Raiders end the preseason at home
The Las Vegas Raiders complete the preseason schedule Friday night by hosting the San Francisco 49ers at Allegiant Stadium. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. PT.
Here are five keys to the game:
No. 3 quarterback:
The big question has been answered, of course, now that Gardner Minshew has been named the Raiders’ starting quarterback over Aidan O’Connell. But there still is some intrigue remaining at the position. The Raiders need to figure out who will be the No. 3 quarterback and this game may play a big role. Undrafted rookie Carter Bradley is expected to start and veteran Nathan Peterman will finish the game.
Secondary depth:
The Raiders need to see some players to do well in this game and there are some spots available. It’s a big game for rookie draft picks, cornerback MJ Devonshire and safety trey Taylor and 2023 fifth-round pick, safety Chris Smith.
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Receiver depth:
It is likely DJ Turner and Kristian Wilkerson will be the Raiders’ fourth and fifth receivers. Wilkerson can really solidify a spot on the roster with a big game. He may be competing with players not currently on the Raiders’ roster. If he performs well against the 49ers, the Raiders may not feel the need to look elsewhere after teams make their cuts.
Rookies:
This is the last chance for several rookies to make an impression before the initial 53-man roster is set. Running Dylan Laube is very likely safe, but the Raiders would like to see him make some players after a pretty quiet preseason thus far. It’s a big game for rookies such as Devonshire, Taylor and several undrafted free agents such as center Will Putnam, linebacker Amari Gainer and cornerback Woo Governor.
Coaching staff:
This is the last tune up for head coach Antonio Pierce and his coaching staff as well. It’s good way to work out the kinks in game management before things get serious September 8 at the Los Angeles Chargers.