The Raiders will need to cut down their roster to 53 players by Tuesday at 4:00 PM ET and they will have some very difficult choices to make. One spot that could give them some problems is on the defensive line, specifically at defensive tackle.
One player who is on the roster is Matthew Butler, who was a fifth-round pick by the team in the 2022 NFL Draft. Butler appeared in six games last season but played only 56 total snaps on defense. Going into Year 2, it appears he could be on the outside looking in for a roster spot.
In a recent article by ESPN, they projected the final 53-man roster for the Raiders. Their list left out Butler as they opted to keep only nine defensive linemen. Here is their reasoning behind his absence:
A change from the pre-camp projection now has nine D-linemen, rather than 10, to give the defense an additional safety on the back end. That makes it tougher for the likes of veterans Jordan Willis and Isaac Rochell, second-year DT Matthew Butler and UNLV product Adam Plant to squeeze in as edge rushers — especially with Wilson off the NFI list and practicing.
Butler hasn’t done enough in training camp or the preseason to warrant a roster spot despite being a second-year player. At this point, it would be a minor shock if he did make the 53-man roster.
Look for the Raiders to explore waivers, trades, and free agency as they try to upgrade the interior defensive line before the season. And if Butler is waived, he seems like a prime candidate to make the practice squad for Las Vegas, assuming he clears waivers.
