Breaking Down Oakland Raiders' Likely Opening Game Starting Lineup
The buzz from the Oakland Raiders' preseason opener lingers as speculation builds on the potential starting lineup.
The starting unit played well on both sides of the ball against the St. Louis Rams, but there’s a lot more to prove with three preseason games left.
The starting lineup came off the field without any major disappointments. Some players flashed more than others, but the coaching staff put the right guys on the field for the most part.
Who should remain with the first team, and who might take a step back as a reserve player?
Here’s the first of many starting lineup projections for Week 1 of the upcoming season.
Quarterback
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Starter: Derek Carr
Don’t be fooled by quarterback Matt McGloin’s offensive explosion against the Rams' second- and third-unit defenses. Quarterback Derek Carr is still the guy to lead this offense, but Raider Nation can feel good knowing his backups showed the potential to make plays.
Carr threw a costly interception in the red zone to end his second drive and later took the blame for the miscommunication. Mentally, he’s evolving quickly, and the physical aspect should gradually follow with his level of determination, work ethic and talent available.
There’s no doubt Carr enters Week 1 as the starter with a much stronger rapport with his rookie receiver.
Running Back
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Starter: Latavius Murray
Running back Latavius Murray directly praised center Rodney Hudson for his play as the focal point to a productive offense Friday night.
Murray had a long 17-yard run that let everyone know he’s still a burner on the field and a threat to run the distance on any carry.
At the running back position, he’s in a league of his own among the Raiders' stable of ball-carriers. The second-best ball-carrier on the depth chart trots yards behind Murray in regard to the starting position.
He definitely proved himself over the course of the offseason as the lead back in Oakland. Now, he just needs to remain healthy for a productive regular season.
Wide Receiver
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Starters: Amari Cooper / Michael Crabtree
Carr targeted wide receivers Amari Cooper and Michael Crabtree on seven of his nine passes against the Rams.
Offensive coordinator Bill Musgrave made an effort to familiarize Carr with his two new priority receivers early. This pattern should continue throughout the preseason leading up to the regular season, especially with Cooper as the No. 4 overall pick in the draft.
Crabtree’s sure hands will function as Carr’s safety valve on the outside. The former San Francisco 49ers receiver seems locked into a starting position across the bay.
The anticipated battle between Crabtree and Rod Streater for the No. 2 wide receiver position seems nonexistent.
In fact, according to Silver and Black Pride writer Levi Damien via Twitter, Streater just returned to the practice field on Sunday.
Streater missed 11 training camp sessions and the first preseason game with an undisclosed injury that resulted in significant weight loss, noted by ESPN’s Adam Caplan via Twitter.
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Tight End
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Starters: Mychal Rivera / Marcel Reece (H-Back)
Tight end Mychal Rivera should be the starter to begin this season, but it’s still a moot point with two-tight end sets. Rivera will walk on the field for the first snap, indicating he’s the starter, but expect to see plenty of Clive Walford as well.
Walford continues to miss valuable practice reps. CSNBayArea.com reporter Scott Bair tweeted about Walford’s absence from practice on Sunday.
Rivera failed to catch a pass in the preseason opener, but he’s on the practice field consistently, getting reps with the first team unlike the rookie tight end.
The denotation of starter doesn't indicate who's in line for more touches with the use of two-tight end sets. Nonetheless, based on consistent availability, Rivera holds on to the starter position.
It's important to note both Rivera and Walford started Friday's game. Both tight ends played 22 snaps, per Pro Football Focus, while Marcel Reece played four snaps. Reece shouldn't become the odd man out in this rotation of tight ends and the H-back, but his role within the offense remains a mystery.
Offensive Line
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Starters: LT: Donald Penn; LG: Gabe Jackson; C: Rodney Hudson; RG: J’Marcus Webb; RT: Menelik Watson
The entire offensive line worked well in unison against the Rams defensive line—not just the left side, the entire unit.
None of the Raiders quarterbacks took a sack. Offensive line coach Mike Tice deserves some praise for piecing together the right side of the offensive line and coaching up the reserves.
In a split camera angle during the game, Tice gave rookie guard Jon Feliciano an earful of advise, and just when the rookie thought the lecture ended, Tice grabbed his arm and continued to feed him much-needed knowledge.
It’s encouraging to see a coach holding players accountable so early in the preseason. The Raiders' starting offensive line didn’t even allow a hurry or a hit on the quarterback throughout the game.
At this point, if it’s not broken, don’t fix it. It’s early, but with an offensive line that requires five guys to work together, continuity matters. It's logical to keep this group together as the players continue to jell as a cohesive unit.
Defensive Line
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Starters: DE: Justin Tuck; DT: Dan Williams; DT: Justin Ellis; DE: Khalil Mack
The defensive line benefited from defensive end Khalil Mack’s persistence in collapsing the pocket on Friday. His relentless pass rush provided defensive tackle Justin Ellis with a passageway to the quarterback.
A penalty negated Ellis’ bull rush, but defensive end Shelby Harris thumped quarterback Nick Foles on the following play.
Mack’s pocket pressure allowed both plays to happen in sequence. If Mack fails to record double-digit sacks this season, he’ll assist Ellis and defensive tackle Dan Williams in accumulating some sacks up the middle.
Offensive lines are tasked with containing Mack on the edge, but all that Meat and Potatoes in reference to Ellis and Williams could spill out into the backfield.
Defending all three players with a veteran pass-rusher on the blind side in Justin Tuck spells trouble for any offensive line. The pass rush doesn’t look as anemic as initially perceived.
Linebackers
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Starters: OLB: Malcolm Smith; ILB: Curtis Lofton; OLB: Sio Moore
The starting linebackers were a bit of a letdown against the Rams. Nonetheless, none of the starters made critical errors worth demotion, but there's one caveat.
After a strong offseason, much anticipation surrounded linebacker Ray-Ray Armstrong’s debut with the starters. He failed to record a tackle and committed a defensive holding infraction negated by offensive holding on Rams offensive tackle Greg Robinson.
Linebackers Malcolm Smith and Curtis Lofton were also subdued in their Raiders debuts. Fortunately, none of the starters blatantly missed an assignment in limited action. However, their uninspiring performances give linebacker Sio Moore room for a return to the starting lineup.
The third-year linebacker brings an unmatched energy to the field that defensive coordinator Ken Norton Jr. can appreciate. Health is Moore’s only obstacle in reclaiming a starting position. San Jose Mercury News reporter Jimmy Durkin made note of his absence from the practice field on Sunday.
Moore still holds more value as a pass-rusher and run-stopper on the outside, capable of playing on the strong and weak side of the 4-3 alignment.
Armstrong has the least amount of experience as a starter when comparing resumes to Smith and Moore. He’ll earn more snaps, but he still needs time to develop in a more competitive setting.
Secondary
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Starters: CB: Travis Carrie; S: Nate Allen; S: Charles Woodson; CB: Keith McGill
The Rams didn’t challenge the Raiders secondary in deep coverage. On the first play of the game, Foles completed a 26-yard pass to tight end Lance Kendricks. Cornerback D.J. Hayden was beat in coverage, but he didn’t allow another catch thereafter.
After Foles' first two completions, the Raiders secondary resembled the Legion of Boom to Norton’s liking for the next 59 minutes and 30 seconds of the game. Sarcasm and hyperbole aside, nothing out of the ordinary suggests imminent wholesale changes for the secondary.
Hayden (13 snaps) started the game, but the coaching staff took a long look at cornerback Keith McGill (34 snaps), per PFF, who’s competing for that starting position. McGill had a solid opening, but the scarcity of the Rams' passing proficiency didn’t present any opportunities to flash.
Both cornerbacks should get a significant amount of snaps, but every time Hayden gets beat in coverage, you can imagine a cringe from the coaching staff. Hayden is judged on a tougher scale as a former first-round pick, which doesn’t bode well for his chances as an opening starter if he’s on equal ground with McGill.
The first-unit safeties didn’t see much action with a combined 18 snaps. Charles Woodson made two tackles in five snaps and then sat out.
Both Nate Allen and Woodson should open the regular season as starters without much competition from the backups. Safety Brandian Ross sat out for the preseason opener. Safety Jonathan Dowling dropped a potential interception and missed two tackles.
Special Teams
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Starters: K: Sebastian Janikowski; P: Marquette King; KR/PR:Taiwan Jones/Austin Willis
Kicker Sebastian Janikowski nailed a 44-yard field goal. Punter Marquette King launched the ball 50 yards down the field in a late fourth-quarter punt that pinned the Rams inside their own 20-yard line. Both players remain safe at their positions as starters.
It gets more interesting with the kick and punt return units. Taiwan Jones returned a kick 27 yards and received three carries for 15 yards. His speed alone should warrant a starting spot on kick returns, and Musgrave seems resolute in utilizing his speed in select plays, as reported by Bair.
Trindon Holliday muffed a kickoff return to start the Raiders' first offensive possession and redeemed himself with a 22-yard punt return at the end of the first quarter.
According to Bair, ball security is a concern for Holliday, and it opens an opportunity for Austin Willis. The Emporia State wide receiver didn’t get any action during the preseason opener, but he took the field for a punt return. He’ll likely see more action behind Jones and Holliday as the preseason progresses.
Ultimately, Holliday remains in the driver’s seat, but he’s one muffed kick or punt return away from losing his stronghold on the position.
Willis’ skill set as a wide receiver and special teams player should eventually outweigh Holliday’s duties as a specialist.
Nonetheless, Willis must flash within the next game, albeit as a wide receiver or return specialist, to get a legitimate shot at leapfrogging Holliday for a roster spot.
Who makes your starting lineup for the Raiders? Share your comments below. Follow Maurice Moton on Twitter for Raiders news and updates.
All statistics and play-by-play provided by NFL.com and Pro Football Focus unless otherwise noted.
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