Special teams is where these Raiders can punch their roster ticket

Rookies Cody Lindenberg, Darien Porter have special teams prowess to stick in Las Vegas

Pete Carroll’s Las Vegas Raiders are set to embark on all-important training camp at the tail end of this week and next. The rookies report first on July 17 with veterans joining their neophyte teammates on July 22.

The Silver & Black’s veteran head coach has preached open competition and earning roster spots since he was hired way back in January. So much so, the proper tagline for Carroll’s Raiders is: Com-Pete.

With NFL rosters bloated at 90, the staggering change to the 53-man roster come cutdown day is going to leave swaths of players on the waiver wire and free agent market — effectively ending the dream for many.

But as I’ve said before — and how the NFL has proven so — the easiest way to punch a roster ticket is to become a special teams standout. Raiders hopefuls don’t have to look very far for inspiration as safety Isaiah Pola-Mao followed this exact blueprint of shining on special teams and grinding to get starting snaps. There’s also former New England Patriots wide receivers Julian Edelman (special teamer to starter) and Matthew Slater (core special teamer for 16 seasons), and former Los Angeles Rams/Las Vegas Raiders linebacker Corey Littleton (special teamer to starter).

Thus, let’s take a look at five Raiders who can ensure they’re on the 53-man roster by making an impression on special teams boss Tom McMahon, the rest of the coaching staff, and general manager John Spytek.

Cody Lindenberg

Rookie, Linebacker

Taken with the 222nd overall pick in the seventh round of the 2025 NFL Draft, this 6-foot-2 and 236-pound defender from Minnesota has the size and football IQ to make a run at earning one of the linebacker spots.

This Golden Gophers intelligence and instincts allow him to be patient, read and react, and flow to plays. And Lindenberg is a fundamentally sound tackler — a trait that’s golden for special teams work.

Las Vegas did waive Amari Burney (a linebacker who 2023 sixth-round pick who had 384 snaps on McMahon’s units in 2024) and those are snaps Lindenberg should gun for as a late-round rookie. A core special teams role is there for the taking.

Darien Porter

Rookie, Cornerback

Talk about a prototypical Carroll cornerback. This Iowa State product boasts a 6-foot-3, 195-pound frame with 33 1/8-inch arms and 4.3-flat (40-yard dash time) speed to boot. It’s no wonder the Raiders made Darien Porter the 68th overall pick (third round) in the 2025 draft.

That elite combination of size, speed, and length afforded Porter the ability to become a special teams maven in college as he racked up an ungodly five blocked kicks in his career at Iowa State.

He only had one full season as a starting cornerback for the Cyclones so while development and refinement is needed to become a defensive back in the Raiders’ defense, he arrives readymade to become an elite special teamer for McMahon, and that’s likely to make Porter a roster mainstay for years to come.

“Practice. And I’m going to be honest with you, experience. 999 reps of special teams. I’ve never, ever have seen that many in my career, personally,” McMahon said of Porter. “So, when you’ve played six years in college and you have that many reps, it’s practice. And he plays fast now. He’s a big player that plays really, really fast. He’s detailed and he’s got a lot of we can’t teach what he can do.”

Tommy Mellot

Rookie, Wide Receiver

Transitioning from athletic and elusive college quarterback to NFL wide receiver is going to be a steep climb for this Montana State product. But with the Raiders in dire need of an impact return men in both the kickoff and punt department, an opening is there.

At 6-feet and 200 pounds, Mellot’s 4.39 speed (pro day time) along with his vision, intelligence, and elusiveness give him the traits to make a go as a returner for Las Vegas.

Mellot displayed the explosiveness and ability to hit top speed quickly at Montana State and the Raiders can’t have enough of that on special teams — all the while developing and refining himself as a route-runner and pass-catcher as a wideout.

“If you go fast, I can’t teach fast. I can correct everything else. If you make a mistake with leverage, I’ll correct it. But we want to see every single guy compete,” McMahon said of the special teams group in June. “You talk to Pete [Carroll] and everything’s about competition, and the person you’re trying to compete with is yourself. You’re striving for that excellence. And the bottom line is, if you give effort, I’ll fix what needs to be fixed. And I think in tribute to all these guys in this league, I think all of you know this, what these guys can do, we can’t teach. What they can’t do, we can.”

Dylan Laube,

2nd Year, Running Back

With Ashton Jeanty’s arrival in the backfield as the sixth-overall pick in the 2025 draft along with veteran speedster Raheem Mostert joining the team as a free agent, Las Vegas running back room is more well-stocked than last season.

Which can leave this sixth-round pick in the 2024 draft in no man’s land.

Laube’s fumbling issues scuttled his chances of becoming a contributor on offense but he did play on special teams — including a highlight 59-yard kickoff return against the Denver Broncos last November. The New Hampshire product needs to do this consistently and make a case for return-man duties or he’ll be one of the hopefuls waxed on cutdown day.

Kyle Phillips

3rd Year, Wide Receiver

This former UCLA Bruin wideout is someone Raiders offensive coordinator Chip Kelly is familiar with, but it’s Phillips’ special teams potential that will dictate if the third-year pro remains in the league.

A slot receiver by trade, Phillips was a shifty punt returner in college (26 returns for 501 yards and two touchdowns in four years at UCLA) and had limited opportunities with the Tennessee Titans the last two years (23 receptions, 259 yards; nine punt returns, 85 yards (long of 46).

At 5-foot-11 and 189 pounds with 4.58 speed, the measurables and numbers aren’t going to wow you, but if Phillips can recapture that Bruins’ magic, he has a shot (longshot).