Saturday night brought win No. 2 for the Las Vegas Raiders during the 2023 NFL preseason, and they once again won in convincing fashion. After drubbing San Francisco by a score of 34-7 in the preseason opener, they dropped another 34 points on an NFC West opponent, beating the Los Angeles Rams, 34-17.
With that win, we saw numerous players step up in a big way, and that could lead to some big changes when it comes to the next depth chart release. The Raiders will update the depth chart as we inch closer to the final preseason game, but you can view the Raiders current depth chart here.
Here, we look at three possible changes that could be coming when the updated depth chart is released prior to the Dallas Cowboys preseason finale.
3 possible changes to Raiders depth chart following Preseason Week 2
Aidan O'Connell moves to Raiders QB2
I believe this is a no-brainer, and while Aidan O'Connell has done most of his work against second and third-team guys, you cannot deny how impressive he has been. A fourth-round pick is not supposed to come in and set the NFL preseason on fire, but that is exactly what O'Connell has done, looking almost perfect under center.
Brian Hoyer is currently the Raiders QB2, but that should change this week. In the end, I would not be surprised if O'Connell was Jimmy Garoppolo's backup, and get some live game action in Year 1.
Greg Van Roten slides into the Raiders starting offensive line
There are battles going on along the Raiders offensive line, and one big one is who will start opposite Dylan Parham at offensive guard. Alex Bars played there most of last season, and he returns in 2023, but Greg Van Roten is making a real case for cracking the starting lineup for the Raiders in Week 1 against Denver.
McCledon Curtis and Netane Muti also have their hats in the ring, but this is starting to look like a tow-man race between Van Roten and Bars.
Drake Thomas moves in as a second-team linebacker
Drake Thomas came to the Raiders as an undrafted rookie this offseason, but he has looked more like a Day 2 draft pick so far. Thomas had a nice debut against San Francisco, racking up three tackles, including one for a loss, but he dominated against the Rams on Saturday.
Thomas led all players with a dozen tackles, including nine solo, so I would expect him to charge up the depth chart as a second-team player. There is a real chance he is one of a handful of UDFAs to make the Raiders roster this summer.