HENDERSON (KTNV) — The Raiders’ preseason finale Saturday night in Arizona isn’t about the scoreboard. It’s about job security.
Head coach Pete Carroll said the game will help determine the team’s 53-man roster ahead of Tuesday’s NFL cutdown deadline — and he wants players to keep things simple.
WATCH | Raiders Preseason Finale: Final roster spots on the line Saturday
“I want them to be the best version of themselves in the face of all that may be built up in their minds,” Carroll said. “Trusting that the work we’ve done, the reps that we’ve taken, will give them… if they can execute that on game day… then you got a guy that can really compete and you can count on.”
Carroll said the competitive edge in camp has stood out, pointing to players like offensive lineman Dylan Parham, who showed his intensity this week.
“He was pissed today,” Carroll said of Parham. “He got mad at the defense getting after the running backs real late in the plays… he was just showing who he is and how he cares and all that. He's tough. He's physical. He moves well… He's doing a good job.”
Defensive end Tyree Wilson, the Raiders’ 2023 first-round pick, will also be in the spotlight Saturday after what Carroll called “steady progress” this offseason. Wilson said he’s playing with more confidence than ever.
“I feel like I’m playing faster, way more fluid than I have been before,” Wilson said. “And it’s going to continue to get better.”
Carroll confirmed “everybody’s live” for the preseason finale, unlike the Cardinals, who are expected to rest most of their starters. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. Saturday in Glendale. Rosters must be reduced to 53 players by 1 p.m. Tuesday.
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