How to keep Carr on his feet among burning questions
NAPA >> Raiders rookies and some veterans reported to camp Tuesday, with the full squad reporting Friday in time for the first fullsquad practice the following day.
You’ve got questions, sent via Twitter and email. And I’ve got answers, whether you like them or not …
What’s the prognosis for the o-line? They gonna keep (Derek) Carr upright? (@jrhester)
It all depends on the tackles, Kolton Miller on the left and Trent Brown on the right. Miller has gotten bigger and stronger, and the Raiders are counting on him taking a quantum leap in terms of production after playing most of his rookie season on a bum knee. If he doesn’t, it could mean moving Brown back to the left side, where he started last sea
son for a Super Bowl champion. The job of line coach Tom Cable may well depend on how well Miller and Brown protect Carr, as well as provide holes for the running game.
Which Raider do you think will fail to live up to the hype/underperform? (@rthomps101)
Beware of free agents with high miles. No one questioned the acumen and past production of linebacker Derrick Johnson and cornerback Leon Hall a year ago, but both were pretty much spent. Along those lines, three players with a lot of wear and tear are worth watching — linebackers Vontaze Burfict and Brandon Marshall and guard Richie Incognito. Marshall was never healthy enough to play in the off-season and we’ll get our first look at him at camp. Any time a team decides it doesn’t want a player any more, it’s cause for concern and it happened with all three of the above veterans. Marquel Lee remains in the picture in his third season.
Will (Daryl) Worley be able to hold (Trayvon) Mullen off and are (Karl Joseph) and (Johnathan) Abram going to start together or will Joseph be the backup? (@ MichaelG37x)
Daryl Worley faces a challenge from rookie Trayvon Mullen.
The battle between Worley and Mullen is one of those good problems to have, the kind the Raiders haven’t seen a lot of the past several years. Two talented young corners to go along with Gareon Conley on the other side? Pretty much a no-lose situation if both are performing well, because the way defensive backs are deployed, the non-starter will still get plenty of time. As for the safeties, LaMarcus Joyner factors in here even if he’s primarily a slot corner. There should be plenty of snaps for all three players, with the primary concern being that Karl Joseph is listed at 5-foot10, Joyner at 5-8 and Abram at a generous 6-0. We’ll see how the Raiders match up against Travis Kelce of the Chiefs in Week 2.
Who do we think starting linebackers will be? Lack of speed for coverage? (@ boylano2)
The last time I remember the Raiders doing some good work in coverage was in the early Thomas Howard-Kirk Morrison days. Running backs and tight ends have seemingly run free ever since. As mentioned above, Marshall and Burfict have seen a lot of snaps. But I think the Raiders will give the two veterans, along with returnee Tahir Whitehead, the opportunity to emerge as the three starters, with Burfict in the middle. Keep in mind they won’t play a lot of packages that use three linebackers. If the coverage problems continue, Nick Morrow has shown flashes of being good in that area.
Can you get them to commit to a number of sacks? Over under xx# (@ thegoodlife34)
Doubtful they’ll be listening to me, but after last season’s staggeringly inept total of 13, I’d guess that defensive coordinator Paul Guenther is looking for three times that many in 2020. I’m thinking the number should be set at 32 — or two per game. Expect a centipede affect with more players getting sacks rather than one player dominating the stats as in the Khalil Mack years. If you get eight from top pick Clelin Ferrell and eight more from situational edge rushers Arden Key and Maxx Crosby, you’re halfway there. Then it’s up to interior rushers such as Maurice Hurst and P.J. Hall and blitzing linebackers and safeties to make up the rest.
Is there a pool what day Gruden and AB (Antonio Brown) stop talking to each other? I’m in. (@ whphil3)
I’m expecting a pretty smooth first year between Gruden and a wide receiver with the kind of skill and drive that the Raiders coach dreams about. If Brown keeps working like he does and dominating in practice like he has, Gruden will tolerate many behavioral quirks. That said, losing brings out the worst in everyone, and if the Raiders were to get to midseason at 2-6, the second half would bear watching between the coach and star receiver.
Can we take any solace in the team playing better the 2nd half of the season? Does it say anything about Gruden’s ability to still coach? (email from Aaron H)
Not much, other than the fact that Gruden had better identified players with whom he thought were compatible with his systems of football and how he wants them to play. In terms of X’s and O’s, it’s laughable for anyone to suggest Gruden is behind the times. Most people who say that couldn’t spend 30 seconds talking strategy with him before feeling inadequate. What remains to be seen is whether Gruden can impose those strategies on a group, get them to play together and execute on Sundays.
Will (Richie) Incognito and Tom Cable fist fight? (@poewing)
Get some bad publicity for a quick fuse and an assistant coach with a mysterious broken jaw more than a decade ago and it never goes away, I guess. Cable has plenty of critics when it comes to the way his line played in Seattle and Year 1 in Oakland. But the guy is pretty much revered by his linemen because he’s honest and direct. No fist fights expected.