Offseason team activities provided valuable time for the Las Vegas Raiders to install their scheme, work on team chemistry and evaluate players. But the real competition for roster spots starts with training camp. After spending the previous four training camps at their facility in Henderson, Nev., they’ll travel to Costa Mesa, Calif., this year where camp kicks off July 23.
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The Raiders currently have 91 players on the roster. They’ll have until Aug. 27 to work that group down to the regular-season roster limit of 53.
“It’s not about draft picks, it’s not about money, it’s not about status,” coach Antonio Pierce said earlier this month. “We’re going with the guys that put in the time and commitment to do what we want to do over the next six months.”
Here’s my projection for the 53-man roster:
Quarterback (3)
Starter: Aidan O’Connell
Backups: Gardner Minshew, Anthony Brown
Analysis: It was a rough showing for all of the quarterbacks during OTAs. O’Connell and Minshew performed at a comparable level and, if that remains the case throughout training camp, it makes sense to roll with the younger option as the starter. O’Connell is only in his second season, will turn 26 in September and has more upside than Minshew, who, at 28, is headed into his sixth season in the NFL. The optimistic view is O’Connell, with more experience, could make strides toward becoming an average starter this season.
GO DEEPER
Raiders OTAs: Aidan O'Connell, Gardner Minshew bring different strengths to QB competition
infinite aura pic.twitter.com/Y7J2FvrCZ9
— NFL (@NFL) June 20, 2024
Running back (4)
Starter: Zamir White
Backups: Alexander Mattison, Ameer Abdullah, Dylan Laube
Analysis: Two years after he was drafted to become Josh Jacobs’ successor, White is set to do just that this season. The third-year running back has good size at 6-foot, 215 pounds, a bruising running style and enough burst to separate from defenders downfield. He started the final four games last season and took advantage by racking up 397 rushing yards (third in the NFL during that span). Mattison is in line to be the primary backup and lessen the wear and tear that White has to endure. Abdullah and Laube will compete for a role as the third-down running back, and they should contribute on special teams.
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Receiver (6)
Starters: Davante Adams, Jakobi Meyers, Tre Tucker
Backups: Michael Gallup, Jalen Guyton, DJ Turner
Analysis: Adams and Meyers are proven commodities as outside receivers, and the Raiders expect Tucker to take a big leap as their starting slot receiver this season. Gallup and Guyton are solid depth options who have starting experience and can be used as vertical threats to stretch the field. Turner grew into a core special-teamer late last season who was on the field for 65 percent of the special teams snaps in his 10 appearances.
Tight end (3)
Starter: Brock Bowers
Backups: Michael Mayer, Harrison Bryant
Analysis: The Raiders will use a lot of 12 personnel (one running back, two tight ends, two receivers), so Bowers and Mayer will share the field pretty often. In 11 personnel (with only one tight end), however, it should be Bowers who gets the nod. The rookie has plenty of room to grow as a blocker, but he’s a dynamic weapon who can be used as a pass catcher at in-line tight end and outside and slot receiver — and as a runner at H-back and on jet sweeps. Bryant is a starting-caliber tight end and should round out the room nicely as a blocker and special-teamer.
GO DEEPER
Raiders hoping Zamir White, Brock Bowers, Tre Tucker can step up and take pressure off QBs
Offensive line (9)
Starters: LT Kolton Miller, LG Jackson Powers-Johnson, C Andre James, RG Dylan Parham, RT Thayer Munford
Backups: OL Andrus Peat, G Cody Whitehair, OT DJ Glaze, OT Dalton Wagner
Analysis: There’s no real competition for starting jobs on the offensive line this year. Miller didn’t practice during OTAs as he continued to rehab from offseason shoulder surgery, but he’ll step back in at left tackle when he’s healthy. Peat is a versatile backup who can line up at tackle or guard. Whitehair is another adaptable veteran who can line up at guard and center. Glaze is more of a project at this point, but the rookie may be able to fill a role as a swing tackle in a pinch. The same goes for Wagner, who was injured last season but possesses a lot of potential with his athleticism, massive 6-foot-8, 320-pound frame and experience at left and right tackle.
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Edge rusher (4)
Starters: Maxx Crosby, Malcolm Koonce
Backups: Tyree Wilson, Janarius Robinson
Analysis: The Raiders feel great about the starting duo of Crosby and Koonce. The big question is whether Wilson can show progress after a rough rookie season. He’s fully healthy after spending a significant portion of last year recovering from offseason foot surgery, and teammates and coaches alike have praised him for the growth he’s displayed this offseason. In an ideal world, he becomes a player capable of making an impact whether it’s giving Crosby and Koonce a breather at edge rusher or rotating inside at defensive tackle on obvious passing downs.
.@CrosbyMaxx cementing his status in the league 👏 pic.twitter.com/HtRPG0EsUD
— NFL (@NFL) June 14, 2024
Defensive tackle (5)
Starters: Christian Wilkins, John Jenkins
Backups: Adam Butler, Byron Young, Nesta Jade Silvera
Analysis: Wilkins is a star who makes an impact as a pass rusher and run stopper. His mere presence on the interior should make life easier on the edge for Crosby and Koonce. That dynamic gives the D-line the potential to be one that collectively overwhelms opposing offense lines. Jenkins is an old-school nose tackle, while Butler provides more juice as an interior pass rusher. Young and Silvera were parked on the bench last season, and it could be hard for them to do much more this year.
GO DEEPER
A 'hell of a start' for Maxx Crosby, Christian Wilkins and the Raiders defense at minicamp
Linebacker (5)
Starters: Robert Spillane, Divine Deablo
Backups: Luke Masterson, Tommy Eichenberg, Amari Burney
Analysis: The Raiders use a nickel package with just two linebackers on the field as their base defense, but the kickoff rule change makes it more valuable to have additional linebackers on the roster. “I think it’s going to give linebackers more opportunity to make the team,” linebackers coach Mike Caldwell said recently, “because you’re going to need guys who block and tackle in ways that in the past you haven’t needed before.” Masterson is a starting-caliber linebacker who will appear on defense frequently in three-linebacker packages and provide injury insurance, though Eichenberg could push Masterson for that role.
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Cornerback (6)
Starters: Jack Jones, Jakorian Bennett, Nate Hobbs
Backups: Brandon Facyson, Decamerion Richardson, M.J. Devonshire
Analysis: Jones is locked in as a starter at outside cornerback and the same goes for Hobbs at nickelback, but the other outside cornerback job is up for grabs. Bennett and Facyson rotated with the first-team defense throughout OTAs, but there’s still room for rookies Richardson and Devonshire to get into the mix. It wouldn’t be surprising if the cornerback competition continued into the regular season.
Safety (5)
Starters: Marcus Epps, Tre’von Moehrig
Backups: Isaiah Pola-Mao, Chris Smith II, Trey Taylor
Analysis: Epps and Moehrig thrived as the starting safety tandem this year. The Raiders coaching staff believes Moehrig can still push his game to another level and become a more dynamic playmaker. If that happens, along with the cornerback uncertainty getting smoothed over, the secondary could become one of the better units in the league. The Raiders use a third safety often, so Pola-Mao, Smith and Taylor will be competing for an important role on defense while also adding special teams help.
Special teams (3)
Kicker: Daniel Carlson
Punter: AJ Cole
Long snapper: Jacob Bobenmoyer
Kick/punt returner: Laube
Analysis: The kicking battery of Carlson, Cole and Bobenmoyer is one of the NFL’s best. The most interesting thing to watch will be what the Raiders decide to do at kick and punt returner. Laube was excellent in both of those roles in college, so he gets the nod for now, but the Raiders could continue to experiment with different kick returners as special teams coordinator Tom McMahon refines his strategy to take advantage of the new rule.
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(Photo of Maxx Crosby, defensive coordinator Patrick Graham and John Jenkins: Ethan Miller / Getty Images)
