With the NFL season quickly approaching, the Las Vegas Raiders hope to have the best roster possible for the 2021 season. They just missed the playoffs and after a busy offseason, Las Vegas hopes to make a playoff push this year.

To do that, Jon Gruden and the coaching staff must come up with the best roster moving forward. The Raiders offense should produce well, but the defense is a reason for concern. If Las Vegas can improve on the defensive side of the ball, they'll be a problem for their opponents throughout the year.

As of right now, there are a couple of players on the defense who could lose their starting role. The backups have been playing well throughout training camp and the preseason, giving the coaching staff a tough decision to make. With that said, here are two Raiders first-stringers in danger of losing their starting roles.

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Raiders first-stringers to watch

Nevin Lawson

Nevin Lawson holds one of the starting cornerback positions for now, but his suspension could lead him to a rotational role instead. This puts Nate Hobbs in the driver's seat for the first two games. Based on how he's been playing, there's a real chance that Hobbs keeps the starting role.

Most believe the job belongs to Nevin Lawson once he comes back. However, with Nate Hobbs balling out, he's given himself a huge opportunity. The coaching staff could decide to keep him in the starting lineup even when Lawson comes back. This is a situation to keep an eye on, as the Raiders could have a dangerous secondary on their hands.

Although Lawson is in danger of losing his starting job to Hobbs, this is a best-case scenario for the Raiders defense. If anything, this should give Las Vegas a much-improved pass coverage which is desperately needed for this franchise's success.

Johnathan Hankins

The Raiders have another good problem on the defensive line, as Johnathan Hankins could be in danger of losing his starting job. Las Vegas has a plethora of defensive tackles, but Gerald McCoy has been a standout since joining the team this offseason.

Hankins is the likely starter, but McCoy deserves a contributing spot on the roster. He's a veteran defensive tackle that gives the Raiders a boost in the front seven. For that reason, Johnathan Hankins could find his way to the bench more often than not. If anything, Las Vegas should have a strong rotation on the interior defensive line, keeping fresh legs on the field throughout their games.

They have their final preseason matchup against the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday, which is the last chance for Gruden to evaluate the roster. If Gerald McCoy can put on a strong performance yet again, he could persuade the coaching staff into giving him the starting role. With how bad the defense was last year, the Raiders need the best guys on the field. Keep an eye on the defensive tackles in their final preseason game, as it's turned into an unexpected position battle.