Training camp for the Las Vegas Raiders is in full swing as the team gets ready to take the field for the first time this Saturday in their preseason opener against the Minnesota Vikings. There are certainly some battles taking place and new head coach Antonio Pierce will have some decisions to make before the regular season starts, most notably who will start at quarterback between Aidan O’Connell and Gardner Minshew.
There has been a lot of positivity coming out of Raiders camp with the roster really buying into things and believing in the group and their ability to surprise a lot of people this season. With Defensive Player of the Year candidate Maxx Crosby leading that side of the ball, and three-time All-Pro Davante Adams at the forefront of a host of offensive talent, the optimism is justified.
And now with just a few days until the preseason opener, the Raiders have released their first unofficial depth chart, but Pierce and staff did not reveal a quarterback starter, via Your Boy Q of the Las Vegas Sports Network:
Raiders unofficial depth chart #Raiders pic.twitter.com/krzu8vDKKH
— Your Boy Q (@YourboyQ254) August 6, 2024
Of course, many were hopeful to see who might have the leg up in the quarterback race, but Pierce did not reveal his hand there. Most notable on the offensive side was the fact that the Raiders listed both 2024 first-round pick Brock Bowers and 2023 second-round pick Michael Mayer as starters at tight end, which could be a sign of the Raiders’ plans to use two tight ends as their base set as opposed to a third wide receiver.
It should also be noted that Cody Whitehair is currently listed as the starter at left guard over rookie Jackson Powers-Johnson, but the rookie started camp on the PUP list due to a shoulder injury. Third-round pick DJ Glaze is currently listed as the second-string right tackle behind Thayer Munford Jr.
Defensively, things are basically as expected with free agency signing Christian Wilkins being the only new face among the starters. Last year’s first-round pick Tyree Wilson is on the second unit behind Crosby and Malcolm Koonce but is still expected to play a big role.
The Raiders will be reliant on returning players such as Divine Deablo, Jack Jones, Nate Hobbs and Tre’von Moehrig to help boost this defense to a new level in 2024.
Antonio Pierce believes Raiders ‘building something special’ in training camp
Just as important in this first training camp under Antonio Pierce is building that foundation for this Raiders franchise. Chemistry and camaraderie are extremely important, and the Raiders head coach believes something special is brewing.
Pierce spoke on his belief that the Raiders are ‘building something special,’ noting that it isn’t just the players on the roster who are very close, but also extends to the franchise as a whole, including the coaching staff, scouting department, and even up to general manager Tom Telesco.
Team captain Maxx Crosby echoed those sentiments as well, saying that everyone is here to get better and improve every single day.
