HENDERSON, Nev. - The Las Vegas Raiders open the 2023 NFL regular season at the Denver Broncos on Sept. 10 at Empower Field at Mile High.
After an up-and-down start to training camp, his first on-field experience since suffering a left foot injury on Dec. 4 and undergoing surgery in March, new quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo has started to settle in and the offense is benefitting, which should continue with All-Pro running back Josh Jacobs agreeing to terms on a reworked one-year deal on Saturday. Receivers Davante Adams and Hunter Renfrow, the subject of so many offseason trade rumors, have both dealt with injury, as has rookie tight end Michael Mayer.
Defensively, veteran cornerback Marcus Peters has seemingly solidified one side of the secondary while edge rusher Tyree Wilson, the first-round pick whose college career was cut short in November due to a right foot injury that required a pair of surgeries, is being brought along after coming off the Non-Football Injury list last week. There do not appear to be many roster spots up for grabs.
The roster will be cut to 53 players by 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday. Here is a projection for the Raiders:
QUARTERBACK (3): Jimmy Garoppolo, Brian Hoyer, Aidan O'Connell
Garoppolo was sharp and efficient in his Raiders debut, spreading the ball around while leading a TD drive against the Rams, so Las Vegas figures all is right and on course with its new QB. O'Connell, meanwhile, has impressed enough with his exhibition exploits that he may have jumped over Hoyer to be the No. 2 QB. And if Hoyer stays on as QB No. 3 over Chase Garbers, the Raiders will have an entirely new QB room entering a season for the first time since 1999.
RUNNING BACK (4): Josh Jacobs, Ameer Abdullah, Brandon Bolden, Zamir White
Jacobs returning from his holdout might end any chance of Sincere McCormick, who played well in Jacobs' absence this preseason, making the 53-man roster. Bolden was banged up in camp but scored a TD in the exhibition win over the Rams.
FULLBACK (1): Jakob Johnson
The fullback position in the NFL is kinda, sorta like a bullpen catcher in baseball ... necessary but not really noticed. Johnson is still looking for his first career carry.
WIDE RECEIVER (5): Davante Adams, Jakobi Meyers, Hunter Renfrow, Tre Tucker, Phillip Dorsett
As easy as it is to write the names of Adams, Meyers, Renfrow and Tucker in ink, while penciling in Dorsett's name, it is just as hard to not include the likes of DeAndre Carter, who has had a fantastic camp, and 6-foot-5 red-zone target Cam Sims. Might a trade open up a spot, or two? Stay tuned.
TIGHT END (3): Michael Mayer, Austin Hooper, Jesper Horsted
Mayer and Hooper were impressive enough in camp that the Raiders waived veteran O.J. Howard a few weeks in. And while Mayer continues to work on his blocking, his hands are soft and Hooper has shown an ability to make acrobatic catches. Meanwhile, Horsted can solidify his role as the blocking tight end.
OFFENSIVE LINE (9): Kolton Miller, Dylan Parham, Andre James, Greg Van Roten, Thayer Munford Jr., Jermaine Eluemunor, Justin Herron, Dalton Wagner, Netane Muti
The question remains -- is Eluemunor, who started 15 games at right tackle last season, more valuable as a swing tackle, especially with Brandon Parker being released after he was placed on IR? Van Roten has seemingly wrestled the starting right guard spot away from Alex Bars, who might have to beat out Muti for the final interior O-lineman roster spot. UDFA Wagner has shown promise at right tackle.
DEFENSIVE LINE (9): Maxx Crosby, Bilal Nichols, Jerry Tillery, Chandler Jones, Tyree Wilson, Neil Farrell Jr., Byron Young, John Jenkins, Malcolm Koonce
A change from the pre-camp projection now has nine D-linemen, rather than 10, to give the defense an additional safety on the back end. That makes it tougher for the likes of veterans Jordan Willis and Isaac Rochell, second-year DT Matthew Butler and UNLV product Adam Plant to squeeze in as edge rushers -- especially with Wilson off the NFI list and practicing.
LINEBACKER (5): Divine Deablo, Robert Spillane, Amari Burney, Luke Masterson, Curtis Bolton
Burney has opened eyes as a coverage linebacker on the outside and UDFA Drake Thomas has flashed in the preseason. It's a thin but active group, one that is very fluid, with injuries to the likes of Darien Butler playing a huge role in creating opportunity for others. Paging Bolton, who has made his mark on special teams but is seeing more time on defense of late.
CORNERBACK (6): Marcus Peters, Jakorian Bennett, Nate Hobbs, Amik Robertson, Brandon Facyson, David Long Jr.
Peters arrived just before camp began and immediately solidified one starting job while rookie fourth-rounder Bennett has all but won the other corner spot, with Hobbs in the slot. Facyson's injury early in camp cleared some of the smoke. Though he has returned to practice in a limited role, if he is not healthy enough to make the initial 53-man roster keep an eye on Sam Webb and Bryce Cosby, or even veteran Duke Shelley.
SAFETY (5): Tre'von Moehrig. Marcus Epps, Chris Smith II, Isaiah Pola-Mao, Roderic Teamer
Pola-Mao's pick-six against the Rams all but solidified his spot and, as mentioned above, we took one D-lineman spot away to give the Raiders an extra safety. So should it be versatile vet Jaquan Johnson or Teamer, who continues to flash? We're going with youth over experience in this case, even if it seems counter-intuitive.
SPECIALISTS (3): K Daniel Carlson, P AJ Cole, LS Jacob Bobenmoyer
Again, keep an eye on the still-evolving relationship between the All-Pro kicker and All-Pro punter and their new long-snapper, as Bobenmoyer replaces Trent Sieg. Sieg was cut to make way for Bobenmoyer and to, apparently, test chemistry and tempt fate.