The Oakland Raiders got their roster down to 53 players on Saturday, and here are some observations from the initial 53-man roster heading into Week 1.
The Oakland Raiders had the daunting task of cutting almost 40 players over the past two days, as the NFL mandated 53-man roster had to be put in place by 1pm PT on Saturday. For the Raiders, the team had a lot more depth this summer than it did in 2018, which meant a tough couple of days for head coach Jon Gruden and general manager Mike Mayock.
In the end, the tandem were able to agree on a 53-man roster heading into Week 1 against the Denver Broncos, though it did not come without a bunch of surprises. Some of the star talent we have seen all summer on Hard Knocks were cut, while some surprising players were kept on the roster.
Overall, this is a roster with a lot more talent than last summer, which means Mayock and Gruden have done their job. There is a real chance that the Raiders can challenge in a very tough AFC West this season, and based on how the roster looks right now, they may not be done making moves, as they hold the No. 4 waiver priority spot.
Here are three observations from the Raiders initial 53-man roster.