If there were a complaint box on John Spytek's desk, Las Vegas Raiders fans would have filled it to the brim this summer with pleas for a true No. 1 wideout and a space-eating nose tackle. But the new general manager in Las Vegas is convicted and impervious to external desires. You get what you get.
And what the Raiders have is a defensive tackle room comprised of some really promising pieces in a group full of diverse skill sets. But what they don't have is a player who demands attention against both the pass and the run; someone who other teams are fearful of or game-plan for and around.
In an ideal world, things in Las Vegas trend toward a "whole is greater than the sum of its parts" scenario. To understand these pieces better, though, let's dive into the players who make up the unit, and we'll throw in a bold prediction for each, because hope springs eternal before Week 1.
Previewing Las Vegas Raiders' DE room before crucial 2026 NFL season
Adam Butler
Butler is the dean of this group, and he has by far the most proven production and experience. He'll play a major role on both running and passing downs, even though his sack total jumped off a cliff during the 2025 season compared to his first two campaigns in Las Vegas.
But his old position coach, Rob Leonard, moving to the DC post should rejuvenate him and put him in more positions to succeed. If the players behind him can be more effective, Butler may continue to take on that "selfless star" role, so his tackle numbers may not wow, but he will make an impact.
Bold prediction: Butler gets back into the sack column in a major way, notching 5.0 or more.
Tonka Hemingway
According to everyone in the building, Hemingway had an amazing offseason, building off a strong end to the 2025 campaign. It seems that the young defensive tackle has come a long way from Pete Carroll's doghouse and from being considered a "tweener" coming out as a Day 3 prospect in college.
Hemingway's biggest strength is his pass-rush ability, as he has great quickness and moves from the interior. There are still some questions about his play strength and ability to stop the run, but he's a young player who should be given time to figure it out after essentially redshirting last season.
He's a starter for a reason, and Hemingway should play a big role, especially on passing downs. So, with an expanded opportunity, he should easily eclipse the 4.0 sacks that he recorded in just nine games last year and give some folks a run for their money in the Las Vegas sack pecking order.
Bold prediction: Hemingway leads the DT room and is top 3 on the team in sacks.
Foley Fatukasi
Fatukasi plays with great anticipation and burst off the line of scrimmage, which made him a mainstay in the backfield or the pocket during the preseason. That has worked against him at times, as he's struggled with overpursuing and missing tackles in the past.
But he's cleaned up that issue in recent years and continued to expand his pass-rush repertoire as he's gotten older. With a young group up front, the Raiders may rely on Fatukasi a lot, so long as he continues at the pace that he played at in the preseason, where it took him no time to earn a role.
Bold prediction: Fatukasi plays over 40% of the defensive snaps and leads the group in tackles.
Jonah Laulu
Laulu is a great story as a local kid and an underrated player who came to Las Vegas. But in an expanded role, it seemed like he regressed last year, and this preseason did not do a ton to dispel the idea that the Raiders may have better options in the defensive tackle room for full-time roles.
However, employing Laulu in situations that are more advantageous for his skill set should help him be more efficient and effective. His stats may not look like they did in recent years, but Laulu can still impact this team if he can be utilized as more of a run-stopping 3-tech.
And there is not a better coach to lead that change than Leonard, who helped develop him.
Bold prediction: Laulu plays a career-low snap percentage... but is more efficient and effective.
Thomas Booker IV
Booker IV had a solid preseason, but it feels like he is rapidly falling out of favor in Las Vegas. The late addition of Fatukasi was peculiar, and to already have him on the depth chart as a second-stringer while Booker IV is a third-stringer certainly doesn't bode well for his prospects this season.
However, if Fatukasi is just a flash in the pan, or other players don't step up, Booker IV could quickly prove to the staff that they were wrong to slot him in so low. He is a versatile player with the ability to rush the passer and make run stops using his strength and athleticism, even if he's not "polished."
Bold prediction: Booker IV doesn't finish the year on the active roster.
JJ Pegues
Pegues popped off the screen during the preseason several times, as he's a big athlete with a knack for making plays that can excite fans. But he also fails to do the little things sometimes, so for as much promise as he has, Pegues is still very much a work in progress.
What he showed this summer, though, was an expanded bag of pass-rush tricks and an ability to stop the run from both an A- and B-gap alignment. He even had some snaps where he was lined up over the tackle, so Pegues could be a chess piece of sorts.
He's not quite there yet, though, but as he continues to develop in practice, the Raiders may rely on him more by the time the year ends. And Pegues could end up being a very good rotational player for this front for years to come.
Bold prediction: Pegues isn't active on gamedays to start 2026, but he's a rotation staple by the end.
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