 campaign and things are equal parts excitement and hope.
So far, Raiders players have talked about a new sense of urgency and energy permeating throughout team facilities as the the Kubiak regime — picked by general manager John
Spytek and minority owner Tom Brady — is going through the meticulous process of not only changing a culture, but creating one that’s keen on attention to detail. The “get the small things right and big things happen” philosophy is a shared one across all three aspects of the game: Offense, defense, and special teams.
This past weekend marked the fifth practice of training camp and Kubiak’s assessment of the team’s 90-man roster was only apt.
“Yeah, the guys that like aren’t an established guy, which is probably 90 percent of the team, in order for them to make the roster it’s special teams and playing multiple positions,” Las Vegas head coach said after this past Friday’s team session. “Receivers that can play all three, fullbacks that can play tight end and vice versa, DBs that can play corner, nickel and safety, so that’s how you make the roster in the NFL.”
One of the roster hopefuls: Defensive tackle JJ Pegues.
The sixth-round pick (180th overall) in the 2025 NFL Draft heads into Year 2 with the Raiders after a rookie season that saw the Ole Miss product play in nine games and notching 11 total tackles (one for loss) and a fumble recovery on 137 defensive snaps (21 special teams snaps). The 24-year-old has ideal size at 6-foot-2 and 325 pounds and there’s a wide open competition at nose tackle — a spot where Pegues build would be an asset. And that’s where the Year 2 bar starts for the Mississippi native.
By The Numbers
JJ Pegues, Defensive Tackle, 2nd Year
- 2025: 9 games (zero starts), 11 total tackles (four solo), 1 tackle for loss, 1 fumble recovery; 137 defensive snaps, 21 special teams snaps
- Career: See above.
On The Nose
Defensive coordinator Rob Leonard’s pivot from a 4-3 to a 3-4 base defense increases the importance of a nose tackle in the middle of the defensive line. Lining up directly over the opposing center, the nose (or zero technique) controls both A-gaps, absorbs multiple blockers, and has the strength to not only anchor but move blockers to stop the run up the middle to free up their fellow defenders to make plays.
The frontrunners early in camp are veterans Benito Jones (6-foot-1 and 335 pounds) and Adam Butler (6-foot-4 and 301 pounds). Of that duo, the 28-year-old Jones has the squatty build and experience to be in immovable anchor in the middle with Miami and Detroit, while the 32-year-old Butler, more of a penetrating-type, has played directly over the center during his stops in New England, Miami, and in Las Vegas.
In the mix are Pegues, 2026 seventh-round pick (229th overall) Brandon Cleveland (6-foot-4 and 315 pounds) and undrafted free agent Gary Smith III (6-foot-1 and 319 pounds) from UCLA.
Pegues showed glimpses of being able to anchor while flashing impressive power during preseason last year but couldn’t carve out substantial defensive snaps under then-head coach Pete Carroll’s coaching staff. One of those being Leonard, who served as defensive line coach and defensive run game coordinator for Carroll before impressing Kubiak in his interview for the defensive coordinator role and getting the nods.
Pegues needs to put together a strong camp and preseason showing he’s a capable option as the nose tackle or depth at the position. He’s got the skillset to be a two-gap (run stopper) and one-gap (penetrator) nose tackle and the mass to attract plenty of attention. And both youth and cheap cost rookie deal (four-year, $4.467-plus million) are in Pegues’ favor.
Pressure & Versatility
While Leonard is slated to use a 3-4 base defensive front, NFL offenses are more pass-centric and creative and to combat that, defenses are using more nickel and sub packages to counter and defend. That’s resulted in teams being in big nickel formations where a trio of safeties are on the field or more defensive backs with the defensive line being a hybrid of four-down, three-down, or even five-down linemen at the line of scrimmage.
By showcasing the ability to penetrate as a nose tackle in odd or even fronts, Pegues increases his roster chances and value with versatility. Pegues providing an anchor and rusher in odd and even fronts makes him an indispensable commodity, but it’ll be easier said than done as a late-round pick with talent and potential.
Las Vegas was without a true nose tackle in 2025 with players rotating trying to fill the spot but this offseason, there’s healthy competition. However, Leonard is no stranger to have a nose tackle-type on his defensive line as big John Jenkins (6-foot-3 and 360 pounds) filled that role in former defensive boss Patrick Graham’s four-down fronts.
While not your standard flair of pass rusher, Jenkins did rack up 10 pressures and two sacks (according to Pro Football Reference) over the course of his two seasons in Silver & Black (2023-24) alongside 107 total tackles (seven stops for loss) with six pass deflections and a fumble recovery in 34 games (all starts). Seeking that kind of impact and statistical compilation is likely far from Pegues’ reach in Year 2 — Jenkins was in Year 11 and 12 the 2023 and 2024 seasons with 116 games of experience under is belt.
A wild card for Pegues, though: Offense.
During his collegiate days under then-Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin, Pegues’ was the Running Rebels’ short-yardage running back. Kiffin exploited Pegues’ power and athleticism to convert short-yardage situations at a high rate including seven rushing touchdowns (21 carries for 69 yards) during Ole Miss’ 2024 season.
Kubiak isn’t shy about getting creative and perhaps, this is the Raiders coaching staff that experiments with the success Kiffin found with Pegues’ on offense? His college career did begin as a tight end with Auburn in 2020 before he shifted to defense the following season and transferred to Ole Miss in 2022.
The Bar
With Pegues showcasing consistency and versatility during training camp and preseason action, a rotational role behind veteran Jones as a zero technique is the expectation.
Playing in 13 to 15 games while compiling 18 to 25 total tackles with a sack and four quarterback pressures while getting looks as a short-yardage mammoth back or lead blocker on offense is a reasonable Year 2 bar for Pegues.
