Las Vegas Raiders 2026 Training Camp Position Battle to Watch

NFL teams have wrapped up their respective organized team activities (OTAs) and minicamps, and after a near month-long break, they'll pick things back up near the end of July for training camp.

The first preseason game takes place on Thursday, Aug. 6 on NBC when the Carolina Panthers and Arizona Cardinals face off in the Hall of Fame Game. The rest of the preseason's first week will take place from Aug. 13-15, followed by Week 2 on Aug. 20-23, and Week 3 on Aug. 27-29.

But before the preseason gets underway, teams must first report to training camp. The Las Vegas Raiders haven't announced the exact day they report to camp, but below is their biggest position battle to watch this summer.

Position Battle: DT | Adam Butler vs. Thomas Booker IV vs. Jonah Laulu vs. Tonka Hemingway

There are several positions on the Raiders' roster that are up for grabs, but the battle at defensive tackle is one that could be overlooked but shouldn't be.

Adam Butler, Thomas Booker IV, and Jonah Laulu all had strong seasons last year, and all three will be pushing one another again this year.

Laulu recorded 51 tackles, eight tackles for loss, four sacks, and five passes defended. Butler finished with 50 tackles, three tackles for loss, one sack, and one forced fumble, and Booker totaled 44 tackles, five passes defended, one tackle for loss, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery.

All three players were pretty even in terms of where they stood on the depth chart, and the three-player rotation seemed to work decently for Vegas last year.

But heading into 2026, Hemingway could be the wild card.

The 24-year-old only played in nine games last year, but he was quite effective when on the field. He tallied just nine tackles, but he chipped in five tackles for loss, four sacks, and one fumble recovery, and if given the chance to earn more reps, Hemingway could push double-digit tackles for loss and sacks.

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This story was originally published June 21, 2026 at 7:46 PM.