It’s a very different “preseason” this year in the NFL and as a result, a handful of Raiders aren’t making the storylines that they otherwise probably would.
Let’s take a look at five players that are staying relatively under the radar, but have big things coming this year…
5 – It seems like every wide receiver on the Raiders is getting serious attention this month but Hunter Renfrow. It makes some sense because the Raiders invested heavily at wide receiver in the offseason, but Renfrow is getting dismissed too many times when breaking down the Raiders receiver room.
That is a problem.
After Darren Waller, Renfrow is clearly the target Derek Carr trusts most. Nothing about the addition of Henry Ruggs III, Bryan Edwards, and Nelson Agholor is going to take away the chemistry between Carr and Renfrow. Look for Renfrow in his second year to blow away the numbers from his rookie year.
4 – Jason Witten has gotten as much attention as any 38 year-old tight end in history, but Foster Moreau is the tight end that’s going to turn more heads this year. Moreau is a great compliment to Darren Waller and a player that Jon Gruden can’t wait to unleash. Two dynamic tight ends on the field at the same time might get Gruden more fired up than anything in football… except for maybethree tights ends on the field.
3 – All these running backs rumored to be taking opportunities away from Josh Jacobs, but why aren’t more people talking about Jalen Richard? Richard has 104 receptions in two seasons with Gruden and he has turned into an outstanding running back in pass protection.
Gruden plays players that he trusts (especially at running back) and right now only two running backs on the Raiders roster clearly have his trust – Jacobs and Richard.
2 – We’ve heard almost nothing from training camp about fourth-round pick Amik Robertson. What we do know is that Lamarcus Joyner seems to be locked into the starting role at nickel cornerback.
Sorry, but it’s hard to buy into the idea that Robertson won’t seize the first game-day opportunity he gets. He’s a high-character kid that plays with a pit bull mentality and he’s loaded with fast twitch. That’s a great combination when you’re talking about playing cornerback in the NFL.
Cream always rises to the top.
1 – A quiet training camp from a left tackle is usually a good thing. Other than an isolated posterization from Clelin Ferrell last week, Kolton Miller is said to be having a solid training camp.
Miller looks even bigger and stronger than last year and he’s now been with offensive line coach Tom Cable for three years. If Miller isn’t the weak link to the Raiders offensive line then there isn’t going to be one.
And a final note… there’s a wee bit better chance that the Raiders end up with Yannick Ngakoue than it might appear.
Keep an eye on that situation.
twitter: @raidersbeat
As usual, the bloviation and hyperbole are ALWAYS touted to obfuscate the ONLY IMPORTANT thing that counts. How many wins will the Raiders manage this season? Personal stories and individual stats and accomplishments are secondary last season, this season and next season. They, these individual personalities and statistics don’t mean a **** thing if the Raiders don’t win games and in the process, beat a playoff team. The latter is something that the Raiders HAVE NOT done under Jon Gruden, thus far. The former is something that has only been accomplished once since the year 2000. Ask Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers Patrick Mahomes and Russell Wilson if they give a good got **** about their individual accomplishments. I will lay anyone 10 to 1 that each one of them will tell you that individual stats aren’t worth the paper that they are written on and that ONLY Super Bowl victories matter in the end. But, of course I can understand these meaningless bylines because, What else does Raiders’ Management and sportswriters have to tout about the Raiders other than stories of potential this and potential that? The biggest and most factual new about the Las Vegas Raiders, to date, is that they have the newest football stadium in the NFL. Every story that you read about the Raiders is one of unproven potential. Derek Carr is going to have potentially the best season of his career. Mike Mayock has potentially drafted and traded for and assembled a potentially explosive team. Jon Gruden will finally possibly have Derek Carr realize his potential. The Raiders offensive line and subsequently their offense could potentially be one of the most potent in NFL history and so on and….. The ONLY things that were realized, last season, was that Josh Jacobs CAN RUN THE BALL, Darren Waller CAN CATCH THE BALL and that the Raiders CAN’T PUNCH THE BALL IN THE END ZONE. So, while “potentially” the Raiders have five players that EVERYONE will be watching, this season, the ONLY THING THAT MATTERS is will this perceived potential translate into wins and beating a playoff team? THAT QUESTION won’t potentially be answered but definitively be answered.
I don’t like Renfro because he’s too old. I’d trade him and Ferrell. There busts.
…You doin Crack again Adrian?
Watch out for all of those bad boiz