Which Raiders Depth Chart Battle Will Be the Most Competitive in Camp

The Las Vegas Raiders are a team comprised mostly of unproven players trying to make a name for themselves. There are some exceptions, but their lack of star power could explain why they only managed to win three games last season.

Their biggest star is Maxx Crosby, and the front office tried trading him this offseason. I doubt they'll ever get offered two first-round picks for him again, but that's besides the point. A lot of players in different position groups will be using training camp as their opportunity to prove themselves.

Most Competitive Battle

The most interesting logjam of talent the Raiders have is in their receiving room. Their leading receiver was Tre Tucker last season, but with a new head coach and quarterback duo in Las Vegas, there's no reason he has to be the main target moving forward.

Klint Kubiak has shown a clear interest in getting new weapons for their offense, with him signing Jalen Nailor but also bringing over Dareke Young from his time with the Seattle Seahawks. They aren't paying any of their receivers big money, so there's no contractual obligation to feed anyone the ball.

Dec 7, 2025; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix (10) and Las Vegas Raiders defensive tackle JJ Pegues (92) meet on the field following a game at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Another interesting battle to look out for will be how the defensive line aligns itself in 2026. Rob Leonard is their new defensive coordinator, and he has plenty of experience with the team. I wonder if any of their young defensive linemen will be able to win him over during training camp and find themselves in a more consistent role next season.

Thomas Booker and Malcolm Koonce are both in the last year of their contract, and they have intriguing players who can step up and make a case to be starters next season. The two most interesting players to me are JJ Pegues and Tonka Hemingway, just because they were both drafted last season and didn't get much of a shot on their defensive line.

Nov 23, 2025; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Las Vegas Raiders running back Ashton Jeanty (2) walks off the field after the Cleveland Browns defeated the Raiders 24-10 at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images | Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

To a lesser degree, their running back room will also feature some fierce battles in training camp. Kubiak mentioned he wanted to open up this running back room more. There's no doubt that Ashton Jeanty will be their lead back moving forward, but how many carries will go to him will be determined by how good their backup running back is.

All of these battles still have the draft looming overhead, which introduces more players and talent into the mix. Hopefully, this will lead to all of them pushing one another to be better, which will result in overall team success.