Rounding Up the Latest Oakland Raiders Offseason Buzz
The Oakland Raiders' offseason rumor mill continues to buzz with knee-jerk reactions and early conclusions for the 2015 season. Some conclusions have merit, while others are based on unsubstantial hearsay.
At this phase of the offseason, projected starting lineups are the hot topic. Who’s putting in hours to solidify their roster spot? Who’s underperforming on their way to the bench?
Things will change when players return for training camp in six weeks, but there are some glowing reports and a few position battles to keep a very close eye on going forward.
We’ll check in on the most contested battles across the depth chart and some player development notes.
Latavius Murray Leading Running Back Competition
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The Raiders organization is fully behind running back Latavius Murray making a giant leap in 2015. The coaching staff was indeed impressed by what they saw last year and his work ethic during the offseason, per CSNBayArea.com reporter Scott Bair:
"Musgrave has been impressed by Latavius Murray's work ethic, willingness to learn.
— Scott Bair (@BairCSN) June 11, 2015"
"JDR saw "explosive moments" from Latavius Murray on 2014 tape. He's improved with a quality offseason. At this stage, he's the No. 1 guy.
— Scott Bair (@BairCSN) June 10, 2015"
Murray’s explosive end to the 2014 season and an impressive offseason showing combined with running back Trent Richardson’s slow start could decide the RB competition sooner rather than later, per ESPN.com’s Bill Williamson:
"It seems Latavius Murray is far ahead of Trent Richardson in the chase to be the starting tailback. And that's what I expected. Murray is inexperienced (just 82 career carries) but he is explosive (5.4 per carry average). Richardson looks sluggish and looks like a backup.
"
It already looks bleak for Richardson. He’s depicted as sluggish without the pads. Although he wasn’t touted for his explosiveness, it doesn’t look promising for the four-year veteran struggling to reinvent himself in Oakland.
It’s Murray’s starting gig to lose. Barring an injury or a poor showing at training camp, he should get the bulk of the work to begin the season.
Menelik Watson Leading Right Tackle Competition
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According to Williamson, free-agent signee Austin Howard trails Menelik Watson in the competition at right tackle.
Starting Watson would be a strong blow against the five-year veteran, who was expected to act as the duct tape on the right side of the offensive line. Howard has started in 48 consecutive games dating back to his time with the New York Jets. Watson has a grand total of 12 starts on his NFL resume.
Oakland may opt to start Watson to find out what they can get out of the remaining 2013 draft class that’s yet to live up to its billing. The Raiders can still put Howard to use at guard to salvage the return on his $30 million contract, per Spotrac.com.
Watson wasn’t able to stay on the field due to injury in 2014. However, a solid training camp should restart his run at right tackle for the upcoming season.
Keith McGill’s Stock Rising?
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Cornerback Keith McGill took over first-team reps during the mandatory minicamp, per Williamson, which fed into the D.J. Hayden doubters.
JustBlogBaby.com writer Evan Ball made a valid point when addressing the Hayden vs. McGill offseason battle:
"In an ideal world, both players are improving and the reps are an indication of matching the players’ position with their natural talents. In an NFL where Nickel coverage is on field more often than not, the Raiders could really benefit from having McGill outside against a taller X receiver and Hayden playing against a savvier slot guy. However, the first-team reps could be due to the change in defensive scheme, the sensibilities of the new coaches, or simply for experimental purposes.
"
T.J. Carrie, Hayden and McGill will get a significant increase in playing time, so it makes sense to ensure that all three CBs are prepared for the regular season.
I’m a strong proponent of starting McGill because of his length and ability to play physically on the outside, but that’s not a knock on Hayden, who has the quick feet to cover shifty slot receivers.
As Ball states in the quote above, three CBs are on the field in most cases. Hayden will still get a significant number of snaps as a third CB on the defense. Regardless, McGill’s limited resume will likely keep him out of the starting lineup until Hayden either disappoints or suffers an injury.
The Raiders refused to sign a veteran CB this offseason, which set the bar high for Hayden and Carrie, but McGill’s reps with the first-team defense indicates a backup plan in case there are injuries or letdowns early in the season.
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Carr and Cooper Finally Hook Up
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The long-awaited connection between quarterback Derek Carr and wide receiver Amari Cooper happened during mandatory minicamp. Carr lit up with exuberance when speaking to the media about his new target, per AL.com writer Mark Inabinett:
"Oh, my goodness! It was nice to get out there and to see just how quick he is out of his breaks. There was one ball that I put on this side of his facemask instead of the front and led him. It would have been a big play, and that's just the stuff of us getting our timing down. But it made me see like, wow, he can really get in there. I can just let it go. It's nice. It slows the rush down, too, because you get the ball out and they're angry that they couldn't get to you -- all those good things. It was good to get out there and throw to him.
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The Raiders plan on slinging the ball deep this season, with Cooper as the recipient of a lot of those passes. As Carr mentioned, time away from the field caused a lapse in fluidity, but this QB-WR combination has plenty of time to pick things up in training camp.
Cooper spent the majority of OTAs and minicamp catching passes with ease from undrafted free-agent quarterback Cody Fajardo and primary backup quarterback Christian Ponder. When he establishes a rapport with Carr, the Raiders passing attack should begin climbing the NFL ranks.
Rodney Hudson Impresses
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Center Rodney Hudson’s five-year, $44.5 million contract carries a hefty yearly price tag. He makes an average of $8.9 million a year, which is the second-highest average salary among NFL centers behind only Mike Pouncey of the Miami Dolphins.
Fortunately, the 25-year old center came in with an impressive showing, as offensive coordinator Bill Musgrave told CSNBayArea reporter Scott Bair:
"Rodney’s done a terrific job. He’s been more than what we anticipated. He has better movement than I think we expected from our film study and from watching from the other sideline. He’s done a great job of pulling. Guards and tackles pull a bunch in our system, but the center needs to at times, and he’s able to do that.
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The Raiders have a solid offensive line from the center position going left. Hudson’s presence should help Carr adjust to identifying defensive fronts and coverages as he matures in his second year. Musgrave highlighted his athleticism and his ability to pull, which bodes well for Murray looking to revitalize the rushing attack.
Carr’s connection with Hudson holds as much value as the Carr-Cooper connection in the passing attack. That consistent verbal and nonverbal exchange between the center and QB, though underrated, symbolizes the ignition point of an NFL offense.
Offensively, the Raiders made solid moves to improve every aspect of the offense. Hudson's signing, though not splashy, lays the foundation for the offensive line and pre-snap adjustments.
You can follow Maurice Moton on Twitter for the latest on the Raiders and NFL chatter.
Advanced statistics provided by Pro-Football-Reference.com. Player contracts provided by Spotrac.com
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