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The Las Vegas Raiders were hoping that the arrival of Jon Gruden on a 10-year deal in 2018 would be the answer to their woes.
However, three years down the line, the Raiders are yet to make the playoffs under the 57-year-old. Last season, Las Vegas finished with an 8-8- record. Will the upcoming campaign be any different?
Here, we take a look at how the Las Vegas Raiders' roster is shaping up for the 2021-22 season.
Las Vegas Raiders 2021 Depth Chart - Offense
Quarterback: Derek Carr, Marcus Mariota
Running Back: Josh Jacobs, Kenyan Drake, Jalen Richard
Wide Receiver: Henry Ruggs III, John Brown, Hunter Renfrow, Willie Snead, Zay Jones, Bryan Edwards, Caleb Scott
Tight End: Darren Waller, Foster Moreau, Derek Carrier
Fullback: Alec Ingold
Left Tackle: Kolton Miller, Brandon Parker
Left Guard: Richie Incognito, John Simpson
Center: Nick Martin, Andre Jones
Right Guard: Denzelle Good, John Simpson
Right Tackle: Alex Leatherwood, Brandon Parker
Las Vegas Raiders 2021 Depth Chart - Defense
Left Defensive End: Clelin Ferrell, Maxx Crosby
Left Defensive Tackle: Quinton Jefferson, Darius Philon
Right Defensive Tackle: Johnathan Hankins, Solomon Thomas
Right Defensive End: Yannick Ngakoue, Malcolm Koonce, Carl Nassib
Left Outside Linebacker: Cory Littleton, Nicholas Morrow
Middle Linebacker: Nick Kwiatkowski, James Onwualu
Strong-side Linebacker: Johnathan Abram, Tanner Muse
Left Cornerback: Casey Hayward, Damon Arnette, Nevin Lawson
Strong Safety: Johnathan Abram, Karl Joseph, Divine Deablo
Free Safety: Trevon Moehrih, Tyree Gillespie
Right Cornerback: Trayvon Mullen, Rasul Douglas, Amik Robertson
Las Vegas Raiders Depth Chart 2021 - Special Teams
Kicker: Daniel Carlson
Punter: AJ Cole
Punt Returner: Hunter Renfrow
Kick Returner: Kersean Nixon
Long Snapper: Trent Sieg
Also Check Out: 2021 NFL Depth Chart for all 32 teams
Las Vegas Raiders Depth Chart Analysis - Offense
Quarterbacks
Marcus Mariota is one of the best backup quarterbacks in the league. However starter, Derek Carr, simply struggles to win big games year after year.
With that said, he was able to throw 27 touchdowns and nine interceptions in 2020, raising hopes that 2021 could be the year he finally kicks into gear.
Running Backs
This is one of the best positions on the team. Josh Jacobs is the real deal and his presence amplifies a power-running game. He scored 12 times and gained 1065 yards in 2021. Kenyan Drake is an amazing second running back and Jalen Richard is no slouch as a third option.
Wide Receiver
Henry Ruggs' time has arrived and he needs to deliver a strong season. Behind him, John Brown and Hunter Renfrow give the Raiders firepower in the passing game. The deep backups are quality players as well in Willie Snead and Zay Jones.
Tight End
Darren Waller is one of the best tight ends in the league going into 2021. He's gained over 1000 yards in each of the last two seasons and added nine touchdowns for the Las Vegas Raiders in 2020. However, the lack of depth in the position is telling, with Foster Morreau and Derek Carrier not the strongest of options.
Fullbacks
The Las Vegas Raiders cannot have a quality old-school running game without a top-class fullback and Alec Ingold perfectly fits the bill.
Offensive Tackles
Kolton Miller will start as the left tackle with Alex Leatherwood on the right. Miller is a solid performer, but Leatherwood was a bit of a reach for the Las Vegas Raiders in the first round of the NFL Draft. Hopefully for the Las Vegas Raiders, Leatherwoood will be able to prove the scouts wrong.
Offensive Guard:
Richie Incognito is still in the league as a starter. His controversy in Miami, which included the alleged harassment of then teammate Jonathan Martin, has been swept under the rug and there has not been a peep out of Incognito since.
Denzelle Good, meanwhile, has been solid if not spectacular. He earned a 56.7 PFF grade in 2020, leaving plenty of room for improvement.
Center
Nick Martin will start for the Las Vegas Raiders in 2021, with Andre Jones, a complete unknown who played just one snap in 2020, behind him. If Nick Martin cannot stay healthy, the team could be in serious trouble at the position.
Defensive Ends
Clelin Ferrell and Yannick Ngakoue are both decent options for the Raiders. They have solid depth at the position with Maxx Crosby and Malcolm Koonce.
Defensive Tackles
Quinton Jefferson and Johnathan Hankins will serve as the starting defensive tackles. Both players have PFF scores hovering in the 60s, making for a solid group. That said, the Raiders would hope the two can stay fit and keep their backup participation to a minimum.
Outside Linebackers
The star of the show will undoubtedly be Cory Littleton. The former Los Angeles Rams player is one of the best linebackers in the league. Littleton struggled to lift the defense last year and will be keen to bounce back this time around and spark their playoff run.
Behind Littleton, the Raiders have little to write home about.
Middle Linebackers
Nick Kwiatkowski had an impressive 2020 campaign and he will look to make a similar impact this season. The former Chicago Bears linebacker scored a 67.1 PFF grade in 2020. The other middle linebacker will be either Johnathan Abram or Tanner Muse.
Cornerbacks:
Overall, this group could use some improvement. Currently, Casey Hayward is the "star." However, he remains prone to injuries. Behind him, the options are rather inexperienced and unproven. All in all, it appears that the Las Vegas Raiders' secondary will struggle in 2021.
Safeties:
Johnathan Abram is expected to alternate between middle linebacker and safety this season. When Abram is occupied at linebacker, Karl Joseph will step up.
Trevon Moehring will start opposite him. The new second-round pick has hopes of quickly hitting the ground running in Las Vegas.
Las Vegas Raiders Depth Chart 2021 - Special Teams
Daniel Carlson only missed four kicks in total in 2020 which bodes well for the Raiders heading into the new season. However, punter AJ Cole remains a liability. Hunter Renfrow should perform a decent job as a returner for the Las Vegas Raiders this season, while Trent Sieg should be invisible as the long snapper, which is exactly what the Las Vegas Raiders want.
