Blistering In From Sea.

[KimJongBaze]

go dawgs.

[Soapy]

go dawgs.

zamir and kenny!

[Soapy]

A tale of two halves as Eagles backups dominate Raiders in 45-31 win
Philadelphia fans might take solace in the fact that their team ultimately won the game, beating the Las Vegas Raiders 45-31 but through the early portions of the game, when both teams had their starters in, it was all Las Vegas.

Justin Fields threw two touchdown passes to DeAndre Hopkins before calling it a day, playing in only two series along with most of the Raiders' starting offense who began trickling out of the game as halftime approached.

The Eagles first team offense did manage to score a touchdown before the Raiders emptied their bench as A.J. Brown caught a nine-yard touchdown in the endzone on a coverage bust between rookie Travis Hunter and free agent acquisition Matthew Judon who was in coverage.

A fumble by Laviska Shenault Jr. on the next drive would start the Eagles rout of the Raiders with Aidan O'Connell compounding it with an interception on the next drive which led to a 32-10 run by Philadelphia to end the game.

The second team offense doesn't have the sparks
After last week's fireworks show with several rookies having big games, the Raiders second team offense was completely grounded by the Eagles' defense which has plenty of depth as shown by Jalen Carter playing most of the second half.

It was a tough night for Aidan O'Connell who missed several wide-open players down the field, including three near touchdowns.

Tre Tucker had a backbreaking drop as did Ricardo Campbell, who bounced back to have a solid night with four receptions for 47 yards. Drops have been a concern with Campbell coming out of college and has continued throughout training camp so at this point, it's to be expected.

Lenny Evans came back to earth with just 38 yards on twelve carries, as did tight end Brian McBride who had just one catch for eight yards. Evans did show a flash of brilliance on a fourth down play where he was able to get to the edge and get the first down despite the play being blown up by the defense initially.

It's a mixed bag with the defense's performance
There's a lot to like with Judon and Baron Browning (twice) sacking Hurts and holding their own against a really good Philly offensive line. Browning, along with Derrick Brown and Dasan McCullough, was also involved in an early fourth down stop that got Allegiant Stadium rocking.

Travis Hunter got an interception on an impressive play where he fooled Bo Nix and against the first team Philly offense, he surrendered just one catch (not counting the coverage blunder in the endzone with him and Judon) and had two pass breakups against A.J. Brown and another in the endzone against D.J. Chark Jr. while holding Devonta Smith without a catch.

There's plenty to not like as well. Hurts averaged 10 yards per carry on five scrambles out of the pocket where the team lost their discipline and allowed him to keep drives alive. Nick Singleton (11 carries, 75 yards) had no issues against the Raiders second team defense despite veteran defensive tackle Michael Pierce getting plenty of burn with the second team defense as he's still working on his conditioning.

Pierce wasn't the only potential starter on the field in the second half getting worked by Nix and Singleton with safeties Jalen Mills, Jayron Kearse and linebacker Micah McFadden all on the field for most of the second half.

Mills had a roughing the punter penalty which led to the Eagles scoring two plays later but he did make a nice diving interception. Mills and Kearse are competing for one of the safeties spots along with Decorian Patterson who is having a nice but quiet preseason thus far.

Injury News
The big one is defensive tackle Tyleik Williams who appeared to suffer a shoulder injury and didn't return from the locker room. Tyree Wilson suffered an apparent chest or shoulder injury but he did come back into the game as a rotational player so it figures to not be too serious.

Despite the Raiders playing at night and indoors, several players caught cramps including Maxx Crosby, Matthew Judon and Jonah Jackson so something to monitor as they continue to ramp up for the regular season.

[Soapy]

Training Camp Confidential: Six players to keep an eye on during preseason finale
The Raiders wrap up training camp this week before hosting the New York Giants in the final game of the season where head coach David Shaw says he and the coaching staff will try their best to mimic the flow of a regular season game.

With that being said, expect to see some extensive work on Saturday for not only established starters but a lot of the young guys and veterans that are competing for a major role within the team for the upcoming season as they get ready to kick off the season against the Kansas City Chiefs in two weeks. Here are a few guys to keep your eyes on:

HB Lenny Evans
While newly signed Kenny McIntosh played just five snaps against Philadelphia, in those five snaps, he had three touches for twenty-six yards, a sign that the Raiders purposefully put him out there to get a look at him just days after signing with the team.

McIntosh has gone through the grind of a season and is the more proven commodity, giving Evans' competition for that fourth running back spot behind Miyan Williams, Laviska Shenault Jr. and Zamir White.

Evans had a quiet week last week so he'll need a productive game against the Giants to not only continue pushing Zamir White for that third running back spot but make the roster in the first place.

WR Tre Tucker
If Tucker had reeled in one or two of the deep passes that either he dropped or Aidan O'Connell misfired on last week, he might not be on this list but alas, the 2023 standout needs a good closing performance to the preseason to prove to the coaching staff that the 964-yard campaign during his rookie season wasn't a fluke and a product of being next to Davante Adams.

Tucker took a step back last season with his receptions, yards per reception and yards per game all going down despite the offense improving year over year. With the addition of DeAndre Hopkins and the rise of Tory Horton, Tucker needs to take more advantages of his limited targets and if he's not careful, he could see fellow speedsters Mario Williams and Ricardo Campbell nipping on his heels by the end of the season.

G Dylan Parham
Since being replaced by Jonah Jackson last year, Parham has been relegated to the team's backup swing guard, starting three games last season and didn't play that well.

Parham has had a really good training camp and has been solid in the first two games of the preseason. He's entering the last year of his rookie deal and with Jackson due $14.1 million in 2026 and Runyan not signed through 2025, Parham has a chance to be a cheap, reliable option beyond this year. Given the physicality of the game, Parham will likely be called upon at some point this season and a strong finish to the preseason should give the team and Parham the confidence needed to continue to play at a high level.

LB Micah McFadden
McFadden has gotten a ton of first team snaps at WILL linebacker in the team's 3-4 base, next to Kenneth Murray Jr. as part of the rotation with Curtis Jacobs. While Jacobs might be better suited to be a sub-package linebacker, McFadden hasn't fared that much better against heavy offensive fronts.

The coaching staff likes him and he's shown flashes of being their most physical inside linebacker but that'll need to translate in game and he'll get a chance to do it against his former team and a good running game.

CB Davison Igbinosun
It was always going to be hard to keep Travis Hunter off the field as a rookie and Jeff Okudah was penciled in as a starter given his play last year, the extension and his outstanding form in training camp and in the preseason.

This leaves just one spot left for starting level snaps at either corner/nickel and three players vying for it in Rasul Douglas, Davison Igbinosun and Jakorian Bennett. While they're all likely to make the roster, they all bring a different flavor with Douglas being the biggest corner on the team and the most experienced while Bennett is arguably the fastest player on the entire team, let alone the secondary.

Igbinosun might already be the team's best press corner and at six-foot-two, he checks the box against most big receivers that he'll face. The Raiders are already going to be starting one rookie corner in Hunter, could they be starting two come the Kansas City game?

S Jayron Kearse
Similar to an offensive lineman, not hearing your name is a good thing and that has been the case for Jayron Kearse so far this preseason.

He played 57 snaps against Tampa and 53 against the Eagles, recording seven tackles through two games and having yet to surrender a catch in coverage. Kearse is an impressive looking athlete and an impressive thumper, even at practice. His physicality has likely secured him a roster spot and a role on the team, the only remaining question is just how big of a role?

Kearse has been a pleasant surprise in one-on-one drills throughout the spring and summer, which bodes well for his chances to eventually overtake Decorian Patterson as the team's starting safety. If Kearse does take job over, it frees up Tre'von Moehrig to play free safety which is his more natural role and where he played last season before the eventual benching of strong safety Marcus Epps.

[Soapy]

Raiders trade for veteran LB Denzel Perryman
The Las Vegas Raiders have traded for Minnesota linebacker Denzel Perryman in exchange for a fourth-round pick, safety Jalen Mills and linebacker Micah McFadden.

Perryman, 32, is a ten-year veteran and figures to have a prominent role in the Raiders defense after recording at least 120 tackles in the past two seasons with Houston and Minnesota. Perryman spent two seasons with the Raiders prior to signing with the Texans, recording 146 tackles in 2021 and 77 tackles in just twelve games during the 2022 season.

The Raiders defense has struggled against the run in recent years which they tried to address this offseason with the signing of nose tackle Michael Pierce and defensive lineman Derrick Brown. The team also added linebackers Matthew Judon, Dasan McCullough, Baron Browning and Omari Abor in the offseason via free agency and the draft along with the return of Kenneth Murray Jr. who they traded for last season.

[Captain Canada]

I was just about to comment about how Micah McFadden is one of my favourite linebackers in the game...

Good trade fam

[Soapy]

Raiders thoroughly take care of the G-Men in dress rehearsal game
Raiders quarterback Justin Fields was visibly frustrated after his fourth down pass to Michael Mayer fell incomplete in the end zone with the two players appearing to be on different pages. Raiders head coach David Shaw came over to his young quarterback, put his arm around and spoke to him for moment before doing the same with Mayer.

Fields would find Mayer for a 23-yard touchdown to tie the game two drives later, the first of three consecutive scoring drives by the offense en route to a 38-24 victory over the New York Giants to wrap up the preseason.

It was an emotion-filled game, especially for an exhibition matchup as Fields passionately spiked the football on his fourth and goal touchdown run. A few plays later, after Kenneth Murray's interception of Daniel Jones, it would be Lenny Evans' turn to reach the endzone where he'd be mobbed by his offensive line.

"We came out with great energy and it sustained throughout the game," Shaw said of his team's enthusiasm which was very evident.

Shaw played many of his key players in the second half, including rookie cornerback Travis Hunter who had two highlight reel interceptions to bring his interception total to three in the preseason.

It was a night to forget for Jones and the Giants offense who scored on their second possession but wouldn't score a touchdown against the Raiders first team defense for the rest of the game. Jones threw three interceptions, completing just 10 of his 21 passes for 177 yards.

Rookie Carson Beck fared a little bit better with a touchdown and interception apiece with a 71 percent completion percentage. Both quarterbacks were harassed by the Raiders defensive line which finished with three sacks as Tyree Wilson, Tyleik Williams and Baron Browning all registered one. Maxx Crosby had a near safety and a pressure that led to the interception by Murray.

What to make of the new starters?
It might end up not mattering when the Raiders play the Chiefs in two weeks BUT it's important to note that second-year receiver Mario Williams got the start at receiver over Tre Tucker while veteran safety Jayron Kearse started in place of second-year defensive back Decorian Patterson.

Kearse finished the game with three tackles while Patterson had a coverage blunder that led to a touchdown as rookie corner Davison Igbinosun was expecting help on the inside but Patterson bit on the play action, leaving Darius Slayton wide open for the final Giants touchdown.

Williams had two catches for 31 yards while Tucker had one catch with the second team unit, finishing the game with Malik Cunningham at quarterback who replace Justin Fields in the second quarter and played the rest of the game as Aidan O'Connell did not play.

Cunningham went 12 of 15 for 133 yards with 20 rushing yards and a touchdown, doing his best Justin Fields impression. While he might not be ready to be QB2, he made a solid case for the Raiders to once again carry three quarterbacks especially with Cunningham's ability to play receiver.

Lenny Evans has to make the final 53-man roster
The undrafted free agent has arguably been the team's best offensive player, scoring twice tonight and rushing for 84 yards on 20 carries behind a porous offensive line.

He got some run with the first team offensive line which also struggled, especially on the inside against Leonard Williams and Dexter Lawrence. Even then, Evans is excellent at making something out of nothing and is very slippery, an attribute that he shares with the other top two backs in Laviska Shenault Jr. and Miyan Williams.

There might be some redundancy in skillsets with him and Williams but at this point, it's hard to make a case that there are four better running backs on the roster than Evans whose been the heart and soul of the second team offense for three games.

Welcome back, Denzel Perryman
You can quibble about spending a fourth-round pick on a 33-year-old and he has his limitations as evident by the wheel route that Saquon Barkley caught on him for 37-yards but when it comes to playing against the run, there are few better inside linebackers in the NFL than Denzel Perryman.

He made a tackle on his very snap which came later in the game and then had an interception in the fourth quarter to help put the game away.

While he only finished the game with two tackles, the Raiders defense improved drastically against the run with him on the field, helping slow down Barkley and Braelon Allen with his run fits.

A gap filling, block eating thumper like Perryman is the perfect 'Robin' to an athletic linebacker like Kenneth Murray Jr. or even Curtis Jacobs, allowing them to roam free and freelance, which is when they're at their best.

Injury News
Just when you thought Dylan Parham might be making a play for the starting left guard spot with Jonah Jackson's struggles, he suffered an injury in the second half which appeared significant based on his reaction.

Matthew Judon also left the game with an injury but did return with the veteran pass rusher saying after the game it was a minor rib injury that shouldn't hinder him going forward, especially with the bye week coming up.

Other than that, the Raiders have to be please with their injury luck this training camp with nothing major impacting the team.

[Soapy]

I was just about to comment about how Micah McFadden is one of my favourite linebackers in the game...

Good trade fam

he showed me something against the 49ers IRL but son just wasn't making any plays and I couldn't go into the season with him as my starting base 3-4 WILL linebacker.

[Soapy]

Raiders turn their attention towards Kansas City as they make final roster cuts
The Las Vegas Raiders have made their final roster moves ahead of the 2025 NFL season, releasing 21 players to meet the 53-man roster limit as they get ready to face off against the Kansas City Chiefs on Monday night.

Quarterback
Starter: Justin Fields
Backups: Aidan O'Connell, Malik Cunningham
Practice Squad: Jaren Hall
Cuts: None

Cunningham showed enough in the preseason finale that the team decided to carry three quarterbacks with Cunningham having some positional versatility with his ability to play wide receiver. He played 90 snaps there last season, catching one pass for ten yards. With improved depth at receiver now, Cunningham will be able to focus on improving as a passer and is an interesting backup option down the line with his similar playing style to Fields although they are different type of runners.

Running back/fullback
Starters: Laviska Shenault Jr, Miyan Williams, James Duff (FB)
Backups: Zamir White, Lenny Evans
Practice Squad: Kenny McIntosh
Cuts: Ross Terry

The fan-favorite Lenny Evans makes the roster after a very impressive preseason, leading the team in rushing yards despite less than stellar offensive line play in front of him. It remains to be seen what ultimately his role ends up being but this is a feel good story already.

Williams and Shenault Jr. figure to be the team's workhorses this year after not bringing back Damien Harris who was a 1,200-yard rusher and could have been had for cheap as he wasn't signed during the spring free agency period.

Wide Receiver
Starters: DeAndre Hopkins, Tory Horton, Tre Tucker
Backups: Mario Williams, Ricardo Campbell, Chris Marshall
Practice Squad: Ricky Dockery
Cuts: None

We'll leave Tucker as a starter for now in the slot but he's on thin ice after an inadequate training camp and preseason where he really struggled in practice against the Raiders rookie corners. Tory Horton seems poised to take that next step and the Raiders will try to replace Davante Adams' production with the addition of Hopkins who has been a great veteran presence for the team despite his reputation for not taking practices that serious.

Behind them, it's the speedy trio of Mario Williams, Ricardo Campbell and Chris Marshall with Marshall showing flashes of being the best all-around receiver among the trio but just didn't get a ton of targets in preseason.

Tight End
Starter: Michael Mayer
Backups: Brevin Jordan, Brian McBride
Practice Squad: Josh Clifford
Cuts: Gill Shipp


McBride splashed onto the scene in the opener against Tampa only to disappear for the rest of the preseason although he had an impressive catch over Isaiah Simmons against the Giants. Still, he's an improvement over Eric Tomlinson as a pass catcher and joins a talented room led by Michael Mayer who is trying to take that next step into being an All-Pro caliber tight end.

Offensive Tackles
Starters: Kolton Miller and Joe Alt
Backup: Thayer Munford Jr.
Practice Squad: Will Wilbur
Cuts: John Boss, Tommy Fitzsimmons, Quincy Westerman

No surprises there as Munford will once again be the team's third offensive tackle behind standouts Miller and Alt. Miller is approaching 30 so investing in offensive tackle depth should be priority next offseason but for now, the Raiders are in a good spot with this three-man lineup.

Guards
Starters: Jonah Jackson, Jon Runyan
Backups: Dylan Parham, Solomon Kindley, Pierry Etienne
Practice Squad: None
Cuts: None

With Parham likely to miss the opener with an injury, both Kindley and Etienne make the roster although their job status is far from safe once Parham is healthy again as Etienne didn't play that well in the preseason.

Jackson and Runyan will look to improve from their play last season as they didn't live up to the big contracts that the team signed them to and for Runyan, he's on a contract year and is likely looking at his last big money contract as he turns 29 next year.

Center
Starter: Cesar Ruiz
Backup: None
Practice Squad: Lance Ritchie, Bryan Boren
Cuts: None

The only center on the roster (for now) is Ruiz which likely means that the team will be on the lookout for a backup center in the waiver market. If nothing intrigues them, they could roll into the season with just one healthy center on the 53-man roster with the option to elevate Ritchie or Boren should Ruiz suffer an injury.

EDGE
Starters: Maxx Crosby, Matthew Judon
Backup: Baron Browning, Dasan McCullough, Omari Abor
Practice Squad: None
Cuts: None

After being a weakness last season -- outside of Crosby -- the Raiders turned this into one of their deeper positions with Browning and McCullough being clear starters on last season's roster and possibly even Abor.

Abor will need to continue improving as a pass rusher but all five players should play a major role in the defense as they look to keep Crosby and Judon fresh for pass rushing situations and especially for later in the season as the Raiders are hopeful to make the playoffs in the first season under David Shaw.

Interior Defensive Line
Starters: Derrick Brown, Tyree Wilson, Tyleik Williams, NT Michael Pierce
Backups: Byron Young, Malcom Brown, Tyler Shelvin
Practice Squad: Rahim Lloyd, Nate Spence
Cuts: Courtland Ferrell, Kameron McCray

Another position that improved drastically from last season with the addition of nose tackle Michael Pierce and a versatile front-line player in Derrick Brown.

The Raiders are going to be able to get FREAKY with their combinations of Tyree Wilson, Derrick Brown, Tyleik Williams and Michael Pierce with Pierce being your prototypical nose tackle while Williams and Brown can play a multitude of positions along the interior and Wilson who can play both five-technique or at EDGE.

Linebacker
Starters: Kenneth Murray Jr, Curtis Jacobs, Denzel Perryman
Backups: Amari Burney
Practice Squad: Alexander McDonald, Tavon Roberson
Cuts: Chase Crompton

The Raiders did a good job of raising the floor of this position group with the addition of Denzel Perryman via a trade with the Minnesota Vikings. With a full offseason under his belt, Kenneth Murray Jr. emerges as the team's MIKE linebacker with Jacobs being their top sub-package linebacker and Perryman sliding in at WILL linebacker.

We'll see how it plays out but from a roster building standpoint, especially when you throw in a guy like Dasan McCullough in the mix, the Raiders did a great job at addressing their needs at the position despite a lukewarm market in free agency at the position.

Cornerback
Starters: Travis Hunter, Rasul Douglas, Jeff Okudah
Backups: Davison Igbinosun, Jakorian Bennett
Practice Squad: None
Cuts: None

A few blunders aside, this unit played really well throughout the summer and into the preseason with Travis Hunter looking like a future star with three interceptions in the final two games of the preseason. Rasul Douglas doesn't appear to have lost a step at age 30 and Jeff Okudah continues to improve as a player.

It's only a matter of time before Igbinosun joins fellow rookie Travis Hunter in the starting lineup but he's a really good CB4 to have and when you throw in a speedster like Jakorian Bennett in your bullpen for matchups against faster receiver, this is a good of a corner room as you'll find without spending top end money.

Safety
Starters: Tre'von Moehrig, Decorian Patterson OR Jayron Kearse
Backups: None
Practice Squad: Steven Gilmore
Cuts: T.J. Tampa

The Raiders moved cornerbacks T.J. Tampa and Steven Gilmore to safety after they spent last season on their roster and while safety appears to be better suited for them in the NFL, they fail to make the roster as neither of them got much burn in the preseason with the team playing Kearse and Patterson along with Jalen Mills -- before his trade -- heavy snaps.

Kearse made a late push for that starting job and he may have won it as we wait for the Raiders to open the season against Kansas City. It's a nice group of players and skillsets with Moehrig being an all around player, Kearse being the most physical of the bunch and Patterson being the team's best coverage safety.

Specialist
Starters: K Daniel Carlson, P A.J. Cole III, LS Jacob Bobenmoyer

[Soapy]

2025 Las Vegas Raiders Schedule
The Raiders have officially released their schedule for the 2025-26 NFL season.

The Silver and Black begin their season in primetime on Monday Night Football against the Kansas City Chiefs in what will be a true measuring stick game for the new regime. The Raiders get to fly under the radar after that as they don't play in primetime again for the rest of the season, a bit surprising given the team's selection of Travis Hunter.

They face a tough stretch in the middle of the season with home games against Denver, Dallas, Philadelphia before going on the road against Kansas City and the Chargers prior to their week twelve bye week.

The sprint towards the end of the season is a favorable one against Cleveland, New England, Indianapolis, Tennessee, Denver and they host the Chargers to end the season with only Denver and Indianapolis being a playoff team from last season.

Week 1: vs. Kansas City Chiefs
Last Year's Record: 11-6, 1st AFC West
Key Additions: OT Earnest Greene III (rookie), OLB Deionte Elam (rookie)

Week 2: at Jacksonville Jaguars
Last Year's Record: 5-12, 3rd AFC South
Key Additions: WR Brandin Cooks, DE Bear Alexander (rookie), LB Shemar James (rookie)

Week 3: vs. at Green Bay Packers
Last Year's Record: 6-11, 4th NFC North
Key Additions: QB Desmond Ridder, QB Trey Lance, TE Mason Taylor (rookie), S Justin Reid

Week 4: vs. Houston Texans
Last Year's Record: 4-13, 4th AFC South
Key Additions: HB Donovan Edwards (rookie), WR Michael Thomas, DT Jaheim Oatis (rookie), OLB Haason Reddick, ILB Bobby Wagner, CB Benjamin Morrison (rookie)

Week 5: at New York Giants
Last Year's Record: 10-7, 2nd NFC East
Key Additions: WR Parris Campbell, DE Aaron Graves (rookie)

Week 6: at Washington Commanders
Last Year's Record: 7-10, 4th NFC East
Key Additions: HB Trevor Etienne (rookie), WR Barion Brown (rookie), LT Will Campbell (rookie),

Week 7: vs. Denver Broncos
Last Year's Record: 10-7, 2nd AFC West
Key Additions: LT Joe Brunner (rookie), OLB Enai White (rookie), S Sonny Styles (rookie)

Week 8: vs. Dallas Cowboys
Last Year's Record: 8-9, 3rd NFC East
Key Additions: TE Colston Loveland (rookie), CB Eric Stokes

Week 9: vs. Philadelphia Eagles
Last Year's Record: 13-4, 1st NFC East
Key Additions: HB Nick Singleton (rookie), WR D.J. Chark Jr

Week 10: at Kansas City Chiefs
Last Year's Record: 11-6, 1st AFC West
Key Additions: OT Earnest Greene III (rookie), OLB Deionte Elam (rookie)

Week 11: at Los Angeles Chargers
Last Year's Record: 8-9, 3rd AFC West
Key Additions: DE Jahfari Harvey (rookie), CB Denver Harris (rookie)

Week 13: at Cleveland Browns
Last Year's Record: 4-13, 4th AFC North
Key Additions: WR Evan Stewart (rookie)

Week 14: vs. New England Patriots
Last Year's Record: 5-12, 4th AFC East
Key Additions: DE Samson Ebukam, DT Sean Fitzsimmons (rookie), OLB Patrick Payton (rookie)

Week 15: at Indianapolis Colts
Last Year's Record: 12-5, 1st AFC South
Key Additions: HB Elijah Mitchell, DE Deone Walker (rookie),

Week 16: vs. Tennessee Titans
Last Year's Record: 7-10, 2nd AFC South
Key Additions: QB Jordan Love, WR K.J. Osborn

Week 17: at Denver Broncos
Last Year's Record: 10-7, 2nd AFC West
Key Additions: LT Joe Brunner (rookie), OLB Enai White (rookie), S Sonny Styles (rookie)

Week 18: vs. Los Angeles Chargers
Last Year's Record: 8-9, 3rd AFC West
Key Additions: DE Jahfari Harvey (rookie), CB Denver Harris (rookie)