The Las Vegas Raiders have been taking advantage of a roster rule that not many casual fans know about. During the offseason, each team roster has 90 players, and cannot have any more than 90 players.
When the season begins, you must cut that down to 53 players, and then create a 16 man practice squad. With the International Pathway Program, you can get a player through the program, most of the time it's a developing player from overseas, and place him on your 90 man roster or 16 man practice squad without him actually counting towards your roster amount.
So, while there may be 91 names on a team roster, only 90 count. This is something that the Raiders have been taking advantage of over the last few years with defensive tackle David Agoha.
With Agoha not really working out, despite having some moments in the preseason over the last few years, the Raiders have waived Agoha and signed another IPP player.
Raiders sign DT Laki Tasi
Laki Tasi, a 21-year-old Samoan-Australian defensive lineman, joined the Raiders as an undrafted free agent through the IPP program. At 6'6" and 347 pounds, with an 81.5-inch wingspan, Tasi has a massive build suited for the defensive line.
Despite his raw talent and physical gifts, Tasi’s lack of football experience means he’s a long-term project. The Raiders could see him as a potential nose tackle, addressing a roster need that they weren't quite able to address during the 2025 NFL Draft, unless they see J.J. Pegues as a nose tackle.
This doesn't mean Tasi will make the 53-man roster, but he will have an opportunity to showcase himself and prove to the coaches and the staff why he believes he should be on the team. And, sometimes these IPP players actually end up working out. Teams like the Philadelphia Eagles, have one who is now a starter in Jordan Mailata.
Maybe Tasi can do the same.
