Las Vegas Raiders HC Klint Kubiak kept it all the way real while explaining just how far the team still has to go
The Las Vegas Raiders have a lot of position battles to figure out soon, and Klint Kubiak is saying they’re not close.
The Las Vegas Raiders are deep into training camp, and the roster is far from settled. Coach Klint Kubiak revealed that roughly 90% of the Raiders roster has yet to establish a defined role, which means position battles are raging at nearly every spot. Kubiak’s message to the fringe players fighting for one of 53 roster spots was clear.
“In order for them to make the team, they have to play special teams and play multiple positions. That’s how you make the roster in the NFL,” Kubiak said.
That philosophy touches every corner of this Las Vegas roster. From the back end of the wide receiver room to the offensive line to the secondary, versatility and special teams value will separate the players who stick from the ones who get cut.
Wide receiver room has a crowded back end
The top of the receiver depth chart looks solid, but the final spots are up for grabs. Malik Benson, Dareke Young, Phillip Dorsett, Shedrick Jackson, Chase Roberts, and Brandon Johnson are all fighting for what could be one or two remaining roster spots. The players who can contribute on special teams while filling their role in the passing game will have a significant advantage in that battle.
Offensive line versatility could decide the guard spots
The Raiders have two open starting guard spots, and the competition is genuine. Spencer Burford and Jackson Powers-Johnson are the projected starters at right guard and left guard right now, but both bring flexibility. Powers-Johnson can play right guard, left guard, or even center. Burford has extensive starting experience and can slide to either guard spot.
Behind them, rookie Trey Zuhn and Caleb Rogers can play multiple positions along the offensive line. Vegas made a clear effort this offseason to acquire linemen who aren’t locked into a single spot. That depth gives Kubiak options, and it gives those players a path to making the 53.
Treyden Stukes could be the most versatile player on the roster
The Raiders’ second-round pick, Treydan Stukes, might be the best example of the kind of player Kubiak wants. He’s currently slotted as the backup nickelback behind Taron Johnson, but his range extends well beyond that. Stukes could end up playing free safety and dropping into a center fielder role. He could get in the slot and cover tight ends. He even has outside corner experience from his time at Arizona, where he played quite a bit of boundary corner in his first few years.
Stukes could end up rotating between free safety and nickelback while also contributing on special teams. He’s exactly the type of player Kubiak is talking about when he emphasizes versatility.
Why versatility matters for the final roster
The NFL is a violent sport, and injuries are impossible to predict or plan for. Having players who can slide into multiple roles gives the coaching staff a buffer against the inevitable losses that pile up over a 17-game season. Special teams, meanwhile, can win games on their own. The Raiders want the best available players in that phase, and a receiver or defensive back who can also contribute on coverage units holds more roster value than a one-dimensional player at the same position.
Las Vegas has to trim this roster from 90 players down to 53 by the end of the preseason. With only about 10% of the roster holding an established role, the remaining weeks of training camp and preseason games will determine who stays and who goes. The players who can do more than one thing will have the edge.
