Moves give roster battles different look
We know you’re craving one, so come and get the penultimate 53man roster projection before the Raiders face the Seattle Seahawks today in their exhibition finale.
The Raiders made a flurry of moves this week that will affect this 53-man projection compared to the first one, so have a look.
The deadline for teams to reduce their rosters to 53 players comes Saturday at 1 p.m.
Names in italics are guesses for roster locks.
OFFENSE
QUARTERBACKS (2) >> Derek Carr, someone not currently on the roster.
Connor Cook and EJ Manuel just won’t cut it as backups in this league in the disastrous scenario Carr goes down again. Head coach Jon Gruden all but confirmed he wants a better backup quarterback than what he currently has when he said “I don’t know” when asked if his backup
QB is currently on the roster last Friday night, before then saying he’ll see who’s available. Well, Jon, there are probably better ones available than the ones you have.
RUNNING BACKS (4) >> Marshawn Lynch, Doug Martin, Jalen Richard, Chris Warren.
DeAndre Washington is a candidate for injured reserve after his recent knee scope that will sideline him for today’s preseason finale. He probably wasn’t going to make the roster anyway, so the Raiders probably wouldn’t get anything in return for him in a trade. Warren has impressed enough to be firmly on the 53-man roster before the fourth exhibition, in my mind. Fans might not like Martin being a stone-cold lock, but that’s what he is. FULLBACKS (1) >> Keith Smith.
Nothing much to see here. Sorry, Ryan Yurachek. WIDE RECEIVERS (6) >> Amari Cooper, Jordy Nelson, Martavis Bryant, Dwayne Harris, Johnny Holton, Seth Roberts.
Harris officially locked up a spot when the Raiders traded Ryan Switzer to the Steelers on Monday and Gruden later declared Harris his kick and punt returner. This group will get interesting at spots five and six, whether Gruden and Co. go with two of Holton, Roberts and rookie Marcell Ateman, or just one of that trio. Oh (whispers) the
White Tiger didn’t practice again on Tuesday.
TIGHT ENDS (3) >> Jared Cook, Lee Smith, Derek Carrier.
This group has been locked in for quite some time. OFFENSIVE LINEMEN (9) >> Kolton Miller, Kelechi Osemele, Rodney Hudson, Gabe Jackson, Donald Penn, Brandon Parker, Jon Feliciano, Ian Silberman, David Sharpe.
Penn vowed to be ready at right tackle come Sept. 10 after a rocky debut last Friday night, but he’s making the team regardless of his comfort at the position after reworking his contract. The other four starters are set in stone, and so is the rookie third-rounder Parker and the backup center Feliciano. Two of Silberman, Sharpe and Jordan Simmons figure to take up the final spots among this group.
DEFENSE
DEFENSIVE LINEMEN (9) >> Arden Key, Mario Edwards Jr., Justin Ellis, Bruce Irvin, Mo Hurst, P.J. Hall, Tank Carradine, Shilique Calhoun, Fadol Brown.
Calhoun and Brown have certainly made it hard to omit them with three strong preseason performances, and sturdy showings today would conceivably seal their respective deals. Treyvon Hester is another fringe pick on the defensive line. Khalil Mack will be among this group if and when he returns, presumably taking the roster spot of either Calhoun, Brown or a stray defensive back.
LINEBACKERS (6) >> Tahir Whitehead, Derrick Johnson, Emmanuel Lamur,
Marquel Lee, Nicholas Morrow, Kyle Wilber.
James Cowser is a tough cut here since he’s a coach’s favorite who has showed out this preseason. But the Raiders need more depth on the defensive line and defensive backfield, and Cowser might be the first man out. Wilber will play mostly special teams, and we’ll see how much weight Lee takes off the 35-year-old Johnson’s legs early in the season.
DEFENSIVE BACKS (10) >> Gareon Conley, Rashaan Melvin, Daryl Worley, Leon Hall, Dominique RodgersCromartie, Karl Joseph, Reggie Nelson, Erik Harris, Marcus Gilchrist, Nick Nelson.
Worley is facing a potential suspension stemming from his April arrest, and that could throw a wrench in the Raiders’ early-season plans at cornerback. The four safeties — five if you count the versatile RodgersCromartie — are locked in. Now it’s just a question of which two start against the Rams. Nick Nelson is nursing an injury that has kept him out of the last two practices, but he’s a lock unless the injury takes an unexpected turn for worse.
SPECIAL TEAMS
SPECIAL-TEAMERS (3) >> Johnny Townsend, Andrew DePaola, Mike Nugent.
Unless rookie Eddy Piñeiro’s groin heals in time, Nugent will begin the season as Oakland’s kicker. Gruden hinted that scenario is more than likely on Monday. In that case, the Raiders would likely stash Piñeiro on injured reserve.