Broncos coach Vance Joseph has said he wants to play his 46 best players

Shane Ray and Su’a Cravens will again head the Broncos’ inactive list for the game here tonight against the Oakland Raiders, a team source told 9NEWS.

Ray, who had been a top backup outside linebacker, and Cravens, a backup safety, were also benched last week in the Broncos’ game against the Cleveland Browns.

Broncos head coach Vance Joseph has explained the moves as nothing more than a decision to dress his best 46 players. Ray did miss practices Thursday and Friday and was listed as questionable for the game. But it appears the primary reason Ray and Cravens won’t play is that they haven’t played well.

Ray, the Broncos’ first-round draft pick in 2015, has just one sack in each of his past two seasons. The Broncos didn’t exercise his $9.23 million, fifth-year option for this season and they are expected to allow him to reach unrestricted free agency this March without presenting an offer.

Cravens was acquired from Washington in March in a swap of draft picks that equated to the Broncos surrendering a high, fifth-round draft pick for the strong safety. Cravens, though, missed the first eight games to recover from knee surgery and did not make any impact plays – no sacks, interceptions or forced fumbles – in the next five games. He did make 16 tackles, although he struggled in coverage against tight ends Antonio Gates and George Kittle.

Cravens, a second-round draft pick in 2016 who missed the entire 2017 season under disputable circumstances – Washington says it was because he voluntarily left the game; Cravens says it was because he was suffering post-concussion syndrome -- is under contract for the next two years.