The Las Vegas Raiders are set to end the preseason on the road against the Arizona Cardinals on Saturday. While they are 0-1-1 over their first two games, the early results have been promising as the team, particularly the starters, looks vastly improved from last season.
There is still, however, plenty to determine in the final week of the preseason. While much of the focus will be on the remaining positional battles for a starting job, the depth of the roster is just as important.
As things stand, there are plenty of players who are still competing for a spot on the 53-man roster, which must be finalized by Aug. 26. Raiders head coach Pete Carroll recently sent a message to those players, noting that Saturday's matchup will be very important.
Raiders head coach Pete Carroll sends a message to fringe roster players
The Raiders have several players who have already locked up their roster spot, and, in some cases, their role as a starter, heading into the preseason finale. While it is unclear if some of the Raiders' key players will suit up, there will be a lot on the line for much of the roster.
Carroll recently advised those players to be the best version of themselves when speaking to the media on Wednesday.
"I want to see them go out knowing that there's a lot on the line for them and play like they're capable. I don't want them to do nothing crazy. I don't want them to try to be like somebody else. I want them to be the best version of themselves in the face of all that may be built up in their mind," Carroll said. "I'm going to try to calm them down as much as possible and trusting that the work that we've done, the reps that we've taken will give them, if they can execute that on gameday, again, under these circumstances, and they can handle it and deal with it really well. That's the message that you've got to really compete and you can count on."
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Carroll has emphasized competition throughout training camp as he has attempted to establish a winning culture in Las Vegas. It is no surprise that his message remains the same as the team prepares for their final game of the preseason.
The Raiders head coach declined to answer when asked how many players had secured a roster spot earlier in the week. While he certainly has an idea about who is on the verge of making the final roster, it appears that the matchup with the Cardinals will play a big role in the final verdict.
Then, once the initial 53-man roster and practice squad are finalized on Tuesday, the team can fully set its sights on taking down the New England Patriots on the road in Week 1 to kick off the 2025 NFL season.