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Defense will be the strength of this Raiders team and there’s a lot of returning starters. But the preseason isn’t really about entrenched starters. It’s about hopefuls and those looking to be the guy who, if called upon, would keep the group from …
Defense will be the strength of this Raiders team and there’s a lot of returning starters. But the preseason isn’t really about entrenched starters. It’s about hopefuls and those looking to be the guy who, if called upon, would keep the group from missing a beat.
With that in mind, here are the top five positions battles to watch when the Raiders take on the Vikings on Saturday.
Raiders 53-man roster prediction as camp moves to Week 2
We are one week into training camp. And while there is still much to be decided over the final five camp practices and the preseason, let’s go ahead and make a prediction about who will be on the 53-man roster based on what we have seen so far.
Raiders LB Divine Deablo drops weight, down to 223 pounds
The Raiders have had a revolving door at the linebacker position for the better part of two decades. It has been a spot that has given them plenty of problems of the years.
However, the Raiders, entering the 2024 season, finally have the linebacker position figured out, with Robert Spillane and Divine Deablo returning as the starters. Both players had fantastic 2023 seasons and should be even better in 2024, especially Deablo.
In a recent article by Tashan Reed of The Athletic, he wrote about Deablo and his performance so far in training camp. One of the most interesting notes regarding Deablo is that he’s cut 15 pounds ahead of the 2024 season and wants to play around 225 pounds this season:
Coming off a 2022 season in which he played just eight games due to injury, Deablo bulked up to 238 pounds last year in an effort to improve his durability. But Deablo said the added weight made him too slow. He only missed two games and had a productive year with 106 tackles, but he said he didn’t believe he played “to expectations” and still dealt with multiple injuries. This year, he has slimmed down to 223 pounds and believes he’ll be faster and better.
Deablo is the perfect weakside linebacker in Patrick Graham’s defense, as he can run from sideline to sideline and has no problem making plays in coverage. His biggest knock is his inability to shed blocks, but the Raiders are hopeful that the addition of Christian Wilkins will keep Spillane and Deablo cleaner this year.
With Deablo adding even more speed this year, he is primed for a massive season in the final year of his rookie contract. Look for the former Virginia Tech star to have his best season yet in 2024.
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ESPN predicts Raiders WR Davante Adams will make Hall of Fame in 2032
There is no question that Davante Adams is having a Hall of Fame career. He’s been among the best receivers in the league for nearly a decade and hasn’t shown any signs of slowing down anytime soon.
But when might he make the Hall of Fame? That is a question that Bill Barnwell of ESPN tried to answer and his prediction was in 2032, meaning that he would retire after the 2027 season. Here are his thoughts on the future Hall of Fame receiver for Las Vegas:
With three first-team All-Pro nods, Adams is five touchdowns away from being in the 10,000-yard, 100-touchdown club at wide receiver. While receivers are benefiting from a 17-game season and a pass-happy league, every other receiver who has hit those round numbers is either in the Hall of Fame or likely to get there.
Maybe 2024 ends up being a bit of a lost season with Adams as he struggles through a year with middling quarterback play, but he could make up for it with a solid final couple of seasons somewhere else — perhaps as one of Justin Herbert’s primary targets in Los Angeles, adding a Super Bowl in the process.
It’s pretty conceivable that Adams could retire with well over 13,000 receiving yards and 120+ touchdowns, which would make him a shoo-in for the Hall of Fame. He is the type of receiver who should age well in the NFL, so maybe he could surpass those numbers by a large margin.
Adams will be an NFL Hall of Famer and it’s just a matter of when, not if. So try to enjoy his 2024 season as we are watching one of the best to ever do it.
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Raiders enamored by rookie RB Dylan Laube, Antonio Pierce calls him ‘special’
Do you hear that? It’s subtle, but there has been a steady drumbeat of positive news coming out of Raiders camp about rookie running back Dylan Laube. A Day 3 pick from New Hampshire, Laube has already impressed his new coaches in a big way.
In a recent article by Vic Tafur of The Athletic, he wrote about Laube and his impressive training camp to date. Here is what Tafur had to say about the Day 3 rookie for the Raiders:
Despite the offensive struggles, rookie running back Dylan Laube has quickly made a strong impression. He’s started to get reps with the first-team offense as a third-down running back and has also worked on special teams with the kick returners.
The Raiders haven’t run the ball much in these padless practices, but Laube has looked smooth as a receiver. Pierce described him as “special” last week, and Getsy raved about him Monday.
Whenever the head coach notices a Day 3 player like Laube, that is excellent news for his long-term outlook. And with the Raiders having no clear-cut backup to Zamir White, it’s not hard to believe that Laube could earn that role in 2024.
The Raiders clearly want to have a passing-down back paired with White and Laube is the most likely option. Still, he’ll have to prove it in training camp and the preseason, so expect to see him get a ton of work over the next month.
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Raiders CB Jakorian Bennett having strong camp in Year 2
The Raiders are on the search for another starting outside cornerback to pair with Jack Jones and Nate Hobbs. Patrick Graham’s defense relies on five defensive backs who can play nearly every snap and be reliable run defenders.
So far, it appears that second-year cornerback Jakorian Bennett is the most likely player to earn the starting job in Week 1. After a rough rookie season, Bennett has taken a big step in Year 2 and could be considered the favorite for that spot.
In a recent article by Vic Tafur of The Athletic, he wrote about Bennett’s performance early in camp and how he has looked so far. Here is a snippet of his thoughts on the sophomore cornerback:
Cornerback Brandon Facyson missed practice Monday due to an undisclosed reason. With him out, Jakorian Bennett handled all of the starting snaps at outside cornerback. After losing his starting job last season due to injury and poor performance, the second-year player has had a strong training camp and looks to be on his way to reclaiming it.
The Raiders are optimistic that someone will step up opposite of Hobbs and Jones, but they just aren’t sure who it will be yet. As of right now, Bennett has the lead on the other defensive backs, but we shall see who steps up once the pads come on.
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Raiders S Isaiah Polo-Mao standing out during training camp
It’s been a long time since the Raiders have had a dominant defense. Before the 2023 season, the last time the Raiders had a top-10 scoring defense was all the way back in 2002. That was over 20 years ago, but everything seems in place for them to have an elite unit again in 2024.
So far in camp, that has been the case as the defense is way ahead of the offense. In a recent article by Tashan Reed of The Athletic, he wrote about how dominant the defense has been early on in training camp. They’ve routinely handled the offense and it hasn’t been close.
One reason why has been the improved play of the depth players on the defense, including Isaiah Pola-Mao, a third-year safety from USC. Here is a snippet of what Reed had to say about Pola-Mao so far during training camp:
Whether he’s lined up deep or as a slot defender, Pola-Mao has been effective as the third safety. His size and length help him deal with larger receiving threats, but he also has the foot speed to stick with quicker targets.
The Raiders have a very good starting unit on defense, but their depth is significantly better this year than in previous seasons. Pola-Mao is a perfect example of that, as he has been in Patrick Graham’s defense for multiple seasons now and is primed for a breakout year.
With the Raiders using at least five defensive backs on every play, Pola-Mao should be able to find a role on the defense. If he continues to make plays in camp, it’s possible that he could eventually work his way into the starting lineup. Keep an eye on the third-year safety from USC, as he could be a key part of the defense this season.
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ESPN insider predicts Aidan O’Connell will win Raiders QB competiton
It’s pretty rare to have a quarterback battle in today’s NFL. Most teams want to have an entrenched starter and build the offense around that player. But several teams in the league have uncertain quarterback situations heading into the season.
In a recent article by Dan Graziano of ESPN, he wrote about five quarterback battles that are currently happening around the NFL. That included the Raiders, who have yet to see one quarterback surpass the other.
Graziano believes that Aidan O’Connell will win the job initially, and that has been the common belief among beat reporters who have been at camp. Here is a snippet of what he had to say about the battle going on in Las Vegas:
I think Pierce will feel enough loyalty to O’Connell to lean his way, and if neither player separates himself during camp, I predict that’s the way the Raiders will go in Week 1. How long O’Connell holds the job will likely depend on whether the team is winning, but it wouldn’t be shocking at all to see both of these guys start games in 2024 — and someone totally different could be starting Week 1 in 2025.
Both O’Connell and Gardner Minshew have struggled with their accuracy early in camp and their performances have not been up to par. But if the competition is close, expect the Raiders to go with the younger player and rely on O’Connell this season.
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Both Raiders QBs struggle during Thursday’s practice
If you were hoping for a positive update regarding the quarterback competition for the Las Vegas Raiders, you will want to stop reading. Thursday was not a great day for either Gardner Minshew or Aidan O’Connell.
According to Vic Tafur of The Athletic, Minshew threw two interceptions during the practice and O’Connell was even less accurate. Neither quarterback has stood out yet in training camp and that was the case during OTAs this offseason, as well.
Here is a snippet of what Tafur had to say about O’Connell’s performance in practice on Thursday:
Aidan O’Connell finished 6-for-11 on mostly dump-offs but almost ended on a high note. His lob, however, to Keelan Doss in the corner of the end zone took the receiver a little too far and he couldn’t get two feet in.
Earlier, in seven-on-seven drills, O’Connell was on the passing end of the offensive play of the day, when No. 3 tight end Harrison Bryant laid out for a catch in the back of the end zone.
The good news is that the Raiders don’t have to make a decision on their starting quarterback today and still have over a month until their first game. It’s fair to expect both quarterbacks to struggle as they learn Luke Getsy’s offense, but the hope is that one of the two starts to really improve over the next few weeks.
Again, it’s still early, but the early reports from training camp regarding the quarterback situation haven’t been very encouraging. Here’s hoping that both players improve rather quickly.
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Drops continue to plague Raiders WR Tre Tucker during training camp
The Raiders feel really good about their starting wide receivers. Davante Adams and Jakobi Meyers are one of the league’s top duos, and they complement each other very well. The No. 3 job is Tre Tucker’s, but he is one of the biggest wildcards of the entire offense.
Tucker had a solid rookie season, racking up over 300 receiving yards on just 34 targets. But drops were an issue for him all season as he could have had a much bigger year. Unfortunately, that issue hasn’t been solved yet early in camp.
In a recent article by Vic Tafur of The Athletic, he wrote about Tucker’s performance during Thursday practice and the numerous drop issues that he had. Here is a snippet of his thoughts on the second-year receiver from Cincinnati:
Tucker’s two drops came on a would-be touchdown during a seven-on-seven red zone period and a would-be first down during an 11-on-11 red zone drill.
He impressed his coaches and teammates with his electric speed, improved physique and sharpened route running, but holding onto the ball — and making sure he gets his feet inbounds on catches toward the sidelines and back of the end zone — gave him issues as a rookie.
A couple of practice drops aren’t anything to overreact to, but he’ll need to improve there to make a Year 2 leap.
Tucker has game-breaking speed and his ability to stretch the field is something no other player on the roster can do. But if the drop issues continue, he’ll have a hard time seeing the field in Year 2.
We are only a few days into camp, so there is nothing to stress about yet. But it is frustrating that Tucker hasn’t been able to fix this issue yet.
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