Raiders Preseason Insights and Roster Battles | Las Vegas Raiders News

The Raiders closed preseason with a gritty 12-18 loss to the 49ers, but the real story was the emergence of rookie running back Mike Washington Jr., who exploded for 49 yards on just eight carries while averaging over seven yards per rush. With star back Ashton Jeanty sidelined, Washington proved he’s ready to carry the load. Quarterback Kirk Cousins also looked sharp under center, and the defense bounced back in a big way, shutting down Mac Jones and forcing just one completion. Special teams improved too, with kicker Matt Gay nailing four of five field goals. Coach Klint Kubiak praised the team’s focus on starting fast and plans to review film closely as roster cuts loom — trimming to 53 players will be brutal, but necessary in the NFL. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/89a72e52c31b9ac0