Lingering questions as Raiders head into training camp

From Christian Wilkins’ health, to the offensive line, Las Vegas has plenty of work to do heading into preseason

First the rookies. And then the veterans.

That’s how the Las Vegas Raiders embark on all-important training camp. Slated at the team’s headquarters at the Intermountain Health Performance Center in Henderson, Nevada, the Silver & Black’s rookies arrived first this past Thursday with veterans slated to join this coming Tuesday.

From now until the team’s final preseason game on August 23 against the Arizona Cardinals, it’s all about determining who makes the team during the staggering cut down from 90 players to the 53-man regular season roster on August 26.

Thus, let’s take a look at the lingering questions the Raiders face heading into the first training camp between head coach Pete Carroll and general manager John Spytek:

When Will Christian Wilkins Return?

The prized free agent signing last offseason, Wilkins’ recovering from a Jones fracture in his left foot remains a mystery. The reports vary with some noting Wilkins should be back by Week 1 to others being more unclear.

But the Raiders officially put their well-paid defender on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list this past Friday. As The Athletic’s Tashan Reed noted, the defensive tackle was out of a walking boot but was seen sporting one once again.

The Raiders inked Wilkins to a five-year, $110 million contract with $82.75 guaranteed and the 30-year-old defender holds an $18.137 million cap number in 2025. That jumps to $37.675 million in 2026 (at age 31) and $33.675 in 2027 (age 32).

Las Vegas did draft a pair of defensive tackles in the 2025 NFL Draft: Tonka Hemingway (135th overall, South Carolina) and JJ Pegues (180th overall, Ole Miss). But Wilkins is supposed to be the high-motor, high-effort tag team partner on the inside for defensive end Maxx Crosby.

The only parties that know really what’s going on with the high-priced defensive tackle are Wilkins and the Raiders. And neither are talking about it.

So it’s wait and see.

Who Are The Startling Linebackers?

And a sub-question: What will the Raiders base alignment be on defense?

That’ll go a long way into answering the starters question above. Because Las Vegas rarely had three linebackers on the field during Patrick Graham’s tenure as defensive coordinator. And it’ll be interesting if the arrival of Carroll and linebackers coach John Glenn — who is a longtime Pete guy — have some sway in changing that.

If the Raiders deploy a 4-2-5 nickel alignment as it’s oft-used formation (which led to me and others labeling that particular scheme as the team’s base defense) only two linebackers will see the majority of playing time. Last season this was Robert Spillane (signed a lucrative free agent pact with the New England Patriots) and Divine Deablo (inked with the Atlanta Falcons as a free agent).

The penciled-in favorites to claim the starting roles (if it’s two linebackers) are Elandon Roberts and Germaine Pratt. Both were free agent-additions with Pratt arriving last month after he was cut by the Cincinnati Bengals. But waiting in the wings are fellow veterans Devin White and Jaylon Smith, along with second-year special teamer Amari Gainer and rookie Cody Lindenberg.

Who Wins The Competition At Left Guard?

The Raiders offensive line will be the lifeblood of the offense and putting together an effective front five is paramount. The one spot that seems to be the most unsettled: Left guard.

In what was initially thought to be a fight between Dylan Parham and Jordan Meredith to claim that starting spot, former ESPN beat writer-turned-Raiders team columnist Paul Gutierrez provided some insight when he wrote about the offense’s success hinges on the guys in the trenches piece on the team’s official website.

“Howze about grizzled vet Kolton Miller at left tackle, Dylan Parham at left guard (with Thayer Munford Jr. nipping at his heels), Powers-Johnson at center, free-agent signee Alex Cappa at right guard and DJ Glaze at right tackle entering training camp?,” Gutierrez wrote.

It appears the new challenger is Munford and he’s much bigger than Parham — Munford stands 6-foot-6 and 315 pounds to Parham’s 6-foot-3 and 285 pounds. So the former represents a much more heavier presence than the latter.

But it appears all other spots are locked up with free agent-addition Alex Cappa the lead at right guard.

Who’ll Step Up To Claim The Slot Cornerback Spot?

The early odds-on favorites are veteran cornerback Darnay Holmes (who played in the slot when normal starter Nate Hobbs wasn’t available (Hobbs has since signed with the Green Bay Packers)) and safety Thomas Harper.

But Las Vegas did break out the big nickel formation in OTAs and mandatory minicamp which saw safety Jeremy Chinn in the slot with fellow safeties Isaiah Pola-Mao and Lonnie Johnson Jr. on the back end.

While the big nickel is likely to see its usage this season — Graham has dialed it up before — it’ll be interesting to see which cornerback earns the starting spot in the slot in base nickel formations.

Will There Be Electricity In Return Game?

Special teams coordinator Tom McMahon hit the nail on the head in his media session back in June: “If you go fast, I can’t teach fast.”

Noting he can correct anything else, the need for speed on special teams harkens on the lack of electricity in return units. Las Vegas did add some serious speed in the 2025 draft on both sides of the ball but it’s rookie Tommy Mellott who has a lot of intrigue.

The Montana State quarterback is switching to wide receiver in the pros and while that has it’s own difficulties to navigate, it’s Mellot’s explosiveness that needs to be exploited as soon as possible. He can hit top speed quickly and has elusiveness to boot.

Will 2025 be the season the Raiders see a resurgence in the return game?