Thursday night’s matchup between the Las Vegas Raiders and San Francisco 49ers might have less juice than the one coming two months from now. The Raiders’ former cross-city rivals visit Allegiant Stadium for the fourth consecutive preseason, the final exhibition game for both teams. On Nov. 8, the foes will meet again when Las Vegas returns to the Bay Area for the first time in the regular season since the franchise’s relocation from Oakland.
That resumption of the Battle of the Bay will be rife with drama, but there are also high stakes Thursday night — for specific players. While many Raiders have already solidified their spots on the 53-man roster ahead of Sunday’s roster cutdown deadline, a few competitions remain unresolved. Thursday’s performances will be a factor in the coaching staff’s final decisions.
“These game reps are the most valuable ones that we can use,” Raiders coach Klint Kubiak said. “It’s very helpful (for evaluating) many guys.”
As the Raiders line it up one last time before the games count, here are the players with the most to gain — and the most to lose — in the preseason finale.
Jackson Powers-Johnson and Caleb Rogers
Powers-Johnson and Rogers are both going to make the roster. But Thursday will be a pivotal game in their battle for the starting role at right guard.
“This game will be really important for that battle,” Kubiak said. “I know both those guys are going to play this year. We’re counting on both of them, as well as a lot of other guys. So, this competition has only made them better and our team better.”
Powers-Johnson began training camp as the sole right guard working with the starters. But after the first few practices, Rogers began rotating in with the ones. That has continued throughout training camp and the preseason.
Powers-Johnson appears to have a slight advantage in the competition. He was in for presumed starting quarterback Kirk Cousins’ lone drive in the preseason opener, and he’s usually the first guard out there in practices. He was also the Week 1 starter at right guard last season. But the Raiders are pleased with Rogers’ development going into his second season, with coaches complimenting his preparation.
“He has all the talent that you’re looking for,” Kubiak said of Rogers. “We’ve just got to keep getting him better. I like how he works, like the kind of teammate that he is, and he has a bright future ahead of him.”
Takeaways from Raiders’ week in Houston
Sam Warren
Both guards figure to get solid work Thursday against the 49ers. And while one will effectively be slotted as the starter ahead of the opener against the Miami Dolphins, expect the competition to continue throughout the season.
Cian Slone and Patrick Johnson
The Raiders have a concrete top four at the edge position with Maxx Crosby, Kwity Paye, Malcolm Koonce and rookie Keyron Crawford. But a fifth spot is likely up for grabs, and with Brennan Jackson going on season-ending injured reserve, Slone and Johnson are evidently vying for it.
Slone has impressed the staff since signing as an undrafted free agent in the spring. He’s gotten to work with the second unit frequently in practices, and he had a strong preseason debut against the Arizona Cardinals, notching a sack and three total tackles.
“His disposition is relentless,” defensive line coach Travis Smith said of Slone. “His physicality shows up day in and day out, whether it’s setting edges or it’s rushing with power or converting with a little bit of speed.”
Johnson signed with the team at the start of training camp after spending parts of the last five seasons on the Philadelphia Eagles and New York Giants. It took Johnson extra effort to get up to speed, but he has excelled in his preseason opportunities, earning sacks in both games.
“(He’s a) very instinctive player,” defensive coordinator Rob Leonard said of Johnson. “Tough, very smart. I think his play speaks for itself.”
Both Slone and Johnson can continue to make their case for a roster spot with strong preseason finales. Special-teams opportunities are also key, as each will have to show value there.
Dareke Young, Brandon Johnson and Deven Thompkins
Like edge, the Raiders’ receiver position has a steady top four in Tre Tucker, Jalen Nailor, Jack Bech and rookie Malik Benson. Dont’e Thornton Jr. figured to be the fifth guy in the mix, but an injury that held him out of preseason action makes him a potential cut or IR candidate. That leaves the door open for one — or maybe two — of Young, Johnson and Thompkins to make the roster.
Young is squarely in position to earn a spot, given his experience playing for Kubiak and special-teams value. The Raiders signed the veteran receiver this offseason after he played four years in Seattle, his last with Kubiak as his offensive coordinator. While Young has just four career catches, he has 697 special-teams snaps under his belt and has been a key figure in coordinator Joe DeCamillis’ units so far. A good preseason finale could earn him more of a shot on offense.
Johnson and Thompkins were signed at the start of training camp as well, putting them behind veterans Shedrick Jackson and Phillip Dorsett and even undrafted free agents Chase Roberts and E.J. Williams Jr. But Johnson and Thompkins have been among the top playmakers with the twos in practice, and Johnson’s 33-yard catch set up the game-winning score in the preseason win over the Houston Texans.
A big play or two from Johnson or Thompkins against the 49ers could make Kubiak and his staff think a bit harder about their standing.
Jordan Meredith
Meredith started 11 games for the Raiders last year, but as the preseason has worn on, he’s tumbled down the depth chart. The veteran served as rookie quarterback Fernando Mendoza’s center with the twos to begin training camp. But after a few practices, the Raiders moved third-round rookie Trey Zuhn III into that position, pushing Meredith to second-team left guard and third-team center. Meredith did serve as the second-team center in both preseason games, with Zuhn playing right tackle. But after returning from Houston, Zuhn has moved back to center, and Meredith has been rotating with Atonio Mafi at left guard with the twos.
Meredith’s positional versatility and experience on the left side give him value, but he’ll likely have to show something Thursday to earn a depth spot.
Greedy Vance
Vance is another player who seems to have fallen out of favor. The second-year defensive back served as the Raiders’ second-team nickel through the start of training camp and the first preseason game. He gave up some big passing plays against the Cardinals and wasn’t much of a factor in the run game, leading Las Vegas to make some changes.
The Raiders mixed Treydan Stukes, Dalton Johnson and Tristin McCollum in at nickel against the Texans, eating into Vance’s reps. In the practices since, Johnson, the fifth-round rookie, has been the first nickel working with the twos, leaving Vance to rotate in afterward.
Johnson appears to be trending toward a roster spot. With his opportunities in Thursday’s game, Vance will have to improve to claim one of the last spots on the team.
Decamerion Richardson
Thursday will be just the second game action Richardson sees, as he missed the preseason opener for the birth of his child. The limited snaps make his performance against the 49ers even more important.
Richardson worked primarily with the twos during training camp and looked solid, playing tight coverage and posting a few pass breakups in practices. But he’s been relegated behind rookies Hezekiah Masses and Jermod McCoy in recent practices, both of whom seem to have locked-in spots behind Eric Stokes and Darien Porter.
Richardson would be the team’s fifth corner, and it’s plausible he’s battling with Vance across positions for a roster spot. Their performance — and the team’s preference for where they want more depth — could determine the final cuts.
