Football is finally back, and in just a few short hours, the Oakland Raiders will kick off their 2019 preseason schedule against the Los Angles Rams. To prepare you for that game, here is a list of three players who need to have big performances on Saturday night.
1. OG Jonathan Cooper
With the recent news that Gabe Jackson could miss up to four games of the regular season with an MCL sprain, the Raiders have taken quite the hit to their offensive line. Richie Incognito won’t be available due to suspension, and Denzelle Good has yet to practice.
Oakland will ask veteran guard Jonathan Cooper, to take Jackson’s place in the meantime and a solid performance on Saturday could ease the minds of the coaching staff and Derek Carr. Look for the former first-round pick to play several series against the Rams as he could be one of the team’s Week 1 starters at guard.
2. WR Marcell Ateman
At this time last year, Marcell Ateman’s stock was on the rise. The 6’4, 216-pound receiver from Oklahoma State was making plays left and right and eventually made the team’s 53-man roster. He finished his rookie campaign with 15 receptions for 154 yards and one touchdown.
After a solid rookie season, you would think there would be more hype surrounding Ateman. However, Oakland has dramatically improved the wide receiver corps this offseason, and Ateman is once again, competing for a roster spot.
If Ateman wants to make the roster again in 2019, he needs to show that he can consistently win “above the rim,” specifically, in the red zone. Look for Ateman to play a ton in the preseason matchup against the Rams.
3. CB Isaiah Johnson
Over the offseason, the Raiders spent a ton of assets on upgrading their secondary. The team signed one of the best nickel defenders in the league in Lamarcus Joyner and spent a second-round pick on Trayvon Mullen. They also brought in veterans Nevin Lawson and D.J. Killings to round out the roster.
Given the amount of depth the team has had the position, the end-of-the-roster players, such as fourth-round pick Isaiah Johnson, are going to have to perform well in the preseason to win a job. Through two weeks of camp, Johnson has been up and down. He’s shown flashes of ball-skills, but his technique and grabby hands can get him in trouble from time to time.
If Johnson doesn’t become more consistent over the four-game preseason schedule, he may be on the outside looking in when the final cuts are made. Look for the former wide receiver to get an extended look from the Raiders’ coaching staff on Saturday night.
