Returning Raider Nation’s questions for the week
We have a slightly shorter mailbag for this week as the Las Vegas Raiders are on a break and not much is going on across the NFL during the downtime. That said, training camp isn’t too far away, meaning a few spots on the Raiders’ roster and depth chart will be up for grabs, and that’s this week’s focus.
Q: Which Raiders position groups are gonna offer the fiercest competitions during training camp?
A: Guard, cornerback and linebacker.
While it appears that Alex Cappa is the heavy favorite to be the right guard, I think both starting guard spots are up for grabs. There will be four contenders with Dylan Parham, Jordan Meredith and Thayer Munford Jr. getting reps inside during OTAs. Meredith will be an interesting guy to watch this summer since he played well in the second half of last season, while Parham is a decent starter and Munford is the wildcard, having played tackle the last three years.
Corner is a wide-open competition where we could be in for a surprise. A lot of people are expecting Jakorian Bennett to be one of the two starters, but Bennett primarily worked with the second team this spring while free-agent signing Eric Stokes took the starting reps. Then there’s the ultra-talented Darien Porter, who will be a starter at some point, and it will be interesting to see how Decamerion Richardson progresses in year two. Finally, the nickelback spot is wide open as well.
Germaine Pratt’s signing might take out some of the drama at linebacker, as I’d expect Pratt and Elandon Roberts to be the Week 1 starters on early downs. But it is a pretty open competition in training camp where Devin White, Tommy Eichenberg, Amari Gainer and Cody Lindenberg could make a push.
A: From what I understand, Bennett has been on the outside. I do like the idea of trying him in the slot, though.
Size-wise, that’s a better fit for him since he lacks length, and I think he has quickness to be an effective nickelback in coverage. Tackling would be an issue, though, as that’s been one of Bennett’s biggest weaknesses over the last two years.
Additionally, the Maryland product did take some reps on the inside in college. That being said, the majority of his experience is on the boundary.
A: Offensive line: Kolton Miller, Parham, Jackson Powers-Johnson, Alex Cappa, DJ Glaze, Jordan Meredith, Caleb Rogers, Charles Grant and Munford.
I don’t think there will be too much drama on the o-line since Miller, JPJ and Glaze are solidified starters while Parham, Cappa and Meredith should all at least make the team. And the two third-round picks aren’t getting cut. Munford is the one who I could see being a surprise cut if the coaching staff thinks Grant is ready for swing tackle duties. That could pave the way for Will Putnam or Jarrod Hufford to earn a roster spot.
Defensive line: Maxx Crosby, Adam Butler, Christian Wilkins (if healthy), Malcolm Koonce, Leki Fotu, Tonka Hemingway, JJ Pegues, Tyree Wilson and Jah Joyner.
The d-line has some drama to it, where we’ll get at least one surprise cut, especially if Wilkins is healthy and doesn’t begin the campaign on PUP. Zach Carter and Jonah Laulu are a couple of good defensive tackles who I could also see making the team. Additionally, Joyner could be swapped out for Charles Snowden as the third-down pass-rusher off the bench. What this all points to is Wilson entering training camp on the chopping block.
As far as free agency goes, maybe the Raiders add a veteran offensive tackle if the coaching staff doesn’t want to keep Munford and wants to avoid having to throw Grant into the fire. But I get the feeling the team is going to roll into camp with the guys they have and, based on how the practices go, maybe make an addition toward the end of the summer.
A: Miller (LT), Meredith (LG), Powers-Johnson (C), Parham (RG) and Glaze (RT).
I get why Cappa is considered the starter right now, because he’s a veteran and a good communicator to help make sure the young line is all on the same page. But Meredith impressed me last season and, right now at least, I’m willing to bet that he’ll pick up where he left off. Plus, Meredith is younger than Cappa and thus has more potential or upside. Also, even dating back to his college days, Parham has been much better on the right than the left.
Q: Update on Wilkins? Haven’t heard anything since the team wants him to have another surgery, which would cost him another year.
A: Silver and Black Pride’s Bill Williamson provided an update on Wilkins in the post below. There hasn’t been any new official news or reports on whether he’ll need a second surgery, as that’s just a rumor right now. But Wilkins was seen in a walking boot recently, which isn’t a comforting sight. I’d still wait until training camp starts or we get an official report on the defensive tackle’s foot before getting too concerned, though.
A: NFL players can use stem cells. Business Insider wrote an article about it in 2023, where George Kittle openly admitted to using stem cells.
The four-time Pro Bowler even credited the treatment for expediting his recovery after fracturing his foot during the 2020 season. Though he was told it would take him six to eight weeks to get back on the field, Kittle manage to rejoin his team in just five weeks.
“Stem cells,” he said, made a huge difference.
Stem cell therapy for the treatment of sports injuries is not FDA approved in the United States, hence why Kittle must travel thousands of miles for his annual dose.
Even still, there’s a growing body of research indicating that stem cells may help restore and regenerate damaged tissues in joints. And while such treatments are not authorized stateside, they’re not banned by the NFL.
So, I’m sure this question was primarily a joke, but you might be onto something here!
A: For a second, I didn’t think I was going to get an opportunity to do my weekly call for Las Vegas to bring Mike Hilton in. So…MIKE HILTON!!!!
As far as Jalen Ramsey goes, he’s still under contract with the Miami Dolphins, and I don’t see John Spytek giving up draft picks to get a 30-year-old corner who turns 31 in October and is on an expensive contract. If Ramsey gets traded anywhere, I think it’s to go back to the Los Angeles Rams.
A: I’ll go with Week 15 on the road against the Philadelphia Eagles. Obviously, most people are going to favor the defending champs at this stage. But the Eagles lost a lot on defense this offseason, so I don’t think they’ll be as good this year, and Pete Carroll has a good track record on those Eastern Time Zone road trips.
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.