Raiders: 3 players who could be the hardest cuts
Kendall Vickers
Kendall Vickers was one of the more impressive players in last year’s training camp for the Raiders. Despite that, it was still a surprise when Vickers was on the initial 53 man roster, and active during the Week 1 game against Carolina.
Vickers came to the Raiders following the 2019 season on a reserve/futures contract after a season in the CFL. Vickers had interest from other teams and after a solid showing last season, he’s a player who will likely be claimed.
He injected life into the Raiders’ defensive line last season. He played well against the Chiefs during their Week 6 victory and his role increased as the season went on. Vickers made about as much of an impact as a rotational interior defensive lineman could, hence why the Raiders gave him a 1-year extension in March.
Vickers, 26, had two sacks and three quarterback hits last season and became a solid surprise for the team. However, the Raiders sought upgrades during the off-season and brought in more interior defensive line depth. The Raiders retained starting nose tackle Johnathan Hankins, signed another starter in Quinton Jefferson, and brought in two more depth players in Solomon Thomas and Darius Philon, who the team is excited about.
The likely end of Vickers’s run came when Gerald McCoy signed during camp and basically said he will be wearing Vickers’ 93 when the season begins. Matt Dickerson is likely facing the same issue as Vickers and both players have a chance to return to the practice squad. Regardless, Vickers is a hard cut because of his flashes last season.