HENDERSON, Nev. -- Tough decisions are ahead for Las Vegas Raiders coach Klint Kubiak.
Kubiak, general manager John Spytek and the rest of the staff will come together to cut the Raiders’ roster down to 53 players ahead of Sunday’s 6 p.m. ET deadline. The time leading up will feature countless hours watching film and evaluating the players on the roster. With Las Vegas first in line on the waiver wire, the team will also look at the moves around the league to see if there’s an opportunity to add help.
“You develop relationships with these guys since April, and they give you their heart and soul and all their time, and eventually, it comes down to this,” Kubiak said. “But there’s also so many examples of guys that have been cut and make practice squads and make a team, or guys that get claimed by other teams, or guys that get cut five times and make 12-year careers.”
Here is a look at some of the biggest decisions facing the Raiders:
Should the Raiders keep three quarterbacks?
Kubiak said the team has been discussing possibly having three quarterbacks (Kirk Cousins, Fernando Mendoza and Aidan O’Connell) on the 53-man roster. If the Raiders keep O’Connell, he would be another strong voice in the quarterbacks room, as his experience could benefit Mendoza. Each quarterback has said that they have learned from one another throughout the offseason and training camp.
“It’s going to be some hard decisions on who’s [QB1], who’s [QB2], and that’s not a decision that we have to make today,” Kubiak said. “But those are discussions that are ongoing.”
O’Connell believes he can still be a starting quarterback in the NFL, and the opportunity to do so is no longer present in Las Vegas. Cousins is expected to be the Week 1 starter, while rookie Mendoza waits until it’s time for him to be the next face of the franchise.
If the Raiders cut O’Connell, who is an unrestricted free agent in 2027, they would save $3.64 million in cap space, according to Over The Cap data. Las Vegas, however, could try to find a trade partner. He would be an intriguing trade candidate for any team looking for an experienced backup with starter experience.
In 17 career starts, O’Connell has thrown for 3,579 yards, 18 touchdowns, nine interceptions and a completion percentage of 62.5%. On top of that, O’Connell has played well during training camp, and he orchestrated an impressive go-ahead touchdown drive in the preseason win over the Houston Texans last week.
What to do with the depth at wide receiver?
Kubiak called out the wide receivers last week, demanding improvement. The position group entered training camp as one of the weak spots on the roster. Ahead of the roster cutdown deadline, there are still a ton of questions regarding the wideouts. The Raiders do not have a true WR1. The door is open for Tre Tucker and Jalen Nailor to emerge. Either way, both should be quality complementary players in the passing game, which revolves around tight end Brock Bowers.
The real question is how the Raiders will fill out the rest of the WR room. Jack Bech can be a big-body receiver -- 6-1, 214 pounds -- in the slot and adds run-blocking support. But he has had an underwhelming camp, for the most part, whereas rookie Malik Benson has flashed multiple times in practice and games. But will his strong play translate in the regular season against stronger competition? As for second-year wide receiver Dont’e Thornton Jr., he hasn’t practiced since Aug. 7 because of an undisclosed injury. It wouldn’t be out of the realm of possibility that he begins the season on injured reserve.
When factoring those elements, the Raiders’ depth at wide receiver is not in a good spot. And Las Vegas might have to wait until the offseason to find a long-term solution at the position. For now, it might be best for Las Vegas to improve its wide receiver depth through free agency or trade. Recently, the Texans acquired Kayshon Boutte from the New England Patriots via trade. The Raiders could do something similar. Or Las Vegas could wait on how roster cuts play out across the league and see if there is a veteran pass catcher available who could make an impact.
Will Ashton Jeanty’s injury force the team to add RB help?
Second-year running back Jeanty is recovering from a likely ankle sprain. Even though the Raiders are optimistic that Jeanty’s injury is not long term, it’s still uncertain if he will miss time during the regular season.
If Jeanty doesn’t miss time, the Raiders should be comfortable with the current depth at running back. That means the team will ask a lot from rookie Mike Washington Jr., but he has shown that he’s capable of handling the workload. In three preseason games, Washington had 23 carries for 168 yards. Meanwhile, Dylan Laube played well during camp, showing he could be a nice backup option.
But things would get tricky if Jeanty misses more time than anticipated, as they might have to seek outside help. The current list of free agent running backs is pretty thin. But that will change in a few days after teams trim their rosters. Still, it seems like the Raiders should be fine at running back.
The case for Cian Slone or Patrick Johnson to make the 53-man roster
One of the hardest decisions that faces the Raiders will be to figure out who gets the final spot at edge rusher. It will come down to undrafted rookie Slone and sixth-year veteran Johnson. Both players have made plays on defense and special teams in the preseason.
Slone, 23, is younger and has impressed teammates and coaches with his high motor. Johnson, 28, has been the most productive defensive player in three preseason games. In 81 defensive snaps, Johnson racked up 11 tackles, two sacks, six pressures and four run stuffs. It’s also worth noting that Johnson played mostly with the second-team defense in the preseason finale against the San Francisco 49ers. He remained on the sideline, watching the third-team finish the game.
Slone has the upside, but Johnson might have the best chance to make a bigger impact early, which should weigh into the decision after Keyron Crawford was carted off the field because of an ankle injury.
Is there room to keep Jordan Meredith?
Among the players from last year’s roster on the bubble is interior offensive lineman Meredith. The fifth-year player has started in 19 games over the past two seasons, splitting time between guard and center. Meredith is best suited at guard, even though the past two coaching staffs have used him at center.
Based on the Raiders’ interior lineman situation, it might be tough for Meredith to make the initial 53-man roster. Right guard Jackson Powers-Johnson and Caleb Rogers have been alternating starting reps. It seems like Powers-Johnson will end up being the starter, meaning Rogers will be a strong backup to play either guard spot.
Rookie Trey Zuhn III played at every position on the offensive line this summer. Against the 49ers, Zuhn lined up at center with other members of the starting offensive line, and he also played at right tackle with the second-team. Kubiak has been impressed with Zuhn’s ability to play multiple positions.
But Meredith could be on the outside looking in.
