Camp competition: Seven position battles to watch as the Raiders prepare for the season

Continuity is one of the main reasons why the Raiders believe they can make a leap into the playoffs this season after a two-year absence.

There aren’t many sweeping changes to a roster that jelled over the second half of last season and went 5-4 under then-interim, now-permanent coach Antonio Pierce.

That doesn’t mean the starting lineup on both sides of the ball is set for their 2024 regular-season opener Sept. 8 at the Los Angeles Chargers. On the contrary, Pierce is preaching competition and vowing to put the most deserving players on the field.

There are a few positions where that’s a tough choice for Pierce and his staff going into the start of training camp Tuesday in Costa Mesa, Calif. Here are seven positions where starting spots are up for grabs, ranked roughly in terms of importance, ahead of Pierce’s first full season at the helm.

Quarterback

This is the decision that could define the season. For the first time in a decade, the Raiders go into training camp not knowing who they will rely on at the sport’s most important position.

It’s either second-year incumbent Aidan O’Connell or free agent acquisition Gardner Minshew. Compelling cases can be made for each candidate.

O’Connell has the trust of Pierce and his teammates after improving during the Raiders’ 3-1 run at the end of last season. Minshew is more proven and signed a two-year, $25 million deal to join the Raiders after starting 13 games for Indianapolis last season.

O’Connell got the initial reps of offseason team activities and minicamp in May and June but has split time with Minshew evenly overall. Minshew might be a better fit in new offensive coordinator Luke Getsy’s scheme, but he’s going to have to outplay O’Connell to win the starting job.

This is a race that could truly go either way. 

No. 2 cornerback

Deciding who plays on the opposite side of top cornerback Jack Jones and next to slot cornerback Nate Hobbs is the most pressing matter for a defense that’s mostly solidified otherwise.

The two leading candidates are second-year, former fourth-round draft pick Jakorian Bennett and sixth-year veteran Brandon Facyson.

Like quarterback, it shapes up as a 50/50 proposition on who will claim more snaps between those two. Unlike quarterback, there could be a third fourth intriguing option.

At 6-foot-2 and 188 pounds, rookie fourth-round draft pick Decamerion Richardson might fit the modern cornerback prototype better than either of the front-runners. But he’ll need to show he’s capable of adjusting to the speed and physicality of the professional game in the preseason and padded practices to get on the field consistently.

Las Vegas could also potentially sign a veteran free agent if it doesn’t trust any of the aforementioned players in the role. Bennett, struggled in his rookie campaign but drew a lot of buzz for having a great offseason going into minicamp. Facyson, who was injured most of last year, got more time with the starters overall.

Left guard

The Raiders haven’t hidden their intentions to use second-round draft pick Jackson Powers-Johnson immediately.

Powers-Johnson, who played center at the University of Oregon, shifted a spot over and was running with the starters during OTAs. He got banged up, however, and veteran free agent acquisition Cody Whitehair filled in at his left guard spot during minicamp.

Powers-Johnson should still be considered the favorite to earn the starting role, but Whitehair — who spent the past two seasons with Getsy in Chicago — provides insurance if the rookie isn’t quite ready.

Edge rusher

On the opposite side of superstar Maxx Crosby, Malcolm Koonce broke out at the end of last year with four sacks and two forced fumbles in the final four games.

The fourth-year, former third-round pick has done more than enough to retain his starting role, but he’s entering the final year of his rookie contract and may not be a part of the team’s long-term plans. That’s because the Raiders drafted Tyree Wilson at No. 7 overall last year and are therefore inherently invested in his development.

Wilson had a disappointing rookie season but will get every opportunity to bounce back this year — and that may mean supplanting Koonce.

Tight end

Both second-year player Michael Mayer and rookie Brock Bowers will be virtual starters with how often the Raiders figure to run 12 personnel (two tight ends) but that will be far from their lone formation.

It’s uncertain which of the two former collegiate All-Americans will get precedence when only one tight end is in the game. Mayer improved as last season went on and therefore may be better prepared for the rigors of a 17-game professional regular season, but Bowers is more of a big-play threat — something that was already evident in minicamp.

Bowers probably has the slight edge as the No. 1 tight end as long as he can show his blocking won’t be a liability in the preseason and padded practices.

Right tackle

Much like left guard, the Raiders have given every indication that they have their guy at right tackle — third-year, former seventh-round pick Thayer Munford Jr.

That doesn’t mean they don’t have a couple backup plans just in case the Ohio State product can’t build on the promise he showed late last season. Las Vegas signed veteran offensive-line utility man Andrus Peat from the New Orleans Saints and drafted DJ Glaze out of Maryland in the third round.

Munford struggled in minicamp, but in his defense, he was mostly matched up against Crosby. Everyone in the league struggles against Crosby.

It’s going to take a lot more than a few rough days in shorts and helmets for Munford to be unseated by Glaze or Peat.

Defensive tackle

The interior line spot next to prized free agent signing Christian Wilkins will feature a rotation, so it may not matter much who’s officially listed first on the depth chart. John Jenkins, Adam Butler, Byron Young or even Wilson could all get the nod, though.

The 34-year-old Jenkins started all 17 games last year, but the 30-year-old Butler was getting more snaps than him by the end of the season. Both Crosby and Wilkins have praised Butler, hinting he could be more than the situational pass-rusher he was for much of last season.

Young was a nonfactor in his rookie season last year, but ideally the Raiders could get something out of the third-round pick out of Alabama.

Wilson shifted inside often during minicamp. The prospects of having him, Crosby, Wilkins and Koonce all on the field together could be tantalizing if the coaching staff determines he’s set to deliver on the potential that made him a first-round pick. 

 

This story appeared in Las Vegas Weekly.