The Las Vegas Raiders have been in the process of a major rebuild this offseason under first-time general manager John Spytek and veteran head coach Pete Carroll.
After winning just four games last year, the roster needed to undergo serious changes, and that is precisely what the new regime has done so far. They let many of the team's defensive starters leave in free agency in favor of cheaper options, and they brought in a new quarterback in Geno Smith.
During the 2025 NFL Draft, they put their fingerprints all over the team with a whopping 11 draft picks across the three days. With some of those selections, however, they put several players on the Raiders' roster on notice.
Raiders send unmistakable message to these 3 players with NFL Draft choices
1. DJ Glaze
Glaze had a surprisingly strong rookie campaign last year for Las Vegas after being selected in the third round of the draft. He started at right tackle for nearly the entire season and performed admirably for the Raiders despite the offense having disastrous results. While he did exceed expectations, he was still considered the weak link on Las Vegas' offensive line.
Spytek was not the general manager when Glaze was brought in, so in this year's draft, he selected William & Mary swing tackle Charles Grant in the third round. This means that, at the least, the team is adding some legitimate competition for Glaze, and perhaps they have their eyes on replacing him at some point this season. Glaze will have experience on his side, but Grant was a highly coveted prospect by Spytek and Carroll.
2. Zamir White
After wildly underperforming last season for the Raiders, the writing was already on the wall for White. The team saw Sincere McCormick come on strong at the end of last season, and they added veteran Raheem Mostert during free agency. However, the final nail in the coffin for White was the selection of Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty with the No. 6 overall pick.
Jeanty figures to be the workhorse back in Las Vegas this season, and Mostert will likely clean up what is left of the touches. The new regime has no ties to White, and it was rumored that he was being shopped in trade offers already this offseason. Unless he has an incredibly strong camp that slides him above Mostert and McCormick in the pecking order, he may have already played his last down for the Raiders.
Related: Raiders' Ashton Jeanty pick all but confirms Zamir White's future
3. Tre Tucker
Tucker entered the league with high expectations, as his unbelievable speed in the slot was projected to be a major benefit to the Las Vegas offense. Unfortunately, he has been a bit underwhelming during his NFL career, and the Raiders may have sealed his fate with several picks in the draft.
Spytek took TCU wide receiver Jack Bech in the second round, and then he added Tennessee's Dont'e Thornton and Montana State's Tommy Mellott on Day 3. Bech projects to be a starter in Week 1, Thornton is both taller and faster than Tucker and Mellott is supposed to play in the slot. All three of these receivers are a grave threat to Tucker's playing time, so the message is clear for the third-year receiver.