HENDERSON, Nev. -- The Las Vegas Raiders open the 2021 NFL regular season against the Baltimore Ravens on Sept. 13 at Allegiant Stadium. The Raiders went 8-8 last season, finishing the year with five losses in the final seven games to miss the playoffs for the fourth straight season.
After an offseason of rebuilding the offensive and defensive lines, the Raiders got younger and more versatile in the trenches, while remaining explosive at the offensive skill positions. The defense was also overhauled and while the Raiders were three defensive stops away from an 11-5 season and a playoff berth, they were also three plays away from a 5-11 finish. These things even out.
The roster will be cut to 53 players by 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday. Here is a projection:
QUARTERBACK (3): Derek Carr, Marcus Mariota, Nathan Peterman
Peterman taking all but one snap in the first two preseason games served one of two purposes -- either it was a showcase for him as a potential trade chip, or the Raiders were keeping Mariota, who was purportedly dealing with a quad issue, under wraps as a potential trade chip. In any event, Carr should take another statistical step forward in his fourth season with Jon Gruden.
RUNNING BACK (4): Josh Jacobs, Kenyan Drake, Trey Ragas, Alec Ingold (FB)
Jalen Richard's foot injury makes him a prime IR candidate, while Ragas, an undrafted rookie, gets the call here by a nose over another UDFA (BJ Emmons) for the third RB spot. Drake, who will create in space catching passes out of the backfield, spelling Jacobs should keep the Pro Bowler fresh down the stretch while Ingold is one of the more versatile fullbacks in the league.
WIDE RECEIVER (6): Henry Ruggs III, Bryan Edwards, Hunter Renfrow, Willie Snead IV, John Brown, Zay Jones
Jones played his way onto the roster with a spectacular camp and preseason, so if the Raiders go with only five receivers, Snead could be the odd man out. Big things are expected of Ruggs and Edwards in their second seasons while Brown is the burner and Renfrow is as dependable as they come.
TIGHT END (3): Darren Waller, Foster Moreau, Derek Carrier
Pro Bowler Waller is a bonafide star and Moreau is a legitimate red-zone threat who benefited greatly from additional reps with Waller missing two weeks of camp with an injury. Carrier, a former receiver like Waller, is a grinder who has developed into a decent in-line blocker.
OFFENSIVE LINE (9): Kolton Miller, Richie Incognito, Andre James, Denzelle Good, Alex Leatherwood, John Simpson, Nick Martin, Patrick Omameh, Brandon Parker
An intriguing and fluid bunch, what with the line rebuilt on the fly this offseason. Might the Raiders stay with the youth movement and choose seventh-rounder Jimmy Morrissey over sixth-year vet Martin to back up first-year starter James at center? And does Las Vegas have two swing tackles in Parker and Omameh at the expense of another guard in Lester Cotton Sr.?
DEFENSIVE LINE (10): Yannick Ngakoue, Maxx Crosby, Clelin Ferrell, Malcolm Koonce, Carl Nassib, Johnathan Hankins, Solomon Thomas, Quinton Jefferson, Darius Philon, Gerald McCoy
As deep and versatile a defensive line as the Raiders have had in some time, though the bar is awfully low. Still, new defensive coordinator Gus Bradley envisions sending waves of D-linemen at opponents, and with this roster, it's possible. Keep an eye on how Ferrell, a No. 4 overall pick, responds to being more of a situational interior pass rusher in this, his third season, as well as how Ngakoue and Crosby, legit edge rushers, defend the run.
LINEBACKER (5): Cory Littleton, Nick Kwiatkoski, Tanner Muse, Divine Deablo, Denzel Perryman
The injury bug has taken a big bite out of this unit, with Nicholas Morrow (foot) and preseason standout Javin White (knee) both IR candidates (Morrow could make the initial 53-man before going on short-term IR) and Deablo, a third-round pick who is transitioning from safety, just getting started after recovering from an offseason knee injury. Muse is coming back from a toe injury that forced him to miss his rookie season and even Kwiatkoski was banged up last week. Paging K.J. Wright?
CORNERBACK (6): Trayvon Mullen, Casey Hayward Jr., Nate Hobbs, Damon Arnette, Amik Robertson, Keisean Nixon
Hayward, the 10th-year vet who signed as a free agent to reunite with Bradley, is the spiritual leader for a young, talented and rambunctious group that has a lot to prove. Especially Arnette, a first-rounder a year ago. Hobbs, a fifth-round pick, has been a revelation in the slot and might not give the gig up when Nevin Lawson is eligible to return after a two-game suspension, his third suspension to begin a season in as many years.
SAFETY (4): Johnathan Abram, Tre'von Moehrig, Karl Joseph, Tyree Gillespie
Moehrig, a second-round selection, has shown a certain maturity in the preseason that seems infectious to the excitable Abram. Joseph provides leadership, though he has missed a lot of camp with an undisclosed injury, and Gillespie, a fourth-rounder, has also flashed when not sidelined by injury. Bradley and DB coach Ron Milus have been busy coaching these guys up, so to speak.
SPECIALIST (3): Daniel Carlson, AJ Cole, Trent Sieg
Carlson led the league in scoring with 144 points last season, Cole has averaged 45.2 yards per punt in his two seasons and Sieg is the silent motor that keeps humming as the longsnapper.