Oakland Raiders: A few guys who need to perform well in preseason finale

The Oakland Raiders wrap up their preseason schedule with plenty of questions, and more than a few guys who need to have standout showings.

When the final gun sounds on Thursday, and the Oakland Raiders close the books on their preseason slate, HC Jon Gruden and his staff are going to have to make some tough – and interesting – decisions, as they finalize the roster ahead of cutdown day.

The picture is getting clearer in some areas, and they’ve already made some tough decisions, having shipped Ryan Switzer off to Pittsburgh, placing Griff Whalen on IR, and cutting ties with Breno Giacomini (thankfully).

Though some areas are gaining a bit of clarity, some remain entirely opaque.

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There are a lot of guys you know coming in, were little more than camp bodies. Maybe you find a hidden gem among them, maybe you don’t. But, they’re there to provide some competition, and reduce a little of the wear and tear on the starters.

There is also another layer of guys in camp, and those are the guys on the roster bubble.

And there are a lot of them. Which makes Thursday’s game against Seattle that much more important for many who are still on the bubble – and for some who, maybe not on the bubble, but who, maybe, need the extra work.

With most all of the starters likely to get the night off, this is the last chance some guys have to make an impression on the coaching staff. This is their last time to make a bid to get off the bubble and onto the roster – or perhaps onto the practice squad.

Either way, this is going to be it for a lot of guys. And after that, the coaching staff will have the unenviable task of separating the wheat from the chaff, and telling almost half of the guys on the roster right now, “Thanks, but no thanks.”

There’s but one game left for most of these guys – and after that, there is still a lot to be decided between now, and the day Gruden makes his final cuts.

And there are more than a few guys who can still make a case for themselves.

Let’s look at a few guys who, perhaps for different reasons, need to step up and have a standout showing against Seattle.