53-man Raiders roster prediction before the cutoff date

The preseason is complete, and the Las Vegas Raiders now face some of the most difficult decisions of all.

On Tuesday at 4 p.m. EST, the Raiders and the other 31 NFL teams must trim their rosters down to 53 players. With training camp and the preseason to go off of, the Raiders must construct the best roster they can out of the pieces they have. It will not be perfect by any stretch, but the Raiders know what their strengths and what they can improve heading into the season.

Here are the 53 players who can be expected to be on the Raiders when the season kicks off on Sept. 7 against the New England Patriots.

Quarterback (3): Geno Smith, (veteran backup), Cam Miller

The injury to Aidan O’Connell all but confirms he will begin the year on injured reserve. Miller’s spot on the roster is likely secure, but it is fair to assume that the Raiders will add a veteran somewhere before the season begins.

Running back (4): Ashton Jeanty, Zamir White, Raheem Mostert, Dylan Laube

Jeanty will get the lion’s share of work in the backfield, while White and Mostert have the skill sets to carve out roles. Laube has proven too valuable on special teams to let go of, so that leaves Sincere McCormick off the roster. If the Raiders are worried that he will get claimed off of waivers, they could dangle him to interested teams to see if they can not squeeze a Day Three pick out of him.

Wide receiver (6): Jakobi Meyers, Tre Tucker, Dont’e Thornton Jr., Jack Bech, Alex Bachman, Tommy Mellott

The first four are locks to crack the roster. Meanwhile, Bachman has value as a backup slot receiver and return man, while Mellott’s unique athleticism makes him too valuable to let go of. It unfortunately leaves Shedrick Jackson off the roster, but he is a priority practice squad add if he makes it past waivers.

Tight end (3): Brock Bowers, Michael Mayer, Ian Thomas

These three have been the picks since the start of training camp, and nothing has changed. The only thing up in the air is whether they keep a fourth tight end over a sixth receiver, as it is likely they keep at least two of Albert Okwuegbunam, Qadir Ismail and Carter Runyon on the practice squad otherwise.

Offensive line (9): Kolton Miller, Dylan Parham, Jordan Meredith, Jackson Powers-Johnson, DJ Glaze, Alex Cappa, Charles Grant, Caleb Rogers, Laki Tasi

The starting group is set, while Tasi’s rise throughout the preseason ends with him snagging a spot. Thayer Munford’s continued struggles end with him being on the fringes, and it is fair to wonder if the Raiders could look at who becomes available through roster cuts if they are not sold on their depth at tackle.

Edge rusher (4): Maxx Crosby, Malcolm Koonce, Tyree Wilson, Charles Snowden

Koonce finally got back to speed in the final preseason game, while Wilson has been one of the true standouts of training camp. Snowden could end up facing a suspension due to off-field issues this offseason, so expect the Raiders to keep a couple of options just in case (Andre Carter II comes to mind here).

Defensive line (6): Adam Butler, Jonah Laulu, Thomas Booker IV, Tonka Hemingway, Leki Fotu, JJ Pegues

Booker has been impressive since coming from the Philadelphia Eagles, Hemingway and Pegues looked good early on. Fotu’s return from injury against the Cardinals likely cements his spot on the roster, as well. Zachary Carter unfortunately loses out, but he is another name to think about for a priority practice squad add.

Linebacker (5): Germaine Pratt, Elandon Roberts, Devin White, Jamal Adams, Tommy Eichenberg

White and Eichenberg were both potential cuts, but they get the edge over the rest of the field. Expect a few linebackers to end up on the practice squad, with seventh-round pick Cody Lindenberg and Amari Gainer being the most likely of the group.

Cornerback (6): Eric Stokes, Darien Porter, Decamerion Richardson, Kyu Blu Kelly, Greedy Vance Jr., veteran

Out of every position, this is the one that leaves the most questions. Kelly has likely taken advantage of Porter and Richardson’s struggles, while Vance has outplayed Darnay Holmes to steal his spot. Expect the Raiders to add a cornerback to keep the room in good standing.

Safety (4): Jeremy Chinn, Isaiah Pola-Mao, Chris Smith II, Terrell Edmunds

Edmunds should be a good veteran replacement until Lonnie Johnson Jr. comes back, and Smith has really shined over the past couple weeks to land on the right side of the bubble. Trey Taylor has had his moments, but he is likely to land on the practice squad.

Special teams (3): Daniel Carlson, A.J. Cole, Jacob Bobenmoyer

No surprises here.