The Real Competition Begins Today at Oakland Raiders Camp
Later today in Napa, at the Oakland Raiders camp, players will begin practicing in pads. The competition to make the final 53 will be more intense than it has in the last 15 years. It’s the level of talent. Which is the best that has been seen, entering camp, since 2003. It’s the goals that drive the organization. Making the roster of a team with a legitimate shot to hoist a Lombardi will test these players mentally and physically.
The cream will rise to the top they say, but what happens when its all cream? This is truly the first time I can remember looking at the Raiders camp roster without being able to immediately pick out the non NFL talent. They are all that good.
But it is not the job of the Raiders coaching staff to determine who is NFL ready this year. It is their job to determine who has earned the right to wear the Silver and Black. This will be no easy task at this years Oakland Raiders camp.
The Offense.
The Raiders offense will have the least amount of competition in camp as a whole. So long as Donald Penn suits up before the season starts, he only real battle, for a starting gig, will be at Right Tackle. Austin Howard was released last week which means that competition will be wide open. Vadal Alexander and Marshall Newhouse are the front runners for that position. However with the current absence of Donald Penn, Newhouse will be getting most of his camp reps at Left Tackle. That will create more looks for Jylan Ware, Ian Silberman, and Chauncey Briggs. David Sharpe will most likely split time with Newhouse at Left Tackle for now.
The rest of the competition on offense will be all back up rolls. Given the nature of the position, the back up quarterback, will be another position to keep an eye on. As of right now both E J Manuel and Connor Cook are on equal footing going in. The real question here might be if the Raiders carry two or three roster spots for the QB position.
Some might suggest that the third wide receiver spot is up for grabs, but that is not exactly the case. Seth Roberts is fully entrenched in this position, and it would take a monumental effort to supplant him before the season starts.
The Defense.
Competition on the defensive side of the ball is going to a bit more interesting and heated. Middle Linebacker is an open competition. Corey James, Marquel Lee, and Tyrell Adams are all in the runner here with no clear favorites at the moment. That is not all though. Because of scheme change you are just as likely to see Obi Melifonwu, or mini camp star Najee Harris playing that role in passing situations. Najee Harris is considered a dark horse here, but he raised eye brows at mini camp, and could be this years Jalen Richard.
At corner, at least in camp, the real battle will be between Gareon Conley and T. J. Carrie for CB3, barring any legal action in Cleveland, with Dexter McDonald fighting just for a roster spot.
The big battle on defense will be on the line. Mario Edwards Jr. is expected to be a starter here, however there is an history of injuries and he is starting off on the Active/Non-Football Injury list. Not only that but Jihad Ward is starting camp on the PuP list. Which means we should see Denico Autry, James Cowser, Shilique Calhoun, Jimmy Beam, Fadol Brown, Chris Casher, and Brandon Jackson all getting some good looks here.
Then there is the Defensive Tackle position. Both Dan Williams and Stacy McGee are no longer with the team. This leaves a huge vacancy in a line that is seriously looking to improve on a poor 2016 outing. Darius Lathem and Justin Ellis are incumbents, but neither is a lock. Eddie Vanderdoes, my sleeper pick to start, and Treyvon Hester are both going to push hard for a starting role.
The Special Teams.
This will be the wild wild west of the Oakland Raiders camp. With the departure of Brynden Trawick, Andre Holmes, Taiwan Jones, and Daren Bates, it has left quite a lot of opportunities to make the team via special teams. Shalom Luani is my only “lock” here from the rookies, before this competition starts, and even then, nothing is guaranteed. Needless to say, but about 20 plus players will be fighting like cats and dogs for one of these seven or eight roster spots.
