# Hondo Carpenter: Carpenter says Tre Tucker, Jalen Nailor and rookie Malik Benson are clearly the Raiders' top three receivers, expects Phillip Dorsett to lose his spot to a younger receiver in the rebuild, and believes UDFAs Chase Roberts, Corey Rucker and EJ Williams have legitimate shots at making the roster. He also predicts QB Jacob Clark develops on the practice squad and that the Raiders will not trade both Aidan O'Connell and Kirk Cousins by midseason.

**Claimed:** Aug 5, 2026
**Pundit:** Hondo Carpenter — https://missedtakes.co/pundits/hondo-carpenter
**Outlet:** Sports Illustrated — https://missedtakes.co/outlets/sports-illustrated
**How it reached us:** published in writing
**Original:** https://www.si.com/nfl/raiders/onsi/las-vegas-training-camp-mailbag-separating-fact-fiction

7 checkable claims — 4 roster spot calls and 3 depth chart calls — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing call.

It names 8 players and teams, each linked to their own record.

None of them have settled yet — they grade once their results are in.

Of the 3 unsettled calls enough other pundits have weighed in on, this one lands above the room on 2 and below it on 1.

> Tre Tucker, Jalen Nailor, and Malik Benson (a rookie from Oregon) are clearly the top three men.

*(their words, quoted for attribution)*

## The claims

- **Corey Rucker to make the roster**
  - Kind: Roster Spot Calls · About: Corey Rucker, Las Vegas Raiders
  - Verdict: not settled yet
- **Jacob Clark to land on the practice squad**
  - Kind: Roster Spot Calls · About: Jacob Clark, Las Vegas Raiders
  - Verdict: not settled yet
- **Phillip Dorsett to be cut**
  - Kind: Roster Spot Calls · About: Phillip Dorsett, Las Vegas Raiders
  - Verdict: not settled yet
- **Jalen Nailor to be 2nd on the depth chart**
  - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Jalen Nailor, Las Vegas Raiders
  - Verdict: not settled yet
- **E.J. Williams to make the roster**
  - Kind: Roster Spot Calls · About: E.J. Williams, Las Vegas Raiders
  - Verdict: not settled yet
- **Tre Tucker to be 1st on the depth chart**
  - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Tre Tucker, Las Vegas Raiders
  - Verdict: not settled yet
- **Malik Benson to be 3rd on the depth chart**
  - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Malik Benson, Las Vegas Raiders
  - Verdict: not settled yet

## Who this take is about

- Corey Rucker — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/corey-rucker
- Las Vegas Raiders — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/raiders
- Jacob Clark — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/jacob-clark
- Phillip Dorsett — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/phillip-dorsett
- Jalen Nailor — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/jalen-nailor
- E.J. Williams — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/e-j-williams
- Tre Tucker — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/tre-tucker
- Malik Benson — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/malik-benson

## What others said about the same people

- Chris Broussard on Las Vegas Raiders: Broussard picked the Ravens to beat the Bills in a shootout, 38-34, took the Raiders to upset the Jets, and said Detroit would beat the Vikings. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/69de6faa-8bec-4a79-9d86-5dbc5bae0573 (scored 100)
- Connor Rogers on Las Vegas Raiders: Rogers picked straight-up winners across the Week 8 slate, siding with the Bills over the Ravens, the Lions, Steelers, Jaguars, Bengals, Falcons, Raiders, Broncos, Rams, Patriots, Commanders and the Bears in Seattle. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/14b3a81b-ba4d-4270-b122-8cfe7fc959b0 (scored 100)
- John Breech on Las Vegas Raiders: Breech's Week 8 score predictions include Bengals over Titans, Raiders over Jets, Rams over Chargers and Patriots over Dolphins. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/a57cb0eb-708d-41aa-9bb8-dbc16f7d3ded (scored 95.24)
- Tyler Sullivan on Las Vegas Raiders: Sullivan's Week 8 upset alert column flags five favorites they expect to lose: they pick the Falcons over the Buccaneers, the Raiders over the Jets, the undefeated Vikings over the Lions, the Ravens (with Lamar Jackson returning) over the Bills, and the Browns over the Steelers. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/1ca06895-a1db-4f4e-b814-270f5ecea69c (scored 100)
- Ezekiel Trezevant on Las Vegas Raiders: Trezevant argues that if the Raiders are as improved as they appeared at 3-0, they should beat the Jets in Week 8 on the road and end their four-game losing streak. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/132fd631-95ef-4af2-8836-d5281f3f9fc8 (scored 100)
- Richard Sherman on Las Vegas Raiders: Sherman kept their top five unchanged in concept but shuffled it to 49ers, Bills, Vikings, Chiefs, Bears, and made Week 8 picks across the slate, including Seattle over Chicago 27-17 and a begrudging Lions pick over Minnesota. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/ab6b4f5f-1083-43b1-a29c-b30795ddf69f (scored 100)

## More roster spot calls

The same kind of call, about other players and teams.

- Zack Kelberman on Sean Fresch Jr.: Kelberman expects Sean Fresch Jr. to clear waivers and return to the Broncos' practice squad, sees Riley Moss back from concussion for the Week 11 game at Las Vegas, and projects newly acquired Daiyan Henley to begin as the third inside linebacker behind Alex Singleton and Justin Strnad before likely moving into a starting role. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/978f775c-5611-4514-ad2f-b35a6eac0402 (scored 0)
- Zack Kelberman on Sean Fresch Jr.: Kelberman writes that Riley Moss may sit out the preseason finale against Minnesota but should be available for the Week 1 opener at Kansas City; they also suggest undrafted corners Sean Fresch Jr. and Brent Austin are being evaluated for practice squad spots. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/3c8c47b8-6041-4282-8d21-d21741d8f11b (scored 0)
- Parker Hurley on Khalid Kareem: Hurley predicts the 49ers will release Khalil Kareem when Nate Hobbs is activated and cut Brandin Cooks when C.J. West returns, while arguing Sebastian Valdez won't be the one let go and no cornerback will be cut. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/5a729417-69ee-493a-9bec-d905fd1a7082 (scored 0)
- Jason Harmon on Max Brosmer: Harmon expects the Vikings' quarterback room to stay intact while Kyler Murray is hurt, and predicts Max Brosmer will be released and re-signed to the practice squad since Minnesota won't carry four QBs. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/fa393501-3f38-481e-8e75-48125587e911 (scored 0)
- Chad Jensen on Jordan Turner: Jensen predicts Daiyan Henley's arrival will cut into Justin Strnad's snaps while Alex Singleton keeps playing virtually every down, and that Denver will return to a three-linebacker rotation after the Week 10 bye. They also expect one of Jordan Turner or Karene Reid — most likely Turner — to be waived to clear a roster spot. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/a84d2c6e-5554-46aa-95b1-620858d31e0f (scored 0)
- Charean Williams on Odell Beckham Jr.: Williams writes that after releasing Odell Beckham Jr. to open a roster spot for Kirk Cousins, the Vikings will bring them back on the practice squad. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/d4fd8cfb-3c75-4209-9e1a-d60e821f315b (scored 0)

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Accuracy is 0-100 against what actually happened. The naive guess is what a strategy requiring no knowledge would have scored on the same call — the difference is the skill, and it is what the MissedTakes Score averages.

Full method: https://missedtakes.co/methodology

We summarize what a pundit said and quote a short span for attribution; we never republish their article. If this is wrong, tell us:
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