As the Las Vegas Raiders preseason comes to an end against the New England Patriots, new head coach Josh McDaniels has some big decisions to make ahead of the final round of Raiders roster cuts. With the 2022 Raiders 53-man roster due on August 30, several surprising veterans could be on the chopping block.

These well-known players aren’t necessarily likely cuts, but with the way they and players around them have performed during taring camp and in the Raiders preseason, it wouldn’t be a complete shock if McDaniels gave them their walking papers.

Here are three surprise roster cuts the Raiders could make before Week 1 of the 2022 NFL season.

3. Kendal Vickers could be the victim of a deep position group

On many NFL teams, third-year pro Kendal Vickers would be a lock to make the roster at defensive tackle. However, on the 2022 Raiders roster, Vickers isn’t guaranteed a spot.

Vickers has played well during the Raiders preseason and in camp, but the DT unit is just so deep on this team. Kyle Peko, Andrew Billings, and Tyler Lancaster all signed this summer, and Neil Farrell Jr. and Matthew Butler were fourth- and fifth-round picks this year, respectively.

The last round of Raiders roster cuts included solid veteran Vernon Butler. So Vickers making it this far is a testament to how well he’s played in the last few weeks. With all the Josh McDaniels/Dave Ziegler guys ahead of him, though, Vickers' inclusion on the Raiders 53-man roster seems to be slipping away.

2. Clelin Ferrell will likely be saved by his contract alone

Clelin Ferrell was the No. 4 overall pick of the 2019 NFL Draft. He went ahead of productive NFL defensive linemen like Ed Oliver, Jeffery Simmons, Brain Burns, and Montez Sweat. In his three seasons on the Raiders 53-man roster, Ferrell has produced just 79 tackles, 8.0 sacks, and 12 tackles for a loss.

This is not good enough for a high first-round draft pick.

After Las Vegas brought in Chandler Jones this offseason, the DE unit on Vegas got crowded. Veteran Tashawn Bower has outplayed Farrell this Raiders preseason and now looks like the third pass-rusher in the rotation.

Ferrell has a fully guaranteed $9.9 million contract for this season, so cutting him doesn’t save a single dollar. That said, Josh McDaniels comes from the Bill Belichick school of roster management, so if he thinks Ferrell should be cut on merit, he will be.

1. Alex Leatherwood could be a massive bust after just one season

Outside of Clelin Ferrell, the most head-scratching pick of the Jon Gruden/Mike Mayock Era was Alabama tackle Alex Leatherwood at No. 17 overall in the 2021 NFL draft.

Leatherwood started 17 games at right guard last season and tied for third in the league with 11 penalties. He was also the second lowest-rated offensive line starter in the league (44.9) by PFF.

This Raiders preseason, he’s moved over to his natural right tackle position and is still struggling. Brandon Parker has overtaken him as the starting RT, and Leatherwood is now working with the third team in practice. In addition to the poor performance that fans can see on the field, reports are that Josh McDaniels and company are not fans of the second-year pro.

As a former first-round pick, Las Vegas would like to trade Alex Leatherwood, but if the franchise can’t find a team that wants him, chances are he will be off the squad after the final Raiders roster cuts.