Preseason is all about individuals. The Raiders are trying to form a roster and a depth chart and many of these players will be showcasing themselves to earn a spot on this team and/or playing time. Here are five Raiders to watch for as they jockey for position on this squad.
WR Bryan Edwards
Edwards had a rough day this week in camp, dropping two passes, one of which was then picked off by Trayvon Mullen. But other than that, he’s mostly been showcasing the same 50/50 ball prowess we saw from him in last year’s camp.
The problem was that once it came time to put those talents on the field, it didn’t show up. An injury hampered him early on and we never saw his high-flying acrobatic catches take the league by storm. We get our first chance to see what a year under his belt has done for him.
DT Solomon Thomas
This former third overall pick had the inside track on the starting 3-tech job when he arrived. He has lost a lot of ground since then. Now not only is he in a battle with the other two defensive tackles that were signed around the same time, but he has veteran Gerald McCoy to contend with as well.
Thomas is convinced that playing 5-tech DE with the 49ers was a primary factor in his struggles over his first four seasons. And that a move to 3-tech DT will be great for him. But reports are that the Raiders may think he’s too small for the position, hence the addition of McCoy. Thomas will have the opportunity to prove his size won’t be an issue.
DT Darius Philon
One of the players competing with Thomas for reps in the DT rotation is Philon. He has drawn some praise from his coaches for his pass rush up the middle. I have seen some of it first hand. Keep an eye on Philon just as you do for Thomas as this game is a big step for both in their battle at that position.
DE Carl Nassib
Nassib came out as gay this summer. Why does that matter here? Because Nassib admitted he felt a tremendous weight throughout his career from keeping his sexual orientation under wraps. And that weight was lifted when he came out. And he has felt better and better every day since then, in large part due to the tremendous support he’s received from his teammates and the league.
Nassib had 12.5 sacks in the two seasons before signing with the Raiders. Imagine what kind of player he can be when he isn’t burdened by anything outside of simply playing his best football? Think about the kind of player Darren Waller has become since he opened up about his addiction? I, for one, am really looking forward to seeing Nassib show his full potential.
LB Tanner Muse
Calling Muse a veteran may not be accurate. But he’s not a rookie either. Technically he’s a first-year player because he didn’t play last season. Muse has seen a good amount of time with the first team at strong-side linebacker and was listed as such on the unofficial depth chart.
A third-round pick in 2020, Muse was expected to be a special teams guy initially. At least until he bulked up a bit and got some time learning the ropes at the NFL level. Well, even though he hasn’t played, he has been learning and been bulking up. We get our first look at how he’s coming along in this game.