It’s no secret that the Raiders are one of the youngest teams in the NFL going into the 2024 season. But did you know that 50 percent of the players in their starting lineup are still on their rookie contract?
In a recent article by Tashan Reed of The Athletic, he pointed out this fact and listed all of the young players who are set to open the year as a starter. And in fact, that list could grow even more if some young players, such as Aidan O’Connell, win their positional battles:
The Raiders have 11 projected starters who are still on their rookie contracts (running back Zamir White, slot receiver Tre Tucker, tight end Brock Bowers, Powers-Johnson, Parham, Munford, defensive end Malcolm Koonce, linebacker Divine Deablo, cornerback Jack Jones, nickelback Nate Hobbs and safety Tre’von Moehrig).
If O’Connell and Bennett win their respective position battles, they’ll join that list. Additionally, the coaching staff expects significant contributions from other rookie-scale backups such as tight end Michael Mayer and defensive end Tyree Wilson.
The Raiders are a very young team (outside of a couple of spots) and the hope is that their youth can carry them this season. If a few of their young players can outperform their expectations, the Raiders could be much better than anyone anticipates.