Blistering In From Sea.
Blistering In From Sea.
shocked we dont have van dyke on the roster ...yet
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KimJongBaze
- Posts: 1329
- Joined: 27 Nov 2018, 18:31
Blistering In From Sea.
hop out the sixteen passenger!
TVD could never be Kaaya
Blistering In From Sea.
Sizing up the Raiders' early position battles as minicamp gets underway
The new-look Raiders will take the field Tuesday for the second day of the mandatory three-day minicamp that runs June 6 to 8.
General manager Dave Ziegler and coach Josh McDaniels have brought in new starters at quarterback, running back, the interior of the offensive line, and cornerback. And there will be battles on both offense and defense that Ziegler hopes spark an improvement on last year’s non-playoff finish despite a ten win season.
“I think there’s some areas of the team that we’re going to continue to look to address and improve and add competition,” Ziegler said after the draft. “But I think definitely on the defense we added some competition there. … We need to continue to grow and continue to (look) at who the other available players are, and see if there’s other ways that we can improve the team.”
Here’s an early look at what figure to be five competitive position battles — and I didn’t include right tackle because it’s just a matter of time before first-round pick Joe Alt beats out veteran Thayer Munford.
Running Back
Contenders: Damien Harris, Zamir White, Miyan Williams
This could end up being a committee approach but with Laviska Shenault Jr. already penciled in as the team's receiving back, akin to James White in New England according to McDaniels, this makes it very competitive for the remaining snaps to be shared between a veteran in Harris, a young player in White who backed up Josh Jacobs last season and a top-100 pick in Williams.
They're similar players around six feet and 210 pounds with Williams being both the shortest at five-foot-nine and heaviest, weighing in at 226 pounds during the NFL Combine. They are physical runners that also have enough burst to break a long run or two but Williams stood out at OTAs as having perhaps the most wiggle to his game while going through drills.
The real test will be when pads come on in training camp but the three-day mini camp will serve as a good litmus test to see which players get the most snaps with the first team by the third practice.
Harris is familiar with the offense, even as a new addition, as he played for McDaniels in New England and has his best season there when McDaniels was the OC. In Buffalo, he averaged a career low 3.7 yards per carry but still managed to score eight rushing touchdowns and caught 22 passes.
White served as a situational player last season, carrying the ball 98 times for 408 yards and five touchdowns, mostly on short yardage situations. Williams might be better suited for that role as he showed more leg churn and the ability to break tackles in college than White has in the NFL but until he does it in the NFL, he'll likely be third on the totem pole.
Likely winner: Damien Harris
Bold prediction: Miyan Williams
Fourth Receiver
Contenders: K.J. Hamler, Tory Horton, Mario Williams, Bo Melton
We know the top three receivers are likely going to be Davante Adams, Tre Tucker and Jakobi Meyers who ended up being a very solid three-man punch by the end of the season with Adams being a top three receiver, Tucker leading all rookie receivers in yardage and Meyers serving as a solid WR3 who was adjusting to life as an outside receiver and should improve this season.
McDaniels likes to run a lot of 12 and 22 personnel but the fourth receiver will be an important position and the Raiders have plenty of options from free agent acquisition K.J. Hamler, two draft picks in Tory Horton and Mario Williams and a returner in Bo Melton, who they brought back after having a breakout game in his only start of the season.
Horton and Melton probably have the clearest path to the field with their ability to play either outside positions and while Meyers is currently penciled in as a starter, it's not written in ink. A strong preseason could have Horton or Melton challenging for that third receiver spot and allow Meyers, as a fourth receiver, to slide back into the slot where he seems to be more comfortable.
This wouldn't be welcomed news for Hamler and Williams who are primarily slot receivers so adding a fourth slot guy, behind Tucker, wouldn't be ideal for their chances to get on the field. Williams has some Tucker-like qualities with his quickness and ability to make big plays so he'll be one to watch but Hamler is being paid over $4 million this season so it's hard to imagine a scenario where he's collecting healthy inactives.
Likely winner: K.J. Hamler
Bold prediction: Bo Melton is a starter, Jakobi Meyers is the fourth receiver
Nose Tackle
Contenders: Nesta Jade Silvera, Tyleik Williams, Tommy Togiai, Fabian Lovett
Nesta Jade Silvera showed enough flashes last season that the team didn't go after a veteran in free agency to replaced the retired John Jenkins, who Silvera was challenging by the end of last season for snaps. Instead, they added a vet minimum body in Tommy Togiai, drafted Tyleik Williams with a top-100 pick and picked up an undrafted free agent in Fabian Lovett.
It's not a glamour position but it'll be an important one this season as the Raiders try to improve their rushing defense that was atrocious last season in key games and moments, especially against the Chiefs.
Williams is the wild card here as he showed good movement skills in the OTAs and through the first day of mini camp, he was one of the standouts as he just looks and moves different out there compared to the rest of the group.
It seems that the writing is on the wall that Williams, given where he was selected in the draft and his play so far this offseason, is the eventual starter but Silvera played well enough last season to be worth mentioning.
Likely winner: Tyleik Williams
Bold prediction: Nesta Jade Silvera
EDGE
Contenders: Jordan Willis, Malcolm Koonce, David Anenih, Porter Gustin, Anfernee Orji
Former first round pick Tyree Wilson will still be used as an edge rusher occasionally based on comments from both McDaniels and defensive coordinator Patrick Graham but through OTAs and minicamp, Wilson has primarily been going through the interior lineman drills, leaving a hole at his former position opposite of Maxx Crosby.
Koonce and Anenih return from last year's team while the team added Jordan Willis, Porter Gustin and Anfernee Orji. None are household names nor have a hefty cap hit so it's a wide open battle with Koonce being the leader of the clubhouse as a returning play and Willis being the most experienced of the bunch.
A dark horse to watch for is Anenih who might be the most natural pass rusher of the bunch but needs to improve against the run.
Likely winner: Malcolm Koonce
Bold prediction: David Anenih
Nickel
Contenders: Jeff Okudah, Jakorian Bennett
Jakorian Bennett started at nickel last season and while he had some strong games, he struggled mightily when the team went with a man heavy game plan or when he was asked to cover receivers that he didn't have a significant speed advantage against.
The Raiders went out and signed Michael Davis and Jeff Okudah with Davis projected to continue playing outside while Okudah has the ability to play both on the outside and at nickel.
It's a one-year prove it deal for Okudah who will get a chance throughout the summer to take over that nickel spot from Bennett whose the better athlete but is still improving in coverage.
Likely winner: Jeff Okudah
Bold prediction: Jakorian Bennett
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KimJongBaze
- Posts: 1329
- Joined: 27 Nov 2018, 18:31
Blistering In From Sea.
Nickel corner always gonna be a problem in Madden, that being said I think it's still worth getting Bennett the reps.
Blistering In From Sea.
no more front this is damien harris' backfield to lose brah
when is matt patricia and steve beli joining the coaching staff
when is matt patricia and steve beli joining the coaching staff
Blistering In From Sea.
He started last year and did okay so the plan is to use him and Okudah situationally with Bennett playing against faster teams but we'll seeKimJongBaze wrote: ↑25 Oct 2023, 10:26Nickel corner always gonna be a problem in Madden, that being said I think it's still worth getting Bennett the reps.
We'll see, definitely going to get starter snaps in the preseason but want to give Zamir White and Miyan Williams some looks as well, a bit more explosive at this point.
keep matt patricia away from football teams i care about loc
Blistering In From Sea.
Training Camp Confidential: Five players to keep an eye on during training camp
Raiders general manager Dave Ziegler — and his player personnel crew, along with head coach Josh McDaniels and his coaching staff — are in full Raiders remake mode after making a pivotal change at the all-important quarterback spot. The decision there caused a ripple effect this offseason and Las Vegas heads into Year 3 of the Ziegler-McDaniels era with a roster heading towards the the vision the two former New England Patriots have. It isn’t quiet there yet, however.
Forget the hot seat for the Silver & Black power duo. Owner Mark Davis is of the long-view approach and is patient to let his chosen pair right the Raiders’ ship. Davis wants to bring a similar tight-ship veneer to the desert — one that Ziegler and McDaniels are all too accustomed to during their time in Foxborough.
While a lot of the attention will be on new quarterback Justin Fields, star receiver Davante Adams and edge rusher Maxx Crosby as the star of the teams, training camp is really about under-the-radar players making a name for themselves and veterans earning their keep. Here are a few guys to keep your eyes on:
WR K.J. Hamler
Despite not much production since his 2020 rookie season, Vegas still signed Hamler to a two-year deal with a $4.37 million cap hit in 2024 and $4.63 million next season with $3.6 million of his deal being guaranteed. It's not the most guaranteed money in the world but a clear indication that the Raiders want Hamler and weren't afraid to sweeten the spot to help secure his signature.
The former second round pick has torn his ACL twice already and missed most of the 2022 season with an hamstring and pectoral injury, not to mention his heart condition diagnosis last season that led to his release from the Broncos before spending the year with the Eagles, catching 22 passes for 252 yards.
Hamler figures to be in the mix to be a returner for the team, replacing Ameer Abdullah and the Raiders coaching staff being perhaps wanting to limit Tre Tucker's involvement on special teams with his expanding role in the offense.
What makes Hamler intriguing is he's your prototypical slot receiver, a player who can threaten deep at any time with a free release off the line. He struggled in Denver as they asked him to play out wide more often. The problem? Vegas has a bunch of those guys already in Tucker, potentially Laviska Shenault Jr. in a hybrid running back/slot role, rookie Mario Williams and even starters Davante Adams and Jakobi Meyers who also like to operate in the slot.
Hamler will get plenty of opportunities as his contract dictates it so he's a key player to keep an eye on.
IDL Byron Young
Jerry Tillery, who finished second on the team last season, is on a contract year and the Raiders don't seem to be in an hurry to extend his contract.
A possible reason why is second-year defensive tackle Byron Young who played well at times last season. The Alabama product’s pass rush is still a work in progress but did show growth in that area last season. The Raiders need to improve their run defense which is where Tillery struggled and should be a strength for Young who is more of your traditional three-technique.
If Young continues to improve as a pass rusher and helps stabilize the rush defense in the Raiders base defense this preseason, he could be in line for an expanded role by the time the season rolls around.
EDGE Jordan Willis
Willis spent the 2023 season with the Colts after being released by the Raiders on the final day of cuts. He appeared in seven games, playing 51 snaps but failed to record a stat for the first time in his career
The former third round pick enter this year's training camp not only trying to make the roster but potentially earning a starting role. He's familiar with the system, having spent last off-season with the team and probably has the best pedigree among the competitors for that starting spot opposite of Maxx Crosby with Willis being a Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year coming out of Kansas State in 2016.
He's still an impressive athlete whose bounced around in the NFL and is looking for a career rebirth in the desert.
LB Curtis Jacobs
Many were critical of the selection of Jacobs in the third round and it's only been a few practices but Jacobs really stood out in the 7-on-7 periods earlier in the spring, particularly against tight end Michael Mayer and running back Zamir White in some of their one-on-one matchups in coverage.
Jacobs was 'sticky' throughout OTAs and mini-camp and while he doesn't have the straight line speed of Divine Deablo or even Robert Spillane, he does seem to be a more instinctual player in coverage and could make a role for himself with a strong preseason and training camp.
It's a deep group at inside linebacker with Spillane and Deablo as the returning starters, a veteran pickup in Jayon Brown, a returning second-year player in Amari Burney and a fellow rookie in Eric Gentry as well as third tear man Darien Butler.
DB Decorian Patterson
The Raiders are throwing a lot at the rookie with him taking snaps all over the defense at boundary corner, nickel and at safety. Patterson played safety and corner at Middle Tennessee State before primarily being a corner at UCF.
His positional versatility bodes well for his ability to make the roster as well as ensuring that he'll get snaps in the preseason as the team will likely want to see him at different positions throughout the game.
Patterson fared a lot better than expected during the competitive 7-on-7 periods and even on 1-on-1 drills, getting the best of Hamler on a few 1-on-1 reps and breaking up a deep pass to Mario Williams during the last practice of mini camp.
The big question for Patterson and the potential move to safety is his physicality at 193 pounds which will be tested when the pads come on in training camp and in a live game.
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KimJongBaze
- Posts: 1329
- Joined: 27 Nov 2018, 18:31
Blistering In From Sea.
Interested the most about Jacobs. Sounds like he can really make an impact in those pass coverage packages
Blistering In From Sea.
his overall sucks but he might be just what we need in pass defense with high coverage skills for a LBKimJongBaze wrote: ↑25 Oct 2023, 17:14Interested the most about Jacobs. Sounds like he can really make an impact in those pass coverage packages