Four Raiders who could bust out

It is almost inevitable that at Raiders training camp at the end of the month a relative unknown player or two will make themselves known. The trick is figuring out who those players will be.

Tight end Darren Waller, who essentially came out of nowhere to be the big hit of Raiders camp last year, comes to mind. To a lesser degree, rookie punter A.J. Cole made an impact. He caught the Raiders’ eye during a rookie minicamp tryout, then won the starting job with an impressive training camp. Cole went on to average 46.0 yards on his 67 punts.

Given the lack of in-person workouts this offseason, the potentially reduced training camp roster from 90 to 80 players and what will certainly be a far different looking setup due to

COVID-19 concerns, undrafted free agents like Cole will have a much harder time making their mark and earning a job.

But that doesn’t mean there won’t be a few, whether drafted or free agents, who make that leap.

Here are four to keep an eye on:

LB Tanner Muse

The Raiders selected the

former Clemson safety in the third round of the 2020 draft. At the time, the consensus was that Muse would contribute mostly on special teams while easing into the transition to linebacker. But don’t be surprised if Muse alters the assumed timeline with a big performance in training camp that earns him more playing time at linebacker than originally projected.

While Muse played safety at Clemson, the Tigers’ defensive scheme gave him plenty of linebacker-type responsibilities, especially in run defense. Among third-level defenders, he was Clemson’s primary run defender. As a result, the shift to linebacker should not be too difficult.

Combine his run-stopping ability with the 4.39 40-yard dash he ran at the NFL scouting combine and his pass coverage skills from his time at safety, and it’s easy to see Muse standing out in camp as a versatile linebacker. In fact, don’t be shocked if he wins a starting job sooner rather than later alongside newcomers Cory Littleton and Nick Kwiatkoski.

CB Isaiah Johnson

Drafted in the fourth round out of Houston in 2019, the former college wide receiver was considered a bit of a project given the limited time he spent at cornerback in college. On the other hand, between his height — he’s 6 feet 2 inches tall — and athletic ability, whatever wait there might have been to get him settled in at the next level seemed worth it.

Unfortunately, Johnson was dealt a setback when he suffered a contusion and nasty face injury during the Raiders’ first preseason game. It meant a long stint on the injured reserve list and cost him valuable development time. To make matters worse, when he did come back he was the victim of a nagging back injury that limited his playing time and ultimately required minor offseason surgery.

Johnson has been completely healthy throughout the offseason and vows to return with a vengeance in his second year. And in spite of the Raiders investing draft picks in

Sean Rayford The Associated Press While the Raiders expect big things this season from first-round pick Henry Ruggs at receiver, don’t sell short South Carolina product Bryan Edwards, whom they drafted in the third round.

Heidi Fang Las Vegas Review-Journal Raiders cornerback Isaiah Johnson is finally injury free and pledging to come back with a vengeance this season.