Las Vegas Raiders: 3 fringe players who are worth keeping on the 2023 53-man roster

Raiders: 3 fringe players worth keeping on the 2023 53-man roster

Drake Thomas

Thomas is coming off a steaming hot performance over the Rams. He was rated first amongst rookies in his defensive run rate. In the 49ers win he wasn't impactful, but he has a nose for the football. With the loss of Darien Butler, Thomas can be a second stringer if he contiues to work and improve. Having Josh Jacobs in camp would help the progression of Thomas and the rest of the linebackers for sure.

The linebacker room is lacking talent which is a good thing for Thomas. Only four men in front of him feel like locks to make the team, but that's no guarantee. Dave Ziegler and company are probably watching who gets cut at this position more so then others. His primary competition should be Curtis Bolton and Luke Masterson.

His size is concerning however. Offensive lineman, especially guards or centers, who will block only linebackers on certain plays will have a distinct advantage. Someone like Creed Humphrey outweighs him by about 80 pounds and has five or six inches on him. That's not a winnable outcome for him, so keeping him free to roam the field, while the front four does their part, could bring the best out of this undrafted gem.