Las Vegas Raiders Cut Day: 4 Biggest Surprises

· Yahoo Sports

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - AUGUST 13: Cian Slone #48 of the Las Vegas Raiders sacks Kedon Slovis #12 of the Arizona Cardinals in the fourth quarter of the preseason game at Allegiant Stadium on August 13, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ian Maule/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The Las Vegas Raiders made it through cut day with an initial 53-man roster that makes sense. Nearly, 1200 men are losing out on either achieving their dream or proving to themselves that they can still hack it in this league. Once again, the Raiders made quality personnel moves and limited the head-scratcher to just a depth chart casualty.

The headscratcher

Cian Slone being cut was probably the most questionable move of cut day. Slone has been phenomenal in every opportunity he has been given. As a playmaker, a pass rusher, a stunter, a tackler and a hustler. Nearly everyone who had eyes expected his play to be enough for him to force his way onto a team in need of pass-rushing playmakers.

A move that became even more eyebrow-raising when it was later revealed that Slone was cut despite third-round draft pick Keyron Crawford going on the season-ending Injured Reserve list. However, Slone is going to the waiver wire due to his lack of four years’ tenure. The waiver wire order mirrors the draft order, so the Raiders are more likely than not to put him on the practice squad. Why? Because they are only keeping four edges on the roster.

John Spytek is a cold piece

Spytek has been a busy man this offseason, laying the foundation for future successes. What he isn’t getting enough attention or credit for is the tenacity he has shown in finding ways to secure value out of cutting bait. Spytek has found teams to trade for players the entire world knows he was getting rid of.

Trading Jordan Meredith, last season’s starting center and career backup guard, plus a 2029 seventh-round pick, for a 2027 sixth-round pick was a genius way to avoid outright cutting him. Meredith has struggled mightily at center, so much so that he was moved back to guard for the last preseason game and then moved on from.

Spytek’s process may be a bit too methodical for many impatient fans in Raider Nation, but he’s doing it the right way, cutting bait, making trades and adding talent where needed. Meanwhile, he has opted to draft premium skill positions rather than overpay in free agency, thereby allowing the coaching staff to keep most of his draft picks.

Crawford done for the year

Keyron Crawford was the last Raider draft pick before the remaining prominent wide receivers were selected. Hindsight is always 20/20, but Jakobi Lane, Ted Hurst and Malachi Fields have all been lights out through training camp. Crawford getting injured in a preseason game and missing his rookie season is something no one wanted to see.

His not being designated for return is a horrible outcome, especially for a player who was blessed with extremely raw talent. His all-gas-and-no-brakes style displayed encouraging potential, but in order to learn how to hone it and use it without waste requires him to be on the field.

Is Atonio Mafi keeping a roster spot warm

Atonio Mafi hasn’t pass protected well at all this preseason. In fact, one could say he’s been a major contributing factor to the pass rush pressures that Fernando Mendoza faced on the second team. Nonetheless, he is still here because something about his run blocking overrules the fact that he is feeding sacks and pressures to defensive linemen.

Mafi is still practice squad eligible, so him making the 53-man roster implies that he is there for some purpose. Be it as depth or the first option to cut and send to the practice squad should Spytek and head coach Klint Kubiak feel the need to add a player.

Read full story at source