Although the Oakland Raiders were happy to maintain their flawless record in a penultimate preseason matchup with the Green Bay Packers, time is running out for some of the fringe players looking to establish a role prior to the 2019 NFL season.
It is no secret that this training camp was a bit of a rough one for the Raiders. Aside from the ongoing Antonio Brown saga, their process has been under a microscope with the team being featured on this year’s edition of HBO’s ‘Hard Knocks.’
Injuries and notable absence have provided a few bubble players with a legitimate shot at making the final 53-man roster. Head coach Jon Gruden hinted at just how many undrafted players could also make the team.
According to Scott Bair of NBC Sports, Gruden feels the Raiders have several overlooked players that may stick around for the regular season:
“We might have five undrafted players make the team,” Gruden said. “That’s the story most people are missing. I’m going to talk about that, and not about any more distractions.”
Gruden added that among the most notable of these players has been rookie wide receiver Keelan Doss:
“He’s playing three positions,” Gruden said. “He’s over there at split end. He’s playing the z. He’s playing in the slot. He’s playing them all well. I’m happy for him.”
There is certainly plenty of truth to Gruden’s comments. Doss has served as a safety net for Nathan Peterman through the preseason and it has resulted in him netting 11 catches for 99 yards and a touchdown on 14 targets.
As an Alameda native, there is no question that Doss has some added motivation to make the Raiders’ final roster. Given this performance thus far, he has a very good chance of earning a spot on this revamped receiving corps in Oakland.
Of course, Doss is hardly the only undrafted free agent that has managed to make waves through training camp and the preseason. Although Gruden did not specify which of these players he was referring to, it is not that difficult to narrow down given how high his number was.
Some of the other names making waves on the offensive side of the ball include Alec Ingold and Andre James. Unfortunately, the current depth at their position makes it difficult to determine their potential outlook.
Anthony Rush and Keisean Nixon are among those making waves on defense. Meanwhile, Punter A.J. Cole has seemingly managed to earn his spot by beating out the competition in training camp.
