The Las Vegas Raiders have spent all offseason under Pete Carroll and John Spytek attempting to fine-tune the roster. Now, they are on the cusp of having to cut the team down from 91 to 53, and they still have several questions to answer.
When it comes to waiving players and hoping that they come back on the practice squad, that is a big gamble to take because Las Vegas could lose these players to other NFL teams. These five come to mind when thinking about players the Raiders cannot afford to subject to the waiver wire.
Raiders must include these players on their initial 53-man roster
1. Greedy Vance Jr., CB
Vance struggled in the second preseason game, but he put together two other strong showings this month after being hyped up in training camp. He was solid enough in coverage and provided a spark on a few corner blitzes, recording a sack and two tackles for loss. He could beat out Darnay Holmes in the slot on the active roster, but regardless, he needs to be in Las Vegas developing.
2. Laki Tasi, G
Tasi is certainly not ready to take the field in a regular season matchup yet, but he has too much promise to leave on the waiver wire or practice squad. The team needs help at tackle, which may get in the way of keeping him, but he more than earned a spot this preseason, and it wouldn't be surprising if another team wants to put in a claim for him.
3. Dylan Laube, RB
Laube provides a different element than every other running back in Las Vegas in the passing game, and he was a stud on special teams this preseason. The new regime does not seem high on Sincere McCormick, which could pave the way for him to make the Raiders' 53-man roster. If they put him on waivers, he might have shown enough for another team to take a gamble on him.
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4. Tommy Mellott, WR
Mellot, like Tasi, is not ready to play yet in the NFL. But he began to flash as a special-teamer in the last two preseason contests and could be in line to contribute next season. Plus, they invested a sixth-rounder in him this year, so if they put him on waivers, it could be a wasted pick if another team claims him.
5. Cam Miller, QB
Keeping three quarterbacks is unconventional these days, but Miller showed too much promise against the Seattle Seahawks to warrant being waived. The Raiders will need a solid backup for right now, but Miller could develop into a solid No. 2 quarterback if he sticks around in Las Vegas and doesn't get poached by another team on the waiver wire.