Winners and losers: Presumptive starters facing backup duties

Early look at who is standing out in either direction

The Las Vegas Raiders opened up training camp a little more than a week ago, and while it’s still early, let’s take a look at a few winners and losers to see who’s standing out so far.

LOSER: Jakorian Bennett

This has been building since OTAs and minicamp; it’s starting to feel like Bennett might be the odd man out in the cornerback room. He’s taken some reps with the first-team defense, but Darien Porter and Eric Stokes seem to be the clear starters right now, while the third-year pro has also been running with the threes occasionally, per Silver & Black Sports Network’s Jesse Merrick.

Also, Decamerion Richardson has been drawing some praise so far, while most of the talk centered around the 2023 third-round pick is about him running with the backups. How much playing time Bennett gets in the preseason will be noteworthy.

WINNER: Dont’e Thornton

Everyone knows Thornton can run and be a deep threat for the Silver and Black. However, his development continues to be ahead of schedule, and he has become one of Geno Smith’s favorite targets, according to The Athletic’s Tashan Reed.

“Thornton has been the first-string “X” receiver since OTAs and looks like he could make an immediate impact,” Reed wrote on July 28. “His physical talent was no secret, but he has also impressed with his improved route running.

‘“My whole college career, and especially going into this previous draft process, the biggest knock on me was that I wasn’t a true route runner when it comes to intermediate and medium routes,” Thornton said Monday. “Just being able to display that at a high level while I’m playing in the NFL now, I guess in a way it’s like proving people wrong.”’

LOSER: Jackson Powers-Johnson

Similar to Bennett, many assumed that Powers-Johnson was a shoo-in for the Raiders’ starting center job while Jordan Meredith and Dylan Parham compete at left guard. However, it’s actually been Powers-Johnson and Meredith battling it out, where both players have been taking reps with the first team offense.

That could be viewed as an opportunity for Smith to get snaps with Meredith and Aidan O’Connell with JPJ to prepare for an injury at either position. But head coach Pete Carroll confirmed a position battle is occurring at center (h/t Levi Edwards of the team’s website). So, surprisingly, the second-year pro is fighting to retain his post from last season.

WINNER: Jonah Laulu

Christian Wilkins’ shocking release opens up a starting spot on the defensive line, creating a great opportunity for Laulu. He’s the favorite to win that job in the trenches after drawing praise from the right people: Carroll and defensive coordinator Patrick Graham.

“Jonah hasn’t done anything but the right stuff so far, he’s been on it,” Carroll said on July 25. “I found him watching film coming off the last season before we even got back together and all that. And I thought I saw some really good traits about him. And so, I’ve been kind of in his corner the whole time, pushing him to be in the front line in this thing. And so far, he’s shown us the flexibility to play different spots, which is good. He’s playing really hard and he’s playing really smart and he’s making a bid for us.”

“You see the smile on my face. Jonah, I just remember when he came for the local pro day and he did a good job over there, the local pro day,” Graham said on July 27. “He got drafted by Indianapolis, got cut. We got him. And I just saw a raw player with a lot of the physical traits that you want at the position. And so, when you have those traits, and then you combine that with the work ethic he has, and I would say, the coaching he’s getting from the position coaches, the coaching he’s getting from the players, the examples like Maxx [Crosby], like Adam Butler, he’s trending the right way. He’s still a young player, not that that matters. He’s a technician, he’s physical, he’s smart, and he’s accountable. A lot of the things we’re looking for.”

WINNER: Tommy Eichenberg

Las Vegas’ coaching staff is looking for someone to step up at linebacker for the upcoming season and the future. Even if Germaine Pratt, Elandon Roberts and/or Devin White are the defense’s starters in the fall, all three are on one-year deals. So, the team could use a long-term plan, and Eichenberg has been getting reps with the first-stringers recently.

The Ohio State product had a rough rookie season, but he also suffered an injury early in training camp and didn’t play in any preseason games last year. With a clean bill of health and more reps during camp this time around, he could be a breakout player in 2024.