Spirited competition developing for Raiders’ roster spots at skill positions

By Case Keefer (contact)

Friday, Aug. 19, 2022 | 2 a.m.

DJ Turner had a big week of practice going into the Raiders’ second preseason game Sunday against the Minnesota Vikings, catching the attention of fellow receiver Tyron Johnson.

Johnson was so impressed that he went up to Turner after a team meeting the night before the game and told him he was going to score against the Vikings. Sure enough, the second-year pro Turner broke the Raiders’ biggest offensive play when he caught a pass from quarterback Nick Mullens on a drag route and sped off to a 34-yard touchdown as part of the victory.

While Turner screamed in a “surreal moment” in the end zone after his first professional touchdown, Johnson celebrated on the sidelines at Allegiant Stadium.

“We try to bring up each other as much as we can,” Turner said of his relationship with Johnson.

That’s no easy task considering the two speedy, former undrafted free agents might be fighting for the last roster spot, or two, in the Raiders’ wide receiver room. Johnson hasn’t scored yet for the Raiders, but he’s consummated standout practice performances by consistently getting open in the pair of preseason games.

Everyone knew the Raiders were loaded with skill-position players at the top of their roster, but the depth they’ve shown through the first month of training camp has been a revelation. The success of players like Johnson, Turner and a handful of other receivers and running backs is going to make impending roster cuts tougher on new coach Josh McDaniels and his staff.

The Raiders, and the rest of the NFL, must trim from 85 to 80 players on Tuesday before confirming the final 53-man roster on Aug 30. It’s a number’s game going into the Raiders’ third preseason game scheduled for 4 p.m. Saturday at the Miami Dolphins, but the coaches have told the players to resist doing the math in an attempt to figure out where they stand. The players are adamant they’re taking that advice.

“We are brothers in the locker room every day,” Johnson said. “We have film every day and try to uplift each other. It’s a competition in the media room, but in the locker room, we’re embracing each other like, ‘What can we do better?’ We’re really helping each other.”

The biggest sign yet of the Raiders’ logjam at receiver came on Tuesday when they cut veteran Demarcus Robinson, who was a heavy favorite to make the team coming into training camp. The former Kansas City Chief had two catches against the Vikings, including one in traffic, but hadn’t separated himself from a pack that includes Johnson, Turner, veteran Keelan Cole and undrafted rookie free agent Justin Hall in practice.

McDaniels is emphasizing that practice — especially a pair of joint sessions with the New England Patriots next week — is every bit as important as the preseason games when it comes to the ultimate roster decisions.

“The best thing you can tell them is, they’ll determine how this goes,” McDaniels said of his players trying to make the team. “If you’re a player, that’s all you ever want: An opportunity to compete and play.”

The Raiders will likely keep five wide receivers on the regular-season roster, though they could opt for six, and three spots appear locked-up barring injury — those belonging to Davante Adams, Hunter Renfrow and Mack Hollins. Johnson and Cole outwardly seem to be the favorites for the final two slots, but Turner, Dillon Stoner — a training camp standout a year ago who recently returned from injury — and others could make a push.

The situation at running back might be even more complex. Going into training camp, it looked highly likely that a five-man running back room of Josh Jacobs, Zamir White, Kenyan Drake, Brandon Bolden and Jakob Johnson would solidify.

The fullback Johnson, Pro-Bowler Jacobs and rookie White should all feel secure but there are a lot of players vying for the final spots. Three of the preseason standouts are eighth-year veteran Ameer Abdullah, recent free-agent signee Austin Walter and seventh-round rookie draft pick Brittain Brown.

All three could also add extra value as returners. NFL teams don’t typically carry six running backs into the season, but nothing should be considered certain under McDaniels.

“I’ve always been a big believer in having as many good backs as you can have on your team, because like I’ve said before, they get the ball more than anybody else,” McDaniels said. “They have it more than any other player, other than the quarterback, and usually they're taking hits and getting contact when they have it. So, there's a chance for nicks and bumps and bruises and injuries. You just don't ever want to get caught short in that area.”

It looks like it would take a massive cluster of injuries for the Raiders to be truly undermanned at wide receiver and running back this year. The skill positions forecasted as the strength of the team, and they’ve only picked up steam with the emergence of so many younger players.

The Raiders also have 16 practice-squad spots at their disposal that will surely include at least a couple of the developing playmakers, but that’s not the aim for any of them. They’re all heeding McDaniels’ words and pushing as hard as they can to make the 53-man roster.

“My first few years, I definitely overthought it and worried about it a little more,” Johnson said. “But now that’s something I can’t control. All I control is what I do every day and just trying to prove that I belong.”

Case Keefer can be reached at 702-948-2790 or [email protected]. Follow Case on Twitter at twitter.com/casekeefer.Case Keefer can be reached at 702-948-2790 or