Raiders ready for preseason opener

Tonight’s preseason opener against the Lions may not feature many regular starters, but do Oakland fans really care as long as Jon Gruden is roaming the Coliseum sidelines again?

“They’re all the same to me and Raider fans,” Gruden said. “You got to understand that preseason games, postseason games, pick-up games in Oakland, it’s all the same.”

Here are four things you’ll want to watch as actual football returns to Oakland tonight.

1. Backup quarterback competition: Connor Cook was slinging dimes all over the field in Wednesday’s joint practice with the Lions, one day after EJ Manuel tossed three interceptions in the first combined session with Detroit. Cook currently has a leg up on the backup job, but Manuel is the one who aptly filled in when Derek Carr went down last year.

The Raiders certainly hope neither plays a single snap in 2018 because it might get ugly if it comes to that. Yet backup quarterbacks are here for the worst-case scenario, and tonight’s preseason opener will feature both as Gruden sifts through his depth chart.

Carr will play, according to Gruden, but don’t be surprised if No. 4 only sees one or two drives.

“I don’t have an official count but this game is not about Derek Carr, not yet,” Gruden said. “It’s about finding the right 53 men. I think you saw today we’ve got a lot of contenders. There are a lot of guys that have put themselves on the brink of making this football team and we got to make sure we give them every opportunity to showcase their skills.”