Oakland Raiders 53-man roster prediction after Preseason Week 3

Defense (25 Players)

Defensive Ends (5): Clelin Ferrell, Arden Key, Maxx Crosby, Josh Mauro, Benson Mayowa
Out: Quinton Bell, James Cowser, Alex Barrett

None of the defensive ends listed to make the cut played in Thursday’s game against the Packers. They should be well-rested once the regular season rolls around. According to Michael Gehlken formerly of the Las Vegas Review-Journal, the Raiders like Josh Mauro as a bigger defensive end to stop the run opposite Clelin Ferrell:

Don’t be surprised to see Mauro start in September with Arden Key taking the field in obvious passing situations and third downs. Get well soon, Maxx Crosby (broken hand).

Interior Tackles (5): Maurice Hurst, Johnathan Hankins, P.J. Hall, Ethan Westbrooks, Anthony Rush (UDFA)
Out: Eddie Vanderdoes, Gabe Wright
Traded: Justin Ellis

We could see trade action at this position as well. The Raiders didn’t play interior tackle Justin Ellis a single snap through three preseason games. He’s either set to make the roster or on the trade block.

Teams aren’t moving 350-pound interior defensive linemen like hotcakes, but an injury or two could increase the demand. Ellis is coming off a shortened 2018 season, missing 10 games because of sprained ligaments in his foot.

Nonetheless, in 2017, Ellis had his best season with 27 solo tackles, leading the Raiders’ interior linemen in stops (22), per Pro Football Focus (subscription required). Now healthy, he could build on that strong year.

Ethan Westbrooks has flashed during the preseason, and he can shift to different spots across the defensive line. Over the last few weeks,

Anthony Rush has become a disruptive force on the interior. Because of his size, he’s a probable cheaper alternative to Ellis, who’s set to make $4.5 million in guarantees this year, per Over the Cap. The undrafted rookie can match his production on a $495,000 salary for 2019.

Linebackers (6): Tahir Whitehead, Vontaze Burfict, Brandon Marshall, Nicholas Morrow, Marquel Lee, Kyle Wilber
Out: Jason Cabinda, Koa Farmer, Te’Von Coney

Some Raiders fans set off the alarms when they saw Brandon Marshall on the field against the Packers with the backups, but he’s coming off a significant knee injury and likely needed the reps.

The Raiders linebacker group doesn’t have much upside. The veteran trio, Tahir Whitehead, Vontaze Burfict and Marshall, will likely log a majority of the snaps. Nicholas Morrow and Marquel Lee should handle spot duties.

Oakland’s linebackers haven’t stood out during preseason action, but Morrow had an impressive outing against Green Bay, registering five solo tackles, two for loss and a sack. If he shows growth in pass coverage, the 24-year-old could develop into a gem under defensive coordinator Paul Guenther.

Defensive Backs (9): Gareon Conley (CB), Daryl Worley (CB), Lamarcus Joyner (CB), Trayvon Mullen (CB), Isaiah Johnson (CB), Keisean Nixon (UDFA CB), Johnathan Abram (S), Karl Joseph (S), Erik Harris (S)
Out: Nevin Lawson, Nick Nelson, Joshua Holsey, Dylan Mabin, Tevin Mitchel, Makinton Dorleant, Curtis Riley, Jordan Richards, Dallin Leavitt

In some cases, Lamarcus Joyner lists as a safety even though he’s going to take on slot duties in Guenther’s scheme. He’s a versatile defender who can handle multiple responsibilities. As a result, cornerbacks and safeties are categorized as defensive backs with their designations in parenthesis above.

There are no surprises with the trio of safeties, featuring two first-round picks in their respective draft classes, Karl Joseph (2016) and Johnathan Abram (2019) along with Erik Harris.

At cornerback, Keisean Nixon had good enough performances over the last two weeks to work his way on to the depth chart. While some may question the level of competition challenging him, he’s allowed just five catches for 37 yards out of 15 targets, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required).

Nixon brought physicality, toughness and sound ball-tracking skills to the perimeter during the preseason. In a division with quarterbacks Philip Rivers and Patrick Mahomes, the Raiders need to stack up talent at cornerback.