Training camp is now a thing of the past for the Las Vegas Raiders, as they fully have transitioned to preseason football. The Arizona Cardinals are coming to Allegiant Stadium on Thursday evening fresh off the Hall of Fame Game, so they'll be prepared to challenge the Silver and Black in their opener.
But on Wednesday, the eve of the Raiders' first action ahead of the 2026 NFL season, Las Vegas' John Spytek made another roster swap. The second-year general manager has been tinkering with the 91-man team all offseason, but this last-minute change was an interesting one.
The Raiders announced that they were waiving Justin Pickett, a well-paid rookie UDFA guard, with an injury designation. In a corresponding move, Las Vegas is bringing in versatile offensive lineman Braeden Daniels. Let's dive into what this departure and arrival mean.
Raiders waive Justin Pickett, sign Braeden Daniels one day before Cardinals game
Pickett landed with the Silver and Black after the 2026 NFL Draft following a strong collegiate career at Duke. Although he wasn't selected, he inked a UDFA deal with the Raiders that included $170,000 guaranteed, which was the fourth-highest amount among Las Vegas' undrafted class.
No reports indicated that Pickett was injured or had missed time during training camp, but perhaps something transpired during the live practice at Allegiant Stadium on Tuesday, August 11. Otherwise, the timing of his release is a bit peculiar.
Being waived with an injury designation means that Pickett can revert to the Raiders' Injured Reserve if unclaimed, and he could make some money to stick around the building this year. Next offseason, he could make another run at the 53-man roster or the practice squad if he remains in Las Vegas.
That makes two UDFAs with substantial guarantees, the other being safety Tanner Wall and his $98,000, that have been waived this offseason. This, combined with last year's bad investments, paints a picture of the Raiders struggling to find many contributors on the UDFA market recently.
Daniels, his replacement, was a fourth-round pick by the Washington Commanders in 2023. But in just over three NFL seasons, Daniels will now be playing for his seventh franchise. Clearly, he has potential as a recent early Day 3 pick, but he hasn't stuck anywhere quite yet.
The best part of his game is his versatility, which Klint Kubiak and Co. covet. Although he has yet to play in a regular season game, during the last three preseasons, Daniels has logged snaps at left tackle, right tackle, left guard and right guard. So, every position but center.
Obviously, Daniels is a long shot to make the roster, especially with how late he is joining the fray. But a player with so much to offer in terms of versatility is sure to catch the Raiders' eye, so look for him to steal a practice squad spot if the rest of the Las Vegas offensive line depth looks shaky.
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