HENDERSON, Nev. -- The Las Vegas Raiders open the 2026 NFL regular season against the Miami Dolphins on Sept. 13 at Allegiant Stadium. But first, they play one more preseason game Thursday against the San Francisco 49ers and then must cut their roster to 53 players by 6 p.m. ET on Sunday.
Who will make the team? Which positions have tough decisions on deck? And where might the lineup be deepest and thinnest this season?
No matter how roster cut-down day shakes out, coach Klint Kubiak will rely on a fairly young team in his first season in Las Vegas. The team's trust in their wide receivers and cornerbacks will be tested, as both position groups could very well add more help at some point during the season. But one of the biggest questions facing the Raiders is whether they should keep three quarterbacks on the roster.
Here is our projection of the Raiders' 53-man roster.
Quarterbacks (2)
Kirk Cousins, Fernando Mendoza
In this exercise, the Raiders decided to stick with two quarterbacks. Kubiak said during training camp that he had three NFL-ready quarterbacks on the roster. Mendoza has shown enough that if the Raiders needed him to step in sooner than expected, the team is confident the No. 1 pick will be ready to go. As for Aidan O'Connell, he could be a good trade candidate for a team that's looking to add a quarterback with starter experience.
Running backs (4)
Ashton Jeanty, Mike Washington Jr., Roman Hemby, Dylan Laube
The Raiders went into training camp with the expectation that Jeanty would be the undisputed No. 1 at running back. But Washington, the team's 2026 fourth-round pick, has shown he could make a serious impact. Las Vegas has had the worst rushing attacks in the league over the past two seasons. The Raiders have the potential to put together better numbers with the one-two punch of Jeanty and Washington.
Fullbacks (1)
The fullback position matters a ton to Kubiak. He hopes Heyward can add valuable support in the run game and pass protection. Expect the Raiders to utilize 21 and 22 personnel quite a bit during the regular season.
Tight ends (3)
Brock Bowers, Michael Mayer, Ian Thomas
If Bowers is healthy, he should put up big numbers, no matter which quarterback is under center. But what about Mayer? The Raiders have been waiting for him to break out since he was selected in the second round of the 2023 draft. There's a good chance that he can in Kubiak's system as well as playing alongside Cousins, who likes to rely on his tight ends.
Wide receivers (6)
Tre Tucker, Jalen Nailor, Jack Bech, Malik Benson, Noah Brown, Dareke Young
It will be interesting to see which player emerges as the WR3. Bech didn't have the best rookie season, and his performance during training camp has been underwhelming for the most part. But he can be a big-body target in the slot, and his physicality will be useful in the run game as a blocker. Benson, on the other hand, has been a better pass catcher. He has consistently made plays during practice, emerging as a go-to target for Mendoza.
Offensive linemen (8)
Kolton Miller, Spencer Burford, Tyler Linderbaum, Jackson Powers-Johnson, DJ Glaze, Charles Grant, Trey Zuhn III, Caleb Rogers
Guard and right tackle are still the biggest question marks. Glaze has maintained his role as the starting right tackle, but will he fair well against tough competition? Powers-Johnson alternated starting reps with Rogers. Still, he should be the team's starting right guard to begin the season.
Defensive linemen (6)
Thomas Booker IV, Adam Butler, Folorunso Fatukasi, Tonka Hemingway, Jonah Laulu, JJ Pegues
Hemingway has emerged as a starter on the team's defensive front. The unit's overall ability in slowing down the run is a bit worrisome. Las Vegas gave up 4.3 yards per rush in its preseason opener against the Arizona Cardinals.
Edge rushers (5)
Maxx Crosby, Kwity Paye, Malcolm Koonce, Keyron Crawford, Cian Slone
Crosby is expected to maintain his status as one of the league's best pass rushers. He has been dominant throughout training camp. But in the offseason, general manager John Spytek briefly mentioned the possibility of managing Crosby's snap count during the regular season to help the longevity of his career. With that said, the Raiders will need consistency from Koonce and Paye.
Linebackers (5)
Quay Walker, Nakobe Dean, Cody Lindenberg, Tommy Eichenberg, Segun Olubi
Dean has already established himself as a vocal leader on defense. Walker's versatility should provide additional pass rush support.
Cornerbacks (6)
Eric Stokes, Taron Johnson, Darien Porter, Jermod McCoy, Hezekiah Masses, Decamerion Richardson
The Raiders' young cornerbacks certainly have upside. However, will that be enough this season? Porter is entering Year 2 but is still learning to play the position. McCoy hasn't played football for more than a year due to injury and it looked that way in the preseason. The group could be solid in a season or two. But asking them to provide consistent pass coverage in 2026 might be a tall task.
Safeties (4)
Jeremy Chinn, Treydan Stukes, Isaiah Pola-Mao, Dalton Johnson
The thought was that Stukes could beat out Pola-Mao as the starting deep safety. But Pola-Mao will walk away from training camp maintaining his position. Stukes has improved as camp progressed and could very well be in a rotation with Pola Mao, or line up alongside the veteran safety while Chinn plays closer to the line of scrimmage in certain packages. Stukes will also alternate with Johnson at nickel.
Special teams (3)
Matt Gay (K), AJ Cole (P), Tyler Duzansky (LS)
Gay might not be a better option than former kicker Daniel Carlson, but he is the team's best and only option at the moment.