Predicting Oakland Raiders' Top Position Battles This Offseason
Most would expect a 12-4 team to have the majority of positions filled out in ballpoint pen—but not the Oakland Raiders.
Don't be alarmed. Steel sharpens steel. The cream of the crop rises with competition, and the Raiders will have the best of the best starting in 2017. After the team's first rookie camp session, head coach Jack Del Rio spoke to the media about competition among all the players through the spring and summer.
Running back Jalen Richard, who rose through the ranks from an obscure undrafted rookie to the team's second-leading rusher in 2016, knows all about maximizing on opportunities.
Last year, Oakland selected Vadal Alexander in the seventh round of the draft, and he logged five starts as a rookie. Wide receiver Seth Roberts and defensive lineman Denico Autry were success stories as undrafted free agents who became heavy contributors on the roster.
In Oakland, a rookie's draft status means nothing. Impressive practice habits and on-field production separate one teammate from another.
With that said, the Raiders will have competitive offseason battles to monitor all the way through the preseason. We'll rank the six contested spots in ascending order, finishing with the most difficult prediction on an unclaimed position.
Slot Receiver
1 of 6
The Raiders signed wide receiver Cordarrelle Patterson during free agency. At a breakfast during the NFL owners meeting in Phoenix, Del Rio said the former Minnesota Viking will contribute to the offense as well as special teams, per the San Francisco Chronicle's Vic Tafur.
In 2016, Patterson significantly improved his catch rate, snagging 74.3 percent of his targets in a conservative offense. Nonetheless, he's set to play with a better quarterback in Derek Carr compared to his time with the Vikings.
Roberts proved himself as a top-notch run-blocker on the perimeter, but he's dropped passes with an alarming frequency. During the 2016 campaign, he logged a 49.4 percent catch rate and took a step back in receiving yards despite seeing 22 more targets than in the 2015 season.
The Raiders signed Patterson to push Seth Roberts as the No. 3 wideout, but the former first-round pick should be able to unseat the incumbent in the slot.
Prediction: Cordarrelle Patterson
Tight End
2 of 6
Jared Cook's receiving advantage over Clive Walford has been overstated, but the 30-year-old tight end doesn't garner enough praise for his blocking ability.
On Pro Football Focus, Cook graded higher than Walford in run blocking by a wide margin. Both tight ends listed similar marks in pass protection.
The Raiders targeted Cook early during free agency, which suggests offensive coordinator Todd Downing has a sizable role in store for him. Walford hasn't been able to stay healthy through the offseason over the past two years. His ATV accident last offseason probably hindered his chances at a breakout season.
Back in March, general manager Reggie McKenzie talked about Walford playing hurt and not returning in tip-top shape for his sophomore season, per Tafur, saying Walford "wasn't [the] same player last year." Cook comes in with eight years of experience and the knowledge to aid Walford's development as a pro. He'll star in Week 1 against the Tennessee Titans, who selected him in the third round of the 2009 draft.
Prediction: Jared Cook
Nickelback
3 of 6
Cornerback Gareon Conley spoke about his legal issues after donning the silver and black for the first time. Conley stated that last week's meeting with Cleveland police "went good," and McKenzie reiterated his belief the Ohio State product will be cleared in the sexual assault case, per Alex Marvez of Sporting News.
Hypothetically speaking, he's going to see snaps as a rookie for a pass defense that's struggled over the past two seasons, though T.J. Carrie filled in adequately in the slot after D.J. Hayden suffered a season-ending hamstring injury in Week 12.
Carrie has experience playing on the outside, inside and at strong safety. His versatility allows him to serve as a quality backup at multiple positions while Conley sees live snaps against quicker starting receivers. During rookie minicamp, the Raiders' first-round pick lined up on the perimeter and in the slot, which indicates he's going to shift based on weekly matchups.
On the final depth chart release, expect to see Obi Melifonwu and Carrie as backup safeties and Conley listed as the No. 3 cornerback behind Sean Smith and David Amerson. However, speedy receivers on the outside will likely see the rookie in man coverage.
Prediction: Gareon Conley
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Defensive End/Defensive Tackle
4 of 6
The Raiders released defensive tackle Dan Williams, who made 26 starts for the team over the past two seasons. Now, the coaching staff must fill the void with a player who can plug gaps and pressure the quarterback to offset Justin Ellis' inability to penetrate the pocket.
Through 13 starts, Jihad Ward didn't fare well on the interior, and he lost his starting job toward the end of the season. Mario Edwards Jr.'s presence will bump either Ward or Denico Autry out of the starting lineup this year.
Autry has logged 15 starts and six sacks between the defensive end and tackle positions since the 2015 season. Among the young defensive linemen, he's the most polished and has a penchant for penetrating offensive lines and logging stops in the backfield. Darius Latham, Treyvon Hester, Eddie Vanderdoes and Ward will develop and rotate for leftover snaps.
Fortunately for Oakland, its defensive line has ample talent to develop over the offseason. Injuries and substitutions should allow seven players to see significant snaps at defensive end and tackle in 2017.
Prediction: Denico Autry
Middle Linebacker
5 of 6
The Raiders have a youth movement at middle linebacker, featuring Ben Heeney, Cory James and Marquel Lee. They're all middle- to late-round draft picks with an opportunity to win the starting job.
After the draft, McKenzie talked to reporters about the young linebackers battling for the starting spot, with an emphasis on Lee as a serious candidate to emerge as a major contributor:
""Neiron [Ball] is still going through rehab. So it depends on how he feels, physically, but we feel good about Marquel and whoever else we bring in. We're just going to let them all compete. Heeney will come back. We've got Jelani [Jenkins]. We've got all the other veterans who were here from last year. We're just going to let it play out and see how it goes."
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The Raiders didn't add competition for Jenkins at the weak-side linebacker spot during the draft. He has the upper hand over lesser known players such as Tyrell Adams, Dwayne Norman and undrafted rookie Nicholas Morrow.
On NFL Network, Del Rio said the team didn't adequately address the middle linebacker position, via NBC Sports Bay Area reporter Scott Bair:
""I don't know that we've adequately addressed our middle linebacker position, to be honest. I think we have some work to do there. The rest of our roster is pretty well situated, but we'll be looking for a linebacker and we'll continue to look, whether it's the waiver wire, trades or available guys out there, veterans on the street. We'll continue to look."
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The Raiders needed Perry Riley to save the linebacker corps during the previous season. He's still available to sign with any team.
As clubs cut down their rosters in August, Oakland will likely be on the hunt for a veteran to help bring along an inexperienced group at middle linebacker. Riley and Gerald Hodges remain the best available at the position.
Prediction: A veteran linebacker (Perry Riley or Gerald Hodges)
Right Tackle
6 of 6
We'll see the biggest competition at right tackle. Two grizzled veterans, Austin Howard and Marshall Newhouse, may keep the young talent at bay. Two rookies, David Sharpe and Jylan Ware, could win the position. Two developing players who've taken snaps at the spot during the previous campaign, Vadal Alexander and Denver Kirkland, also have a shot at starting on the perimeter in Week 1. And don't forget undrafted rookie Chauncey Briggs.
Based on the projected competitive spirit during training camp, Howard will likely fall behind while he recovers from multiple shoulder surgeries. Ware's athleticism draws intrigue, but he's 6'8", 295 pounds, which indicates potential issues with strength and pad level. Alexander has much more experience at the position than Kirkland, who filled in at the left tackle and right guard spots as well.
In 2016, Newhouse started at right tackle for the New York Giants' poor offensive line and yielded snaps to seventh-rounder Bobby Hart before filling in at left guard midseason.
With another offseason under offensive line coach Mike Tice's tutelage, Alexander should be able to hold off Sharpe, who's viewed as Donald Penn's eventual replacement on the left side.
Prediction: Vadal Alexander
Stats provided by NFL.com and Pro Football Reference unless otherwise noted.
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