Raiders Practice Squad Tracker: What Every Decision Means

The Las Vegas Raiders have spent the past few months making a laundry list of coaching staff and roster decisions. With the preseason out of the way, Las Vegas recently trimmed their roster down to 53 players. Based on training camp, their initial roster had few, if any, surprises.

Still, even after moving on from over 40 players, there are more vital roster decisions that must be made. Injuries have plagued the Raiders over the last two seasons. Las Vegas' roster bottomed out in 2025, suffering a 10-game losing streak for the second consecutive season.

Each of the past two seasons, the Raiders have unexpectedly needed additional players to fill out their roster ahead of a regular-season matchup. Every team's practice squad is important, but teams with high injury rates, like the Raiders, place even greater emphasis on the unit.

Las Vegas aims to completely rebuild a roster that took years to make one of the league's worst. To do so, every aspect of the roster must improve, including the practice squad. After a solid training camp and a revealing set of preseason games, it is clear the Raiders' rebuild is just beginning.

There are about two weeks before Las Vegas takes the field for their season opener against the Miami Dolphins. First, they will iron out the bottom of their roster by establishing their practice squad as soon as they are allowed to.

The Raiders have already begun purging their roster of players from previous regimes; the practice squad could continue it. Still, Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak noted that although trimming the roster down and deciding upon a set of players is difficult, it is the nature of the business.

“It's awful. You develop relationships with these guys since April and they give you their heart and their soul and all their time, and eventually it comes down to this,” Kubiak said the day after Las Vegas’ final preseason game.

“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. So, there's lots of examples that you can share with them to encourage them."

"There's a lot of good football players that are out there in the NFL that have been sliced and diced multiple times. Coaches too, hired and fired, and you just get better. You get better and you learn and you fail forward."

The two weeks between the final preseason game and Las Vegas' first game of the Kubiak era will be filled with even more roster-related questions for the first-time head coach and his staff. They must make the most of it to ensure they start the season off on the right foot for the first time in years.

How the Practice Squad Works

Each team can carry 16 players on its practice squad. They can add an international player to the practice squad, bringing the total allowed to 17 players. Of those players, six can be veterans. Teams can begin assembling their practice squads starting at 12:00 pm ET on August 31.

Although improved, Las Vegas let go of a handful of players they could use at some point in the 2026 season. They will look to get some of those players back, while also looking for players from elsewhere around the league who were let go on cutdown day. More critical decisions lie ahead.

The Raiders' front office has taken an understandable approach to building out most of the roster's position groups. It is fair to believe they will continue doing so as they build out their practice squad. Solidifying their practice squad marks one of the final steps before the regular season.

Las Vegas has come a long way in a short period, but still has a long way to go. Finding the right talent to stockpile on their practice squad, while also developing the practice squad and the players at the bottom of their 53-man roster, will help Las Vegas expedite that rebuild.

The list will be updated as players are officially confirmed to the Raiders' practice squad.

Raiders Practice Squad Tracker

LB, Cam McGrone
DT, Brandon Cleveland
RB, Roman Hemby
WR, Deven Thompkins
DE, Jahfari Harvey
DE, Cian Slone
RB, Dare Ogunbowale
S, Devin Lafayette
K, Kansei Matsuzawa
OL, Niklas Henning
OL, Kamar Missouri
TE, Albert Okwuegbunam
TE, Chris Myarick
OL, Will Putnam
DT, Gary Smith III
CB, Greedy Vance

Analysis: The Raiders' coaching staff seems to have a pretty solid grip of their roster, as their practice squad additions matchup precisely with the primary weaknesses of their initial 53-man roster.

Las Vegas added multiple offensive linemen, running backs and defensive ends to their practice squad, to help. The Raiders' decision to hold on to so many offensive and defensive linemen speaks volumes. The decision to add multiple running backs to the practice squad was wise as well.

Las Vegas also only added two defensive backs to their practice squad, which means they are confident in the defensive backs they have, or that the ones they have were the best they can find for the upcoming season. The same goes for the wide receiver position.

Roster Moves

Las Vegas added veteran cornerback Darrell Luter to the 53-man roster on Monday, giving them room to move on from Decamerion Richardson. Las Vegas still has a practice squad position open, which they could potentially use on Richardson.

Whether or not they choose to do so will confirm the belief or unbelief Las Vegas' coaching staff has in his long term potential, even under their guidence. Regardless, it is evident how they feel about Luter in comparison to Richardson in the immediate.

Technically, the jury is still out on Richardson.

Las Vegas has added WR Cody White to the practice squad as well.

Keep a close eye on former Seahawks WR Cody White. I'm not saying a deal is imminent or done; I'm just saying to keep an eye on him as a potential option. Experience with Kubiak and a ton of mutual respect.
— Hondo Carpenter (@HondoCarpenter) August 30, 2026

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