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Four Raiders' Position Battles to Watch in Final Preseason Game
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- Four Raiders' Position Battles to Watch in Final Preseason Game
The Raiders have one more dress rehearsal before the regular season starts. Tonight's matchup with the 49ers is the last chance for the coaching staff to evaluate position battles against an opposing team.
New head coach Klint Kubiak has taken over a roster that went 3-14 last season . Improvements are clearly needed across the franchise. Fortunately, some of the Raiders' rookies are trying to push out last year's starters.
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Right Guard
Aug 23, 2025; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Las Vegas Raiders center Jackson Powers-Johnson (58) against the Arizona Cardinals during a preseason NFL game at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Kubiak has already laid down the gauntlet for Jackson Powers-Johnson and Caleb Rogers, who are fighting for the right guard spot. Powers-Johnson missed last week's game against the Texans due to injury, but is back. It is the only position on the offensive line that is up for grabs.
Powers-Johnson has been in front of Rogers throughout training camp, but he has not solidified himself as the starting right guard yet. The former second-round pick has yet to show he is a competent starter in the NFL. The Raiders are counting on someone to come through on the offensive line to make 2026 better than 2025.
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If it isn't Powers-Johnson, Rogers, the former third-round pick, will need to pick up the slack.
Cornerback
Jun 3, 2026; Henderson, NV, USA; Las Vegas Raiders cornerback Hezekiah Masses (35) runs a drill during organized team activities at Intermountain Health Performance Center. Mandatory Credit: Candice Ward-Imagn Images
The Raiders have had one cornerback position locked in all offseason, as Eric Stokes signed a three-year, $30 million deal. But the other starting spot hasn't been finalized.
Similar to the right guard spot, Darien Porter has been the leader through most of training camp. But rookie Hezekiah Masses got a shot with the starting defense on the first day of camp and has been pushing to take Porter's spot.
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Masses struggled mightily in the first preseason game against the Cardinals, but rebounded with a solid performance against the Texans. He'll need another good showing to have a chance to unseat Porter.
Wide Receiver
Aug 13, 2026; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Jack Bech (18) catches the ball against the Arizona Cardinals in the first half at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
The Raiders will almost certainly open the season with Tre Tucker and Jalen Nailor as the top two wide receivers. But when the Raiders rested their starters last week in Houston, Nailor still played.
But no one further down the depth chart has been good enough to realistically steal Nailor's spot. Jack Bech was good in the first preseason game, but he wasn't targeted last week. Malik Benson has flashed some potential, but was at the center of Kubiak's criticism last week for dropping passes.
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Dont'e Thornton could have been in the mix, but he has missed multiple weeks due to injury, leaving the Raiders shorthanded at a position they already lack talent.
Ultimately this is one of the worst wide receiver rooms in the NFL. Tucker should operate as the top wideout. After that, the Raiders will just be looking for something that resembles competency this season.
Free Safety
One of the most recent camp developments is the battle for the free safety spot between Isaiah Pola-Mao and Treydan Stukes.
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Pola-Mao was the Raiders' starter last season, but was awful in the secondary. Pro Football Focus graded him as the second-worst safety in the NFL.
Stukes was the Raiders' second-round pick in the most recent draft. He started out backing up Taron Johnson as a slot corner, but the Raiders have been giving him reps with the starting defense as a free safety recently.
It would be a good sign for the current draft class if Stukes can unseat Pola-Mao for a starting role.
This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Aug 27, 2026, where it first appeared in the NFL section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
