OTAs Suggest Raiders' Potential Move Differs From Initial Expectations

Raiders' Roster Questions

The Raiders selected safety Treydan Stukes in the second round of the NFL Draft. They also selected his former college teammate and fellow safety, Dalton Johnson. Both individually and in combination, the addition of Stukes and Johnson pointed to one pending issue.

Las Vegas will soon have to make a decision on safeties Jeremy Chinn and Isaiah Pola-Mao, as both are set to become free agents after the season. Stukes has quickly become a significant part of the Raiders' plans for the 2026 season, as he is another first-round talent on the field for Las Vegas.

The rookie safety has begun making an impression as he tries to learn all he can, as quickly as he can. It is clear that the Raiders' coaching staff will rely heavily on Stukes in 2026.

“Coming in as a rookie, you want to be confident, you want to be ready to learn, but you want to learn from the vets. You want to learn from the coaching staff. And that's what I'm here to do. I'm going to steal knowledge from everyone I can. I'm going to copy the vets that have done it right and have been succeeding for years at this at this level,” Stukes said. 

“Then, as far as leadership, just kind of continuing to be a guy that I had built at Arizona. If I need to take up a leadership role, obviously playing safety, you're kind of the quarterback of the defense, I'll be ready to step into that position, because I've done it before."

How Will Negotiations Pan Out?

The Raiders could keep Pola-Mao and Chinn, assuming they are not outbid by other teams. This could be the simplest result in the end, as the Raiders do not need to overspend on the safety position, especially if Dalton Johnson progresses during his rookie season.

However, assuming both players are affordable, rather than rushing to move on from them, Las Vegas may want to consider keeping both. Based on Organized Team Activities, it is more than evident that the Raiders have room to get Pola-Mao, Chinn, and Stukes on the field at the same time.

Many of the roster moves the Raiders made gave them flexibility in other ways. The addition of Stukes was initially seen as a move that gave the Raiders a little more leverage in negotiations with Chinn and Pola-Mao next offseason. Yet, OTAs suggest there may be another option.

That option would be to find as many ways as possible to get all three players on the field and maximize their collective impact. Instead of using Stukes and Johnson to replace Chinn and Pola-Mao next offseason, the Raiders may have a trio of defensive backs worth building around.

Las Vegas has used this offseason to position itself well for the future, even amid questions that remain, such as those surrounding Pola-Mao and Chinn. Both players are entering contract seasons, all but ensuring they will put their best foot forward this upcoming season.

The Raiders' front office will be paying close attention to both players, as whatever happens with Pola-Mao and Chinn next offseason will impact the Raiders for years to come. It is a situation Las Vegas' front office already has on its radar in preparation for next offseason.