The Las Vegas Raiders came up short in a 24-23 loss to the Minnesota Vikings in Week 1 of the preseason. They allowed a game-winning field goal on the final drive.
As we all know, position battles and player development are more important than wins and losses in the preseason.
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The Raiders should be encouraged by much of what they saw on offense when their starters took the field.
On the flip side, the Raiders have to play with more intensity in the trenches. In the postgame press conference, head coach Antonio Pierce expressed disappointment with the run defense, which allowed 142 yards and a touchdown.
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Let’s go over some of the things we learned about the Raiders after their first preseason game.
Antonio Pierce closing in on a quarterback decision
Head coach Antonio Pierce praised both Aidan O’Connell and Gardner Minshew for their performances in Saturday’s preseason game.
Pierce told reporters that the team will name a starter after the next exhibition outing.
“The goal will be to hopefully make a decision after the game this Saturday,” Pierce said. “We have to get ready to play football. We have enough film and we’ll have two games to evaluate both quarterbacks to see how they’ll play.”
O’Connell and Minshew struggled at practices before the Raiders’ Week 1 preseason matchup with the Vikings. Neither really did anything to take a significant lead in the battle.
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On one drive, O’Connell had an efficient showing, completing seven out of nine passes for 76 yards. He also showed some pocket presence, stepping into accurate throws to move the chains.
Minshew entered the game in the second quarter and produced splashy plays. He connected with wideout Tre Tucker for 29 and 44 yards. Minshew completed six of 12 pass attempts for 117 yards and a touchdown.
Perhaps Pierce and Co. had an idea whom they planned to name the starter and barring any surprises, the team will go with its initial choice. If the Raiders still felt Minshew and O’Connell were in an even battle, they would likely want to see the competition extend into the third preseason game.
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Raiders must get healthy or get help along the offensive line
On the Raiders’ first offensive drive, rookie first-rounder Dallas Turner beat backup left tackle Andrus Peat and sacked Aidan O’Connell. According to Pro Football Focus, Peat and right guard Dylan Parham allowed two pressures apiece.
Pierce hopes to see left tackle Kolton Miller and rookie second-rounder Jackson Powers-Johnson back at practice next week.
If Miller returns, Peat would likely become the primary backup left guard, where he has the most experience. So, if Powers-Johnson isn’t ready to start right away, Peat could be the Week 1 starter alongside Miller on the left.
Parham’s struggles in the first preseason game deserve a little more attention because he’s projected to start at right guard after playing left guard for two seasons.
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New offensive line coach James Cregg felt that Parham would be a better fit on the right side in Getsy’s system:
Parham showed significant improvement between his rookie and second year. In 2022, he allowed six sacks and 55 pressures then gave up one sack and 26 pressures last season, per Pro Football Focus.
Parham may need extra reps at right guard in the preseason to get comfortable on the other side of the line.
If Miller or Powers-Johnson needs extra time to recover, the Raiders should add veteran offensive line help before their season opener when they go up against Khalil Mack and Joey Bosa.
Luke Getsy has immediate plans for Brock Bowers
Typically, offensive coordinators show very little in the preseason and work with a condensed playbook. Luke Getsy played chess, moving Brock Bowers all over the formation.
Pro Football Focus’ Nathan Jahnke made note of Bowers’ position versatility.
“Bowers played 11 of a possible 14 snaps in his one drive. He lined up in a traditional tight end spot on six plays, as an outside wide receiver twice, in the slot once and in the backfield twice,” Jahnke wrote. “Typically, teams don’t want to show a lot in the preseason, but they had no problem showing that Bowers will be all over the field.”
On his only drive, Bowers caught two passes for 25 yards against the Vikings.
Most tight ends gradually develop in their transition from college to the pros. Bowers isn’t a typical tight end though.
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Bowers may not post rookie receiving numbers like tight ends Kyle Pitts and Sam LaPorta, but he’ll play a big role in the offense this year.
Lower your expectations for Tyree Wilson
Tyree Wilson hasn’t generated a lot of buzz at training camp, and he went mostly unnoticed in the Raiders’ preseason matchup with the Vikings. According to Pro Football Focus, he logged two hurries and a tackle.
Defensive tackle Adam Butler said Wilson has made progress in increments (h/t The Athletic’s Vic Tafur).
“He’s taking baby steps, he really is,” Butler said. “With him, I think it would be best if he just focused on one thing at a time. That’s what I had to do as a young player as well. Because I had so many things that I had to improve on, and he’s no different than anybody else that once came into the league. I think he is putting in the effort to do that, and I have seen him grow as well.”
While it’s too early to write off Wilson as a consistent contributor, he seems unlikely to make a massive second-year leap. Wilson will likely open the season as the third edge-rusher and rotational defensive tackle on the depth chart. He could have flashes but don’t expect a second-year breakout.
Janarius Robinson is in the mix at defensive end. If the Raiders sign a veteran pass-rushing defensive end, that player could also steal some snaps from Wilson on the edge.
Raiders must sign a veteran cornerback
The Raiders have questionable depth at cornerback behind Jack Jones, Jakorian Bennett and Nate Hobbs. If one of them misses time, the secondary may be a soft spot within the defense.
On Saturday against the Vikings, Sam Webb, rookie fourth-rounder Decamerion Richardson and rookie seventh-rounder M.J. Devonshire all struggled with the backups, which allowed J.J. McCarthy to get into a rhythm after Jones picked him off.
Per Pro Football Focus, Webb and Devonshire allowed a perfect passer rating (158.3) in coverage. As rookies, Richardson and Devonshire should get a grace period as they get used to the speed of the pro game.
Nonetheless, a good general manager can spot a potential issue before it becomes a glaring flaw. Tom Telesco should sign a veteran cornerback just in case the team needs to plug someone into the starting lineup early in the season.
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Keep in mind that Nate Hobbs has missed 10 games over the last two seasons. If he misses time, the Raiders don’t have a reliable backup slot cornerback. Tyler Hall and Amik Robertson signed elsewhere in free agency.
The Raiders should sign Adoree’ Jackson, who has experience in defensive coordinator Patrick Graham’s system. While he’s lined up mostly on the boundary, he has some experience in the slot as well.
Maurice Moton covers the Las Vegas Raiders for Sportsnaut. You can follow him on Twitter at @MoeMoton.