Returning Raider Nation’s questions for the week
Las Vegas Raiders training camp is finally here! Rookies reported to camp on Thursday, and the veterans will join them on Tuesday, signaling the start of the 2025 season. That also gives us a few topics to cover for this week’s mailbag, so let’s get to it!
Q: What might be a training camp storyline or two not already discussed?
A: It’s getting lost in the mix with all of the other questions on defense, but I’ll be interested to see how Malcolm Koonce looks after missing all of last season with a torn ACL. The 2024 campaign was supposed to be a big one for Koonce, as he looked to build on a strong second half in 2023 and was entering a contract year. Obviously, that got delayed with the injury, and it becomes a storyline again this year with the added element of him recovering from a major injury.
On a similar note, who takes on the third-down pass-rusher role will be noteworthy. The Raiders have a few options, where maybe Tyree Wilson, Tonka Hemingway or Jonah Laulu prove they can be decent interior rushers who come in during passing situations. That would mean Koonce and Maxx Crosby stay on the edge while Adam Butler and one of those three are on the interior. Or someone like Jah Joyner or Charles Snowden steps up, and Patrick Graham can get creative with the third-down packages, maybe lining Crosby up inside or just moving him around.
Granted, if Christian Wilkins is healthy and ready to go Week 1, that kind of negates this since Wilkins can rush the passer and Butler would either stay on the field or come off the bench.
A: This is a similar question to the previous one, so we’ll keep the storyline theme going!
I’d argue the most important is how the young defensive backs look, especially Darien Porter. Las Vegas has a lot of question marks in the secondary, where the defense is counting on a handful of inexperienced players to step up this season. If they can hit the ground running, not only will it help the team this season, but it will also steer the long-term outlook in the right direction.
While we won’t get to see his full offense in the preseason, Chip Kelly’s return to the NFL will be something to take note of. He’s always been viewed as an offensive innovator, and I like how he’s constantly adapting his system. So, I think it will be worthwhile to pay attention to what Kelly is doing this summer, especially in the running game.
Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images
On a similar note to the defensive backs, how quickly Jack Bech and Dont’e Thornton adjust to the NFL will be important. Wide receiver was a position group that lacked depth in Las Vegas heading into the offseason, so Geno Smith and the offense can use a young wideout or two to step up and answer the call. Plus, Jakobi Meyers is entering a contract year, and how important it will be to re-sign Meyers will depend on how quickly Bech and/or Thornton develop. Tommy Mellott falls into this category, too.
For a bonus, I’m also interested in watching Charles Grant this summer. Grant is an intriguing project who is making the jump from the FCS to the NFL. Similar to Meyers and the wideouts, Kolton Miller is on a contract year, and it wouldn’t surprise me if the hope is that the rookie can replace Miller as early as next season. Of course, that depends on how Grant looks during training camp and the preseason, and throughout the year.
Q: Why do you believe the Alex Cappa signing didn’t work well for the Bengals, and why will it be different with the Raiders? Essentially, what does John Spytek see in Cappa?
A: Cappa was solid/decent during his first two years with the Bengals; he just played poorly last season, and Cincinnati needed to clear some cap space this offseason. That made him expendable, especially since he was entering a contract year and turned 30 years old in January.
For bookkeeping purposes, the veteran lineman is only a $2.25 million dead cap hit for the Bengals and would have cost $9 million had he stayed on the roster, per Over The Cap. So, they saved just under $7 million by cutting him.
I think when Spytek took over as general manager, he saw how young the Raiders’ offensive line is outside of Miller and wanted to bring in a veteran whom he trusts. Presumptively, Spytek figured he could get an average starting guard who can help Jackson Powers-Johnson set the protections and with the pre-snap communications in Cappa.
Plus, it doesn’t hurt that Cappa was cheap, as $5.5 million per year ranks 17th among right guards, per OTC.
A: There’s this guy from Cincinnati, I think he used to spend some time in Pittsburgh, too. I can’t remember his name, though. Maybe, Hike Milton? No, now I remember, MIKE HILTON!!!
In all seriousness, the timing of Carter Bradley’s release is interesting. The Raiders had over a month to cut him, but didn’t do it until a few days before rookies report to training camp. And it’s not like the front office got any new information on Bradley since the team broke for summer. That leads me to believe they might have something in the works to sign someone else soon.
If I had to guess, I’d assume the Raiders are looking at bringing in a corner. Whether that’s Hilton or someone else to play on the outside, I’m not sure. But I think if they’re going to add anyone to the roster right now, it’d be in the secondary.
A: Unfortunately, that’s not in the cards for me this year. I don’t live in Vegas, so I’d have to take time away from my family to get to training camp, and that’s not feasible with an eight-month-old at home. Of course, I’ll be following along with what others are reporting, which isn’t ideal, but it’s the best I can do.
That’ll do it for this week’s mailbag. Thank you all for submitting questions and, as your weekly reminder, if you’d like to have your questions answered in a future column, tweet them at me, @MHolder95, email them to SBPQuestions1@gmail.com or look for our weekly call for questions on the site. The latter will continue to publish on Thursdays. Sign up and go to the comments section.