As the Las Vegas Raiders gear up for the 2024 season, the air is thick with anticipation and a mix of optimism and skepticism. The team, under the stewardship of head coach Antonio Pierce, has undergone significant transformations, aiming to capitalize on a late-season surge from the previous year where they showcased a defensive prowess that hinted at a bright future.
The quarterback conundrum remains the central narrative for the Raiders. With Gardner Minshew named as the starter, his experience and recent performance with the Indianapolis Colts offer a semblance of stability, yet the competition with Aidan O'Connell, who showed promise in his rookie season, keeps the position intriguing. This battle at the helm could define the Raiders' season, with fans and analysts alike watching closely to see if either quarterback can elevate the team's offensive output.
Defensively, the Raiders have bolstered an already formidable unit with the addition of Christian Wilkins, aiming to make their defensive line one of the most feared in the league. Maxx Crosby's relentless pressure from the edge, combined with Wilkins' interior disruption, sets the stage for what could be a top-tier defense, potentially masking any offensive inconsistencies.
The offensive side of the ball sees a mix of veteran leadership and youthful exuberance. Davante Adams remains the focal point of the passing game, with the fact that they added depth and versatility. However, it's the tight end duo of Brock Bowers and Michael Mayer that could revolutionize the Raiders' offensive strategy, potentially making them a two-tight end set powerhouse, leveraging their skills in both the passing and running games.
As the Raiders prepare for their first game, the focus is not just on winning but on proving that the changes made, both in personnel and philosophy, were steps towards becoming a more competitive and dynamic team in the NFL. The 2024 season for Las Vegas is not just about the games on the field but about setting a foundation for future success, with the quarterback position and the integration of new talents being the key storylines to watch.
With that being said, let's take a look at the predicted depth chart heading into their last preseason game against the San Francisco 49ers, coming off of losses to both the Dallas Cowboys and the Minnesota Vikings.
Quarterback (3)
Starter: Gardner Minshew
Bench: Aidan O'Connell, Nathan Peterman
The Raiders named Minshew the starter on Sunday, the day after he and O'Connell played pretty bad against the Cowboys . So, this position group is pretty locked up and obvious as to who is where on the depth chart.
Running backs (4)
Starter: Zamir White
Bench: Alexander Mattison, Ameer Abdullah, Dylan Laube
The Raiders let Josh Jacobs walk this offseason and let Zamir White fill in there. We aren't really sure how this group will be, but we know that the first and second-string positions are pretty locked. The other two can be tossed up
Wide Receivers (5)
Starters: Davante Adams, Jakobi Meyers, Tre Tucker
Bench: DJ Turner, Kristian Wilkerson
The Raiders don't have quite as deep of a wide receiver room as they had last season, but, they obviously feel like it's good enough going into the 2024 season. I'm sure having the duo of Adams and Meyers help, and Turner has shown some great flashes this offseason as well. This one is obvious. Adams is WR1, Meyers WR2, Tucker WR3 -- fill in the rest how you'd like, but those aren't changing.
Tight Ends (3)
Starter: Brock Bowers, Michael Mayer
Bench: Harrison Bryant
The Raiders have one of the best, young groups of tight ends in the league. They drafted two of the best guys at that position in college over the last five years. Bryant has made a name for himself on this roster in the last two games, and Fotheringham has been with the team for two years now. I see a 12-personnel offense keeping four tight ends, easy. They are going to have two starters as tight ends.
Offensive Line (9)
Starters: Kolton Miller (LT), Jackson Powers-Johnson (OG), Andre James (C), Dylan Parham (OG), Thayer Munford Jr. (OT)
Bench: Dalton Wagner (OT), Andrus Peat (OL), Cody Whitehair (OG), DJ Glaze (OL)
The Raiders have a pretty good offensive line when it's all put together. But, when you look at their depth, it's shaky. With the injury history they have, it's safe to assume that the Raiders will keep a large number of players for the offensive line because of that reason. And, with the aggressiveness of this offense with the offensive line, it's safe to. We know that Miller, James, and Parham are the locks. Because of health, the other two could be flipped. JPJ was just activated off of the PUP list, and Thayer Munford has a hand issue.
Defensive Line (9)
Starters: Maxx Crosby (DE), Christian Wilkins (DT), John Jenkins (DT), Malcolm Koonce (DE)
Bench: Tyree Wilson (DE), Janarius Robinson (DE), Adam Butler (DT), Matthew Butler (DT), Byron Young (DT)
The Raiders now have one of the best, if not the best, defensive lines in the league. Of course, that's headlined by Maxx Crosby and Christian Wilkins. John Jenkins is the other obvious starter with Adams Butler maybe taking some snaps here and there. Malcolm Koonce is a force coming into his own.
Linebackers (4)
Starters: Divine Deablo, Robert Spillane
Bench: Luke Masterson, Tommy Eichenberg
The Raiders will have a tough time leaving off Amari Burney, Amari Gainer, and others, but there's really no reason to have more than four linebackers on the roster. These four are easily the best, and I'd say that Eichenberg is moving his way up to the third LB if he hasn't already.
Cornerbacks (7)
Starters: Jack Jones (CB), Nate Hobbs (NB), Jakorian Bennett (CB)
Bench: Decamerion Richardson (CB), Woo Governor (DB) , Brandon Facyson (CB), MJ Devonshire (NB)
The CB room isn't a strength of this defense, but it has gotten much better. The two rookies, Richardson and Devonshire, have had ups and downs during training camp and preseason, but there is potential to have great depth. And, Bennett is really starting to come into his own as he will be across from Jack Jones. But, the one guy who has likely won a job over is Woo Governor, who has had some reps with some starters in preseason games, which tells me he could be the immediate backup as the nickel
Safeties (4)
Starters: Trevon Moehrig, Marcus Epps
Bench: Isaiah Pola-Mao, Trey Taylor
Moehrig and Epps make up the starters of this unit, as they enter their second season together making the,m one of the more underrated safeties units in the league. Behind them are a bunch of guys who are very talented, but have little experience. It makes sense to keep four in this scenario.
Special Teams (3)
Daniel Carlson (K), AJ Cole (P), Jacob Bobenmoyer (LS)
The Raiders, to me, have the best specialist in the league. This has been the starter for this unit for a while now, and I don't see that changing anytime soon.
Related: Raiders 53-man roster projection after Cowboys loss: Underrated weapons lock in spots early
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