Official Las Vegas Raiders Thread

Some not great news for the Raiders.

OUT WR Joey Gallup Retired

PUP
WR Jalen Guyton
LB Darien Butler
OG Jacob Johanning
OL Jackson Powers-Johnson
OT Kolton Miller

I had Gallup penciled in as our third WR.
Guyton seemed iffy to make the roster.
Unless Butler makes a big leap, I didn't see him making an impact.
Johanning - don't know much about him.

*JPJ and Miller? Straight up, we need these guys. So, here's hoping they're ready to go. Miller had shoulder surgery, so he's expected to be on the list. I'm waiting for an update on JPJ.

 

Preseason Game 1

Who stood out?
Crosby and Koonce looked good on the opening drive.
Jakorian Bennett had good coverage on an endzone target.

AOC looked good stepping up in the pocket and making throws.
Mayer had a great catch in traffic to keep a drive going.
Bowers looks like a taller Renfrow with the ball. Pretty awesome. He has a lot of work to do in the blocking game, but that's exactly what you expect from rookie TEs.

Andrus Peat surrendered the pressure and sack on AOC that forced the first FG.

The middle of the D-line was getting gashed to end the first Q.

 

IN JPJ Guard
OUT Keelan Doss WR
IN Nathan Peterman QB
OUT Tomari Fox DT

What are we doing bringing back Peterman? I'm pumped to see JPJ in pads and on the field. Could end up being a great pick for us.

 

Peterman? Familiarity with Getsy's offense is the prevalent reason. I'd rather give Bradley time TBH.

 

OUT Anthony Brown QB

 

What we've got...

QB
Minshew draws the start and throws a beautiful pass to Tucker for a massive gain. Great connection. Minshew good rapport with Tucker to convert a third down. When Minshew gets his feet set, he makes some beautiful throws. He was looking a little rattled in the second quarter. Not stepping in to throws, floating balls. Minshew did show some good improv ability. Decent speed on a scramble.
16-33, 212 yards through two games, with a TD. In his defense, there was no Adams (two games) and no Bowers (game 2.
He's done nothing to show that he's different from what he's been. I have him as a slightly better player than AOC was last season.

AOC
Checks in, rifles a ball for a completion.
Nice toss to White. Holding takes them back.
AOC gets White killed on a floating boom-type pattern.
A couple nice connections with Wilkerson.
This opening drive in the third Q with AOC at the helm is some classic power football. Tight formations, a fullback, and lots of runs and play actions.
And it leads to a TD. Great drive. That was Raiders football.
The next drive starts the same. offense is clicking with quick, power plays. The pick six came off a target to Harrison Bryant. Not a good camera angle, but it looked like the ball was a little off target and Bryant was slow to adjust to it. Bummer.
21-29, 172 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT.
-AOC was almost as good last year as Minshew has been throughout his career. I think you run with AOC until you're convinced he hasn't improved from last season.

Carter Bradley made some quick reads and throws, and he had a beautiful pass bounce off the fingers of Ramel Keyton on a big toss. He converted a third down. Overthrew a deep ball. But generally he looked good (some clock management issues).
8-13, 56 yards and 1-6 rushing. I'm fine with him as QB3.

Others on O
Andrus Peat wasn't holding up well at LT, allowing too much pressure on consecutive plays on the opening drive.
Mayer with a nice catch across the middle to convert a third down, even taking a big lick.

Not much doing in the run game with Mattison in. No holes.
Never a good look when you finish a run in the backfield with linemen looking back at you (Munford). Andrus Peat standing around on a TE screen. Albert Huggins was wearing out Andrus Peat. Probably a night Peat would like to put behind him. Given that he was the 8th best grade Raiders OL in run blocking and the worst graded pass blocker in week 1, things don't look great for him.
Mattison finally had a hole and hit it explosively. Nice run. Then he caught a diving pass out of the backfield.
One of the worst executed screens in NFL history. I think it was intended for Laube, but there were four guys standing in a little huddle, including two OL and a defender. Ugly.

RBs by the #s (rush, receive), through 2 games
McCormick 12-34, 3-12
White 10-46, TD
Mattison 8-30, 1-6
Abdullah 4-13, 3-20
Laube 7-16
Brown 5-18, 1-11
-should we be concerned that White has no targets through two games?

Special Teams
Hats off to Dallas's kicker. Nailed a 66 yard FG.
Did I see Ameer Abdullah cause a fumble on a punt return? And Turner with the recovery. Great to see those guys doing dirty work.
Tucker looked great with a long punt and some room to run.
Tucker looked great on another punt return.
Carlson converted on all of his attempted kicks.
Cole absolutely destroyed one punt and average nearly 54 yards per punt overall.
Kick Returns: TM 2-59, AA 2-53, DL 1-16, AM 1-23, TG 2-58
Punt Returns: TM 2-31, TT 3-71, DT 1-13, AA 1-11

I want to see more Tucker on special teams. In two preseason games, he has 3 punt returns for 71 yards, 5 receptions for 139 yards, and 3 40+ yard plays. His 8 touches have gone for 210 yards. Preposterous.

Defense
Up Front
More run D problems? Jenkins and Wilkins looked to be in on a nice run up the gut. Crosby making things difficult for opponents. Tyree Wilson committed inside, opening a massive run lane. In week 1, he had the worst pass rush grade of any Raiders DL. Adam Butler looks explosive in the pass rush. Nearly hacked the arm of the Qb.

Secondary
Jack Jones with a breakup. Batted a second pass, but the WR was able to catch it on the rebound. Jones had the top coverage grade for a Raider in week 1.
I like seeing Epps and Bennett both involved at the line of scrimmage in a slow developing run.
Epps with good coverage, too. Jakorian Bennett with great coverage downfield.

Passes defended, through two weeks:
Jones 3
Gainer 2
Stone 2
Moehrig
Grant
Smith, E.
Smith, C.
Snowden
Bennett
Young

I haven't seen the week 2 PFF grades, but I'm starting to form some roster ideas.

 

Shows what I know. Raiders going with Minshew.

 

Quick look at the Rookies in the Preseason - Drafted and UDFA

Bowers: 2 targets, 78 PFF* (starter)
Powers-Johnson: Injured (2nd string)
Glaze: 66 snaps, 63.1 PFF* (2nd string)
Richardson: 3 tackles, 52 PFF (2nd string)
Eichenberg: Injured (2nd string)
Laube: 7 carries, 59 PFF (4th string)
Taylor: 1 tackle, 53 PFF (3rd string)
Devonshire: 4 tackles, 40 PFF(2nd string)
-Injuries have hit some key draftees. Bowers looks totally legit. Would love to see JPJ and Eichenberg get some burn. Other than that, Glaze has been solid. I think he has a roster spot locked up and should see some rotation time. After that, it's not especially great. Laube showed up 4th string, I believe, on an unofficial depth chart.

UDFA
QB Carter Bradley 13 pass attempts, 70 PFF (3rd string)
-In limited time, Bradley has looked decent.

WR Jeff Foreman no stats (not on Depth Chart)
WR Tulu Griffin - no stats (2nd string)
WR Ramel Keyton - 2 targets, 47 PFF (not on Depth Chart)
-Griffin is the only one I was hopeful about, but he hasn't played.

OG Clark Barrington 34 snaps, 56 PFF (3rd string)
OG Jake Johanning - no stats (not on Depth Chart)
OT Andrew Coker 9 snaps, 63 PFF (4th string)
C Will Putnam 34 snaps, 60 PFF (3rd string)
-The OL has had some solid showing. I guess Putnam has been the best balance of reps and performance.

DT Tomari Fox - ? (not on depth chart)
DT Noah Shannon 1 tackle, 63 PFF (4th string)
-Not a lot of PT

DE TJ Franklin 0, tackles, 45 PFF (4th string)
DE Amari Gainer (4th string)
DE Ron Stone 1 tackle, 54 PFF (4th string)
-Not much showing here either.

CB Demarcus Governor 6 tackles, 69 PFF (3rd string)
CB Ja'Quan Sheppard 1 tackle, 52 PFF (4th string)
CB Rayshad WIlliams 0 tackles, 69 PFF (4th string)
-Woo Governor has shown up well.

S Phalen Sanford 1 tackle, 30 PFF (4th string)
-Yike.

 

Last one.

2023 draft - growth?

Tyree Wilson with 2 tackles, he's at a 53 PFF. It's an improvement from last season's grade, but it's bad.
He's a projected 2nd stringer.
2024 Projection: 59 Grade.

Michael Mayer 5 targets, 4 receptions, 23 yards, and a 59 PFF grade. It's a bit of an improvement from last season. It's not great, but I think PFF undervalues blocking for TEs.
He's a projected starter.
2024 Projection: 66 Grade.

Byron Young - after posting a 46 PFF grade, Young is at a 36 this preseason.
He's a projected 2nd stringer.
2024 Projection: 35 Grade.

Tre Tucker posted a 65 PFF last season. He's up to 70 after hauling in 5 passes for 139 yards. Great to see.
He's a projected 2nd stringer.
2024 Projection: 62 Grade.

Jakorian Bennett is at a 77 PFF, up from 42. He has allowed 1 reception in 3 targets.
He's a projected starter.
2024 Projection: 60 Grade.

AOC is at 57 on PFF, down from 65.
He's a projected 2nd stringer.
2024 Projection: 69 Grade.

Chris Smith was solid at a 65 PFF last season, and he's up to 72 with 3 stops.
He's a projected 2nd stringer.
2024 Projection: 37 Grade.

Amari Burney ha 9 stop and a 52 PFF score. He's at 60 with 4 tackles in the preseason.
He's a projected 3rd stringer.
2024 Projection: 40 Grade.

Nesta Jade Silvera posted a 43 an had some growing up to do. He's at a 50 this season.
He's a projected 4th stringer.
2024 Projection: 28 Grade.

 

Specialists (3 by position)(3 total roster)
Carlson, Cole, Bobenmoyer
-These three are locks.

QB (2)(5)
Minshew**, AOC**
-Barring a trade, both are locks. I think Bradley sticks around as their emergency QB.

RB (4)(9)
White**, Mattison**, Abdullah**, Laube**
-I think these four are the ones making it, and Laube will have a short leash.

WR (5)(14)
Adams**, Meyers**,Tucker**, Turner**, Wilkerson**,
Bubble: McAllister*
Out: Keyton, Guyton
-I'm pretty sure McAllister makes the roster.

TE (3)(17)
Bowers**, Mayer**, Bryant**
Bubble: Gentry, Fotheringham
-I think the Raiders will keep 4 TEs, but I don't know who will be the fourth.

OL (8)(25)
Miller**, Whitehair**, James**, Parham**, Munford**, Peat**, JPJ**, Glaze**, Meredith**
-The consensus seems to be that all eight will make it.

DI (3)(28)
Wilkins**, Jenkins**, Butler, A.**,
Bubble: Young*, Jade Silvera*
Out: Butler, M.
-DI is a spot the Raiders have said they're not satisfied with. Probably four DIs will make the roster. I think three are locks.

Edge (4)(32)
Crosby**, Koonce**, Wilson**, Robinson**
Bubble: Snowden*
-Four locks. Raiders might keep five.

LB (4)(36)
Spillane**, Deablo**, Masterson**, Eichenberg**
Bubble: Gainer*
Out: Burney
-Raiders will likely keep 5. Gainer seems likely to get the nod.

CB (5)(41)
Jones**, Bennett**, Hobbs**, Facyson**, Richardson**
Bubble: Devonshire*
Out: Webb
-I think Devonshire gets in.

S (4)(46)
Moehrig**, Epps**, Pola-Mao**, Smith**
Bubble: Taylor*
-Four locks and one bubble.

If all those locks make it, that's 46 spots. That leaves 7 roster spots. Here are the guys I think are mostly likely among the Bubbles:
WR McAllister 64 Preseason PFF grade
TE Fotheringham 65 Preseason PFF grade
DI Young 51 Preseason PFF grade
Edge Snowden 74 Preseason PFF grade
LB Gainer 74 Preseason PFF grade
CB Devonshire 42 Preseason PFF grade
S Taylor 53 Preseason PFF grade

 

^ that's my roster projection.

 

I named 46 players locks, and 45 of them made it.
-Wilkerson was the only one who didn't.
I named 9 as bubble players. 5 of them made it.
-Trey Taylor designated for return from IR. I counted him as on roster.
I named 5 players out, but 2 of them made it.
-Keyton and Burney

 

- Keyton reminds me of Andre Holmes. Not happy he did not fight for that ball that caused an INT for Bradley.
- Facyson? Why? Ability is availability which he is a Case #1.
- happy for Gainer. Rod Martin 2.0?
- difference between McAllister and Wilkerson? Former can play Special Teams. We already have what he can give in Meyers at a much higher level.
- put Wilson as a DT.
- Robinson played well in spots.
- not sold on Whitehair and Peat. Should've tried to keep Van Roten or Eluemunor.

My prediction is 7-10 low or 10-7 high. Minshew is too much of a wild card.

 

In: Darnay Holmes CB, Thomas Harper S
Out: MJ Devonshire CB, Byron Young DT

 

I think I agree with most of those things. Wilson has been such a disappointment. He's definitely not going to win PT at DE over our other guys barring injury. And while I like Facyson, he's unavailable too much.

The OL spot is tough. I thought Eluemunor fell off a lot last year, but Peat looked horrendous in the preseason. Wagner is on the practice team. He's a promising guy, but he needs a lot of work still.

 

Bummers those guys didn't stick, but neither did much.

Darnay Holmes seems like a solid player. Not special, but he seems like a guy who can line up and do adequate coverage work. His passer rating when targeted has been good every season he's played.
86 in 2020
72 in 2021
85 in 2022
65 in 2023
A total of 160+ targets, only 1 TD allowed and 4 INTs.

 

Facyson released with an Injury Settlement. We're not done I think. Coupon Tom still tinkering with the roster with Pierce.

 

Yes Peat is horrible but needs to play Guard.

 

Yes, agree that this is a strategic move given the instability of the offensive line at the moment. Miller is set to return while Jackson is still being evaluated.