The Las Vegas Raiders are expecting a significant leap in 2026 after winning just three games last season, and the pressure to improve falls on far more than the quarterback room.

Kirk Cousins and Fernando Mendoza will carry their own weight of expectations, but the Raiders roster has several non-QB players who need to prove themselves this year. From a second-year cornerback making a position switch to an offensive lineman on his third coaching staff, the 2026 season could define careers across the roster.

Here are the three non-quarterback players facing the most pressure in Las Vegas.

Darien Porter has to prove he belongs at cornerback

Cornerback Darien Porter is only entering his second NFL season, so the pressure might seem premature. But Porter is expected to be a standout starter, and the fact that he switched to cornerback relatively recently raises the stakes. If he doesn’t show out at the position, questions will surface about whether he’s fit to play corner at this level. Those questions can shorten careers in a hurry.

Porter has the athletic ability and size to be an NFL player. The tools appear to be there. Eric Stokes has his spot locked down across from Porter and functions as the CB1, but Stokes is not an elite CB1. Porter has the potential to be that caliber of player, and a big season could establish him as the long-term answer.

If Porter doesn’t take the step, there are players waiting. Hezekiah Masses could push for time, Decamerion Richardson could finally take a huge step, and Jermod McCoy had the potential to be the top cornerback in the most recent draft class. The competition is real.

Also, Hezekiah Masses and Darien Porter were rotating reps at corner opposite Eric Stokes. https://t.co/JemwdNy9o9

— Sam Warren (@samwarren83) June 9, 2026

Jackson Powers-Johnson is running out of runway

Jackson Powers-Johnson’s name has been everywhere this offseason. There was trade speculation (which wasn’t going to happen), and there were questions about whether guys like Caleb Rogers, Spencer Burford, Trey Zuhn, or Jordan Meredith could take his starting spot.

This is Powers-Johnson’s third coaching staff in three seasons, and he’s moved around quite a bit on the offensive line. That combination creates enormous pressure. The offensive line is arguably the most important position group on the roster outside of the quarterback room, given how bad the unit was last season and the fact that it needs to protect the No. 1 overall pick and Ashton Jeanty.

Powers-Johnson will finally have a quality center next to him in Tyler Linderbaum. There are no more excuses. If he’s healthy, he should be able to perform. The pressure is squarely on him to prove he belongs as a long-term starter.

Malcolm Koonce needs to recapture his pass-rushing form

Malcolm Koonce is on another one-year deal, his second straight. That contract structure tells you everything about where he stands. He’s dealt with a lot of injuries and hasn’t been the same player since a few years ago. Back then, he looked elite in the second half of that season.

The pressure on Koonce is twofold. He needs to perform well enough to earn a better contract, whether from the Raiders or another team. And Las Vegas needs him in the pass rush rotation because the EDGE spots are thin. And, Maxx Crosby is the only proven commodity in the group.

If Koonce can stay healthy and get back to that level, he changes everything. If he can’t, the Raiders will be leaning heavily on Crosby with little proven depth behind him.

These three stood out the most, but the Raiders have pressure points across the entire roster. For a team looking to at least double its win total, the margin for error is slim, and players like Porter, Powers-Johnson, and Koonce will go a long way toward determining whether Las Vegas takes the step everyone expects.