Returning Raider Nation’s questions for the week
It’s officially summer as the Las Vegas Raiders have some downtime after wrapping up OTAs and mandatory minicamp last week. Now we play the waiting game until training camp, but first, we’ve got this week’s mailbag to get to with a heavy focus on the Raiders’ roster.
Q: With Thayer Munford Jr. getting reps at guard and Dylan Parham missing time, do you believe it’s likely Parham doesn’t make the 53? (Possible trade)
A: I wouldn’t put any weight into Parham missing time during OTAs and minicamp, especially since he was healthy and on the field at the start of spring practices. Coaches are extra cautious this time of year, where if a guy just tweaks something, they’ll hold him out to make sure the minor injury doesn’t become significant. On top of that, there’s only so much offensive linemen can do without pads on, so it’s much smarter and safer to sideline a lineman who is a potential starter and a little nicked up.
That said, Munford getting reps at guard is interesting since Parham is already reportedly competing with Jordan Meredith for a starting spot. If Munford and Meredith play well enough in training camp, then there’s a chance Parham could get traded. However, I expect the four-year pro to be a Week 1 starter at one of the guard spots for the Raiders at this time.
Long story short, is it likely that Parham isn’t on the 53-man roster? No. Is it completely out of the question? Also, no.
Q: Will Christian Wilkins be ready? If not, besides Adam Butler, who starts on the opposite side to him?
A: It’s been reported that Wilkins will be ready by August, even after his recent setback. I know there’s a rumor floating around that he needs surgery again and could be out for the season, but that isn’t coming from someone I turn to for inside info. So, I’m not putting any weight into that rumor until someone like Vincent Bonsignore, Tashan Reed or Ryan McFadden confirms it.
For the second question, Reed reported that Leki Fotu was the Raiders’ second starting nose tackle this spring. I’d expect Fotu to get the start at nose or 1-technique in even fronts, and then Zach Carter or Tyree Wilson would likely be the other interior defensive lineman in odd fronts. Carter is a solid run defender who is getting the nod right now, presumptively, because he’s a veteran.
But I think the ideal situation for the organization is that one of the young guys steps up and becomes a starter this season: Wilson, Jonah Laulu, Tonka Hemingway or J.J. Pegues.
Q: Who do you think wins the cornerback one spot? Do you think it’s pretty up in the air right now?
Photo by Candice Ward/Getty Images
A: The CB1 role is definitely up in the air, especially with Jakorian Bennett spending the majority of his time on the second-team defense during the spring. Granted, he’s easing his way back in after repairing a torn labrum from last season, and I think Bennett could still end up earning the job.
But my pick for the Raiders’ top corner this year is rookie Darien Porter. He has the most talent and untapped potential in the position group to eventually take on that role; it’s just a matter of how long it takes. Maybe it’s not for a year or so, but I’ve been and still am very high on Porter’s game.
Q: What is more important before camp starts: Signing Mike Hilton to play slot corner or hitting most of the swimming holes in the Santa Cruz Mountains?
A: Signing Mike Hilton. NO ONE GETS TO HAVE ANY FUN THIS SUMMER UNTIL HE’S ON THE ROSTER!
Q: Matt, I know you’re really pushing to sign Mike Hilton, but do you see the Raiders realistically signing anyone, be it free agency or via trade, before the start of the season?
A: Mike Hilton.
In all seriousness, I think a splash trade is unlikely. Maybe they make a smaller-scale trade between now and the end of training camp, but swinging a big deal for a guy like Jalen Ramsey seems unlikely.
I could definitely see them bringing in a free agent or two, though. Obviously, nickelback is still a big question mark (there’s a guy in Cincinnati who could help fill that void), and it wouldn’t be surprising to see them bring in another veteran lineman or running back. Wide receiver and free safety could also be on the table.
Additionally, with the UFL wrapping up its season recently, Las Vegas could dip into that pool of players to add someone with experience to a position group that could use some depth.
A: Most improved: Tre Tucker. I’ve talked a lot about how I think this will be a breakout year for Tucker, mainly because he’s finally playing with a quarterback who can consistently utilize his skillset as a deep threat. He also got better as a route runner last year and has already shown improvement as a whole from year to year. I think year three has the potential to be a big one for the Cincinnati product.
Regress: I hate to say it since the defense will be relying on him heavily, especially if Wilkins misses time, but Adam Butler. I know Butler is coming off a career season, but he did that at 30 years old. In other words, it’s not like he was a young player who just needed to find his footing in the NFL. So, I think it’s fair to assume the 31-year-old won’t be as good as he was last fall.
A: Right now, the obvious answer is Dont’e Thornton. He reportedly had a great showing in the spring and was working with the starting offense frequently. Thornton was expected to be a project this year, but it sounds like he might be ahead of schedule. I also still think Cody Lindenberg could surprise a lot of people as a seventh-round pick this year.
A: I’d still like to see it for myself to completely believe the Thornton hype, but the fact that he’s getting reps with the ones already is pretty encouraging. The Tennessee product definitely has my attention and is someone I’ll keep a close eye on during the preseason.
My Father’s Day was great, thanks for asking! My daughter caught a cold and gave it to me, so we couldn’t do much. But I was grateful to be able to spend the day with her and my wife. Overall, it was a good first Father’s Day! I hope all the dads in Raider Nation had a good one, too!
A: I know we live in a world where everything has to be one extreme or the other, but can the answer be somewhere in the middle?
I think Geno Smith will be better this year than he was with the Seahawks last year, but I’m also not going to say he’ll exceed the 2022 campaign, where he won Comeback Player of the Year and finished Top 10 in MVP voting, while playing in a new offense with a new crop of teammates for the first time.
So, if I have to pick between what’s “more likely”, I’ll go with the optimistic route.
A: Much like Clelin Ferrell, Wilson is a victim of where he was drafted. I agree with everything you mentioned about him, including the part about him playing better last season. In my opinion, Wilson is and will be a quality player in the defensive line rotation. However, as you mentioned and he talked about during minicamp, that’s not what teams are hoping for from a No. 7 overall draft pick.
The biggest problem is that I don’t see how Wilson becomes a starter this season with Malcolm Koonce returning. The best way for the Texas Tech product to earn a first-string role this year is if the Raiders use a lot of odd fronts and he earns one of the 4i-technique/defensive end spots.
A: I’d say the chances of Zamir White earning the RB2 role this season are slim to none. Yes, the offensive line took a while to get going last year, but he wasn’t helping matters, and it was pretty telling that Sincere McCormick was able to come off the bench and have success immediately.
White is going to enter training camp as RB4 at best, behind Ashton Jeanty, Raheem Mostert and McCormick. On top of that, Dylan Laube, who also played poorly in 2024, at least brings something different to the position as a receiver out of the backfield and can contribute to the return game.
So, in my opinion, White is a lot closer to getting cut than he is to being the Raiders’ second running back.
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.