HENDERSON, Nev. -- The Las Vegas Raiders open the 2022 NFL regular season at the Los Angeles Chargers on Sept. 11 at SoFi Stadium.
Big names dot the Raiders' roster at the offensive skill positions -- quarterback Derek Carr, wide receivers Davante Adams and Hunter Renfrow, tight end Darren Waller, running back Josh Jacobs -- as well as on defense, with Pro Bowl edge rushers Maxx Crosby and Chandler Jones along with Pro Bowl linebacker Denzel Perryman.
But the key to the whole thing may very well rest with the grunts. Because while highlight reels feature the aforementioned players, games are won and lost on the line. And if the Raiders' offensive line can't give Carr time to find his pass-catchers downfield, none of it will matter. Jobs were won and lost on the lines in camp, with right tackle Alex Leatherwood, last year's first-round pick, the most intriguing storyline in the trenches.
The roster will be cut to 53 players by 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday. Here is a projection.
QUARTERBACK (2): Derek Carr, Jarrett Stidham
Stidham's preseason play and the trade of Nick Mullens makes carrying only two QBs on the initial 53-man roster more palatable. Especially if Chase Garbers can be stashed on the practice squad. Plus, it gives the Raiders more flexibility to find another roster spot somewhere else.
RUNNING BACK (4): Josh Jacobs, Brandon Bolden, Zamir White, Ameer Abdullah
Releasing Kenyan Drake might be expensive when it comes to the salary cap, but it also allows Abdullah, whose double-roundhouse/twirl kick "Tekken" TD celebration is the stuff of legend, to stick. Unless, of course, Austin Walter beats him out. And a motivated Jacobs is playing for a contract.
FULLBACK (1): Jakob Johnson
Johnson is the only fullback on the roster and played for new coach Josh McDaniels with the Patriots.
WIDE RECEIVER (5): Davante Adams, Hunter Renfrow, Mack Hollins, Tyron Johnson, Keelan Cole
Sure, Adams and Renfrow are going to get the majority of the targets in the WR room, but Hollins is a special teams ace and Johnson provides special straight-line speed. The fifth WR spot, then, should be between Cole and DJ Turner, and whichever wideout proves more essential on special teams should get the nod.
TIGHT END (3): Darren Waller, Foster Moreau, Nick Bowers
Has Waller been "holding in," or hasn't he? And just how serious is that tweaked hamstring? Would a contract extension be that soothing balm? Questions abound, but Bowers gets the third tight end spot as a returning blocking tight end, though keep an eye on vets Jesper Horsted and Jacob Hollister.
OFFENSIVE LINE (10): Kolton Miller, Dylan Parham, Andre James, Lester Cotton Sr., Jermaine Eluemunor, Alex Leatherwood, John Simpson, Brandon Parker, Thayer Munford Jr., Jackson Barton
Is the Raiders' starting right tackle currently on the roster? Yeah, an uneven preseason by Leatherwood and an injury to Parker (does he go on IR before or after the initial 53-man roster is released?) seemingly has the gig still up for grabs. Because while Eluemunor might be the guy, he could be better suited as the swing tackle. Parham, meanwhile, is in line to unseat Simpson at left guard.
DEFENSIVE LINE (11): Maxx Crosby, Johnathan Hankins, Bilal Nichols, Chandler Jones, Clelin Ferrell, Malcolm Koonce, Neil Farrell Jr., Matthew Butler, Kyle Peko, Kendal Vickers, Tashawn Bower
Whether the Raiders run a 4-3 or 3-4 base defense under new defensive coordinator Patrick Graham matters little because of the versatility at play in this room. The forgotten man here, then, is Ferrell, the No. 4 overall pick of the 2019 draft. Bower's sack-happy preseason gets him in.
LINEBACKER (5): Divine Deablo, Denzel Perryman, Jayon Brown, Darien Butler, Luke Masterson
Only two linebackers return from last season in Pro Bowler Perryman and Deablo. Season-ending camp injuries to free agents Micah Kiser and Kyler Fackrell, as well as the release of Kenny Young, present opportunities to undrafted rookies Butler and Masterson.
CORNERBACK (5): Trayvon Mullen Jr., Rock Ya-Sin, Nate Hobbs, Anthony Averett, Darius Phillips
It's an underrated unit but one that has to show up in a big way. Mullen coming off the PUP list is a boon, but he has to stay healthy, while Ya-Sin and Averett are competent starters. Hobbs built on his strong rookie season with a stronger camp. Phillips is a key special teamer who can pinch hit.
SAFETY (4): Tre'von Moehrig, Johnathan Abram, Duron Harmon, Roderic Teamer
Abram's pass-coverage skills were a point of emphasis in camp, while Moehrig has the look of a longtime vet, like, say, Harmon, who keeps it all in context. Teamer is interesting in that his special teams play gives him an edge over intriguing UDFA Isaiah Pola-Mao.
SPECIALISTS (3): AJ Cole (punter), Daniel Carlson (kicker), Trent Sieg (long-snapper)
Running this back from before camp started: Cole is a Pro Bowler; Carlson tied for the league lead with 150 points scored and was clutch for the Raiders down the stretch in their four-game, playoff-clinching winning streak; and Sieg is the glue who holds it all together.