It’s that time now football is finally back with a plethora of teams reporting to training camp on Monday. The Raiders do not fully report until Friday, but the excitement is building within the nation.
With that said, many storylines are buzzing into camp, especially with Hard Knocks covering the process of the final 53. Let’s look at the top five questions heading into training camp.
5. Is Darren Waller a future star in the making?
The buzz all offseason has been around the development of Darren Waller. The wide receiver converted to tight end built up his buzz ending the season with big plays when he got his opportunities.
The buzz has not died down after OTAs and minicamp sessions with Waller showing off his speed and catching ability during practice. Jon Gruden and Greg Olson have raved about his play, making him one of the standouts during the off-season program.
Training camp will display how the Raiders will be using Waller this season and whether he will become the true third option behind Antonio Brown and Tyrell Williams.
4. Who will be the No. 4 running back for Oakland?
The top three running backs on this roster is officially set with Josh Jacobs, Jalen Richard, and Doug Martin. The final spot behind those three is up for grabs between Chris Warren, and Deandre Washington.
One thing to be said about Washington is that he is a survivor. It seems like Washington has been in this position the last two seasons and ultimately shows enough to stay on the final 53.
This year could be different against fan-favorite Chris Warren who had a breakout preseason in 2018 with highlight runs. Warren has had weight issues and doesn’t add anything too special teams, which don’t help his case against the steady Washington. It will be fun to watch these two fight for the final roster spot in 2019.
3. Can the Raiders generate a pass rush?
Most of the buzz coming into the season is about the offense. However, the Raiders defense is still the weak spot on the team. After having only 13 sacks last season, the Raiders are depending on their young players to generate a pass rush in 2019.
The Raiders projected defensive ends have a combined 17 career sacks which is a scary outlook when you think about it. Paul Guenther is counting on the development of Arden Key and the hope that Ferrell can have an impact year one.
Maurice Hurst led the team in sacks a year ago, and if he can grow into a dominant player in the interior year two, it helps everyone on the whole defensive line. The Raiders need young players to take the next step, or it will be a long season.
2. Can Derek Carr and Antonio Brown connection continue to grow?
Derek Carr being replaced was one the most prominent rumors this off-season that did not come into fruition. The Raiders didn’t even draft a quarterback to replace him and instead added plenty of weapons to give Carr a chance to succeed. The best addition is a future Hall of Famer named Antonio Brown.
Brown is coming off a down season in yards but still had 15 touchdowns in 2018. Carr always shines in training camp, but it will be interesting to learn more about the chemistry that has already been built between the two players.
We will see if Carr uses his legs more since Brown excels in the scramble drill, crafting special plays out of thin air. The dynamic between these two will be followed throughout the season, and it starts at the beginning of training camp.
1. What wild moves will Jon Gruden make before the season starts?
Last off-season, Gruden had high expectations going into training camp famously ramping a crowd about bringing in Khalil Mack. After training camp started, everything changed. Gruden decided the team needed to be torn down and 2018 Raiders were suddenly in a full rebuild.
What happens in 2019? Gruden has already proven he is not predictable and at times makes impulsive moves. Could we see a big trade before the cuts?
With players like Karl Joesph on the hot seat and reports that the Raiders are not the highest on Conley, both of these players could be sent packing.
Maybe the Raiders trade for a more significant player to add to the pass rush with plenty of picks to use at their disposal. Gruden has surprised Raider nation plenty of times already with his moves; it might get wilder in year two.
