Top Competitions To Watch During Raiders' Training Camp

The Las Vegas Raiders have starting jobs up for grabs.

Fernando Mendoza, Kirk Cousins | Darrell Craig Harris, On SI

Training camp begins soon for the Las Vegas Raiders, with rookies reporting on Thursday and everyone else on Tuesday.

Fans are excited about where the team is heading, with the foundation being built on both sides of the ball. Klint Kubiak is fresh off a Super Bowl championship as the Seattle Seahawks' offensive coordinator, and Raider Nation hopes that winning pedigree comes to the desert.

Klint Kubiak

With a new coaching staff and a young roster comes competition for starting roles, and fans will be tuned in to see who wins certain jobs. There will be plenty of snaps up for grabs on a team that won three games last season, so competition should be aplenty.

Which jobs will feature the fiercest competition, and who might win them? Let's break down the top three training camp competitions and see who might come out on top.

Quarterback: Kirk Cousins vs. Fernando Mendoza

Aidan O'Connell, Fernando Mendoza, Kirk Cousins | Darrell Craig Harris, On SI

The Raiders may be inclined to start Cousins at the beginning of the season so they can wait until Mendoza is ready, but this could be more of a competition than expected. Mendoza is the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft after winning the national championship and the Heisman Trophy, and he is expected to be the future of the Silver and Black.

The pressure to see him sooner rather than later might get to the coaching staff. Minority owner Tom Brady is keen on seeing a young quarterback develop, but there may not be a better way for Mendoza to develop than to take real game snaps. If not, the team has a veteran quarterback with lots of success who can keep the team afloat.

Safety: Treydan Stukes vs. Isaiah Pola-Mao

Treydan Stukes | Darrell Craig Harrris, On SI

Pola-Mao did not play well last season, and Stukes was an exciting prospect who could have been a first-round pick and has phenomenal ball skills. The Raiders could benefit from Stukes taking over at safety, as it indicates that they are ready to start a new era with the players they drafted earning immediate playing time.

However, defensive coordinator Rob Leonard knows Pola-Mao and may be inclined to keep him in the starting role. This competition will be important, as finding stars in the secondary is crucial for the Raiders. Stukes could be a ball-hawking safety who becomes a mainstay, or Pola-Mao holds onto his spot and regains his form from previous seasons.

Defensive End: Kwity Paye vs. Malcolm Koonce

Las Vegas Raiders DE Malcolm Koonce | Darrell Craig Harris, On SI

The Raiders spent big money on Paye this offseason to be the running mate to Maxx Crosby, but Koonce may have something to say about it. Paye has been a solid player throughout the first few years of his NFL career, but Koonce has been with this team for the last five seasons and wants to regain the form he found in the second half of the 2023 season.

The Raiders may feel comfortable rotating defensive linemen to keep opposing offenses on their toes, but they'll send out some players more than others. We'll see who wins this battle between the newcomer and the veteran looking to prove himself.