The Las Vegas Raiders have no shortage of holes on their roster heading into the 2025 NFL season. The team has absolutely improved from last year, and an above .500 record would not be a shock, but they still have several positions that they need to sew up before the regular season starts.
With roster cutdowns looming on Tuesday and a general lack of depth across the board, general manager John Spytek and head coach Pete Carroll will surely be looking for upgrades on the waiver wire, in free agency and via trade.
Every year, there are players who are surprisingly cut in Las Vegas, and a handful of those who make the roster but have no business doing so. Here are three current Raiders that will almost undoubtedly make the roster, but the team should be actively looking for upgrades over them.
These Raiders players will make the 53-man roster, but don't deserve it
1. Darnay Holmes, CB
Holmes is a good player and could be an end-of-roster guy if the team had other viable solutions. However, the Raiders need to add a veteran to the cornerback room, badly, and Holmes is likely to be the first on the chopping block. He could also be on the initial roster and quickly replaced.
There is an argument for Greedy Vance Jr. to make the team over him, and veteran Mike Hilton just became available as well. These two players have more long-term upside and experience in the slot, respectively, than Holmes, so either of them deserves a spot before he does.
2. Devin White, LB
White was brought to Las Vegas in free agency when the Raiders' linebacker room was in a bit of hot water after losing Robert Spillane and Divine Deablo. That is no longer the case, so White's talents are not necessarily needed for the Silver and Black.
Germaine Pratt and Jamal Adams both played better than White during the preseason, and the team has a handful of young linebackers that they could give an opportunity to instead. However, it seems like Spytek's connection to White will keep him around, potentially as a starter, which is bad news.
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3. Zamir White, RB
White is a puzzle that Raider Nation cannot quite figure out. He has all the intangibles to be a great NFL running back, and he has shown it on occasion. However, he is not consistent enough and lacks the vision to always be effective.
Still, Carroll and the new regime seem enamored with him, so he'll likely remain in Las Vegas and push a promising player like Sincere McCormick or Dylan Laube off the roster. Perhaps he was intentionally displayed this preseason and propped up as a trade chip, but it's more likely that he's the No. 2 running back, which is a bit worrisome as well.