Training camp has just started for the Raiders and things are without several interior defensive linemen. First it was projected starters Johnathan Hankins and Bilal Nichols who began camp on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list. And today they were joined by Vernon Butler who was placed on the Non-Football Injury list.
The seventh-year veteran DT Butler was added this offseason to compete for a spot in the rotation.
With Hankins, Nichols, and Butler down, this is what the group looks like:
Neil Farrell Jr (D-4)
Tyler Lancaster
Andrew Billings
Matthew Butler (D-5)
Kyle Peko
Kendal Vickers
So, as you can see, they still have plenty of bodies to fill out their first, second, and third teams. Two of whom are drafted rookies. Only Vickers is a returning player. All others enter their first training camp with the Raiders.
It’s actually a pretty sizable group, which makes you wonder if a return by any of the three currently out would lead to one of the other getting cut.