Oakland Raiders: What We've Learned Through Week 2 of Training Camp
After Wednesday's practice, the Oakland Raiders will begin preparing for their preseason opener against the St. Louis Rams Friday night at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT.
Raider Nation will get a good look at the backups and several rookies during these exhibition games leading up to the regular season.
Week 2 of training camp shed more light on the development of some key reserves heading into Friday’s matchup.
An unlikely undrafted free agent earned some valuable first-team reps, a pair of veterans struggled with limited opportunities, and a pair of rookies could make an immediate impact as rotational pieces within a young, developing defense.
The buzz coming out of camp in Napa Valley, California, delivers some shocks, disappointments and encouraging progress for the silver and black.
Mario Edwards’ Valuable Versatility
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After taking a peek at the first official depth chart, you’d think second-round pick Mario Edwards Jr. disappointed the coaching staff during training camp. Khalil Mack is listed as the starting defensive end, but Edwards offers a lot of flexibility.
According to CSNBayArea.com reporter Scott Bair, Edwards’ versatility creates more options in sub-packages, specifically on passing downs: "The Williams-Ellis pairing won’t carry over to sub-packages designed to help pass defense—the nickel and dime packages will contain a four-man front featuring Mack, Tuck, Mario Edwards Jr. and Benson Mayowa—but it should be a mainstay in the base defense."
The concept of fusing Mack, Tuck, Edwards and Mayowa together offers a solid blend of pass-rushers and run-stoppers up front in the nickel and dime sets.
Edwards doesn’t provide the prototypical skills of an edge-rusher, but defensive coordinator Ken Norton Jr. could opt to slide him inside to spell defensive tackles Dan Williams and Justin Ellis, per Oakland Tribune writer Jerry McDonald via Twitter.
The former Florida State defensive lineman projects as the X-factor within the defensive unit as his role remains undefined but intriguing.
Ben Heeney a Solid Run-Stuffer
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Fifth-round pick Ben Heeney continues to draw rave reviews throughout the offseason with his performances on the practice field. He exhibits the intelligence to set up a defense and the instincts to attack the football, per ESPN.com’s Bill Williamson.
According to SilverAndBlackPride.com writer Levi Damien, Heeney continued to showcase his superior field awareness and instincts as a proficient run-stopper. The run defense should develop into one of the best in the league with the offseason additions up front and at the inside linebacker position.
Post-draft skepticism surrounded Heeney’s fit within the defense. He was immediately labeled as just another special teams player. However, the former Kansas tackling machine should see extra snaps within 3-4 sub-packages alongside inside linebacker Curtis Lofton.
Heeney shows little hesitation when diagnosing a play at the heart of a defense, after compiling 335 career tackles and 35 tackles for a loss at Kansas. He brings a hard-nosed, fast-paced style of play to the Raiders defense.
Trent Richardson Still Unimpressive
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It’s the same song and dance from running back Trent Richardson. He returned to the practice field after recovering from pneumonia.
Running backs Michael Dyer and Roy Helu Jr. have missed some practices since Richardson’s return, but the former No. 3 overall pick continues down a road of underachievement.
Heeney and the second-team defense dominated Richardson during practice this week, per Damien: "What an abysmal day for Trent Richardson. I don't think I saw him get more than two yards on any run all day. Heeney obviously had his number, but it wasn't just him. Larry Asante came up and stuffed him twice, and Spencer Hadley got his shot in as well for a loss."
Richardson either came back with some rust, or he’s slowly punching his ticket out of Oakland via poor performances. He doesn’t resemble a player who is attempting to revitalize his career, getting stuffed by a rookie and two fringe players who are fighting for a roster spot.
The preseason serves as Richardson’s two-minute warning on his stint in Oakland and possibly his NFL career. Unfortunately, it’s hard to envision two-yard runs at practice developing into four- and five-yard gains during the preseason.
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Keep an Eye on Seth Roberts
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Some take the initial depth chart more seriously than others. Raider Nation should pay close attention to wide receiver Seth Roberts, who garnered the attention of the coaching staff with some solid practices. He managed to earn some first-team reps, per San Francisco Chronicle writer Vic Tafur via Twitter.
Wide receiver Rod Streater’s absence has created a void at the No. 3 wide receiver spot. Roberts won’t hold onto his prominent position on the depth chart, but he’s making a case to remain on the active roster or at least the practice squad.
Roberts signed as an undrafted free agent out of West Alabama in 2014, but he failed to make it on the field.
He had a breakout senior year at West Alabama with 40 receptions, 857 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns. He must put together an impressive preseason to emulate Streater’s route as an improbable undrafted free agent getting significant snaps on Sundays.
Austin Howard Unimpressive with the First Team
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Offensive tackle Menelik Watson missed a few practices, but offensive lineman Austin Howard failed to capitalize on his time lining up with the first team.
Damien highlights a portion of Howard’s day at right tackle via Twitter. It started with allowing a sack and continued with a false start. Right on cue, Watson eventually returned to the starting lineup, replacing Howard, per Tafur via Twitter.
The Raiders saw enough of Howard at right tackle, and now the position belongs to Watson, barring a major letdown during the preseason.
Howard enters the second year of his $30 million contract, and he’ll likely make the 53-man roster as a swing offensive lineman for the upcoming season.
He still retains some value with the capability of playing both tackle and guard. However, he’s not exceptionally good at either position, so it’s reasonable to stash him in case of injuries.
Which players are you keeping an eye in the first preseason game? Share your comments below. Follow Maurice Moton on Twitter for Raiders training camp news.
All statistics are provided by Pro-Football-Reference.com and Sports-Reference.com unless otherwise noted.
Oakland Raiders' official depth chart courtesy of Raiders.com.
Player contracts courtesy of Spotrac.com.
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