The Las Vegas Raiders have 17 players on their practice squad, including kicker Kansei Matsuzawa, who entered the league through the International Player Pathway program. A few of these players could earn rotational roles on the active roster at some point during the 2026 NFL season.
NFL teams can call up two practice squad players per week, though clubs must sign a player to the active roster on the fourth call-up. While shaping a young roster, expect the Raiders' depth chart to change over the course of the year, which could include those currently on the practice squad.
Looking at the reserves, three players stand out as potential roster keepers. They have the best shot to suit up consistently on Sundays.
Raiders may need the practice squad to solidify their defense
DL Brandon Cleveland
John Spytek waited until the seventh round to address a need on the interior of the defensive line, and he selected Brandon Cleveland with pick No. 229.
Despite his late-round draft status, Cleveland can help the Raiders shore up their run defense, which allowed 380 yards and a touchdown in the preseason. In those exhibition games, he recorded five tackles, including three in the final outing.
The Raiders signed Foley Fatukasi after their preseason opener, and he made the 53-man roster, which may have been what bumped Cleveland to the practice squad.
Fatukasi is a proven veteran run-stopper, but he's 31 years old. If defensive coordinator Rob Leonard feels the need to beef up the interior front against a run-heavy opponent, he may elevate Cleveland a few times before having to sign him.
In his last collegiate season at North Carolina State, Cleveland flashed the ability to make plays at and behind the line of scrimmage, logging seven tackles for loss and two sacks.
EDGE Azeez Ojulari
At 26, with 67 pressures and 22 sacks in his five-year career, Azeez Ojulari is good enough to be on a team's active roster. The Atlanta Falcons released him before the cuts deadline, but still, he could be a major asset to the Raiders' pass rush.
Ojulari has logged at least 5.5 sacks in three out of his five seasons, but he's struggled with injuries, missing at least six games in four campaigns. The talented pass rusher sat out 14 games last season; the Philadelphia Eagles placed him on injured reserve last November because of a hamstring injury.
With rookie third-rounder Keyron Crawford on season-ending injured reserve, Ojulari has the best chance among the practice squad players to carve out a role on the active roster. Behind Maxx Crosby, Kwity Paye and Malcolm Koonce, he can take the field on obvious passing downs.
Also, Ojulari could be energized by playing alongside his former Georgia teammates, Quay Walker, Nakobe Dean and Eric Stokes.
CB Greedy Vance
Greedy Vance is similar to former Raiders slot cornerback Tyler Hall–seems like a solid player when on the field for limited action but just misses the cut for an active roster spot.
The Raiders intend to move their defensive backs around quite a bit, which may have worked against Vance in the numbers game before final cuts. He's best suited to line up in the slot, but Taron Johnson, Jeremy Chinn and Treydan Stukes will all likely rotate in that role.
Still, the Raiders may call up Vance if they face pass-heavy opponents and need Stukes to be a fixture in center field.
Last season, Chinn struggled in coverage out of the slot. According to Pro Football Focus, he allowed four touchdowns and a 127.5 passer rating at that position.
Entering his second year, Vance can solidify a spot as Johnson's primary backup in the slot.
Moe Moton writes about the Raiders for Just Blog Baby. You can follow him on Twitter at @MoeMoton.
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