As the Las Vegas Raiders' 2024 NFL training camp rolls on, there are good reports and bad coming out of Antonio Pierce’s first preseason as head coach. On the plus side, the defense — which is Pierce’s specialty — has looked great, especially young players like second-year cornerback Jakorian Bennett. However, there are also players who have struggled as well, such as quarterbacks Aidan O’Connell and Gardner Minshew.
Quarterbacks Aidan O’Connell and Gardner Minshew
Before we completely pull the panic meter, let’s say that at this point in NFL training camps, the defenses are almost always ahead of offenses, so the fact that the Raiders defense is making the offense look foolish is not cause concern… yet.
That said, neither Aidan O’Connell nor Gardner Minshew have looked good yet under center.
After Las Vegas whiffed on QB in the draft, with all six top prospects going before they picked at No. 13, the team knew it was a two-horse race for the starting job between O’Connell and Minshew. Obviously, the franchise would prefer O’Connell to win the job as the 2023 fourth-round selection has more upside than the journeyman Minshew.
More importantly, though, the Pierce and the Raiders need someone to step up and take the reins. The offense has a solid offensive line (hopefully — more on that below), a superstar wide receiver in Davante Adams, two young and talented tight ends in Brock Bowers and Michael Mayer, and the makings of a solid run game led by Zamir White.
If the defense is indeed legit and a QB can step up and be at least above average, the Raiders could have a real shot to make the playoffs. If the QBs keep throwing picks in practice and displaying the inconsistency they have so far throughout Raiders training camp.
There is some good news on this front, as both played relatively well in their preseason opener, but as consistency is the biggest problem for both O’Connell and Minshew at this point, keeping that momentum going will be the true test of whether they are out of their initial NFL training camp funk.
Wide receiver Trey Tucker
No matter who the Raiders quarterback is, we know wide receivers Adams and Jakobi Meyers will be that passer’s go-to guys in the wide receiver room and that Bowers and Meyers will also be prime pass-catchers for the team.
Who will be WR3 for Las Vegas? Well, the team hopes it will be second-year speedster Tre Tucker, but he’s been struggling in Raiders training camp. Despite his speed and added muscle this offseason, the 5-foot-8, 190-pound WR is struggling to do the one thing players at his position have to do: Catch the football.
“Tucker hasn’t capitalized on the strength and space in training camp as much as he should because he’s carrying one fatal flaw — his hands,” Case Keefer of the Las Vegas Sun reports from Raiders training camp. “Tucker has probably dropped more passes than the rest of the receiving corps combined.”
If Tucker doesn’t start catching the ball better, the Raiders may have to look outside the building for help. There isn’t much action behind the 2023 third-round pick with names like Jalen Guyton, DJ Turner, Tulu Griffin, Kristian Wilkerson, Keelan Doss, and Tyreik McAllister further down the depth chart.
Offensive lineman Jackson Powers-Johnson
Former Oregon offensive lineman Jackson Powers-Johnson isn’t struggling on the field in Raiders training camp but that’s only because he can’t seem to get back on it. The center/guard suffered a shoulder injury and started the preseason on the PUP list, but was expected back before the team’s first exhibition game.
However, Powers-Johnson is still on the shelf, and that is becoming a problem. The Raiders plan was to have him as the starting left guard. If he can’t get back soon, former Chicago Bears interior lineman Cody Whitehair will start at that guard spot, which won’t be great. Just ask Bears fans.
They say in the NFL, the greatest “ability” is “availability,” and Powers-Johnson hasn’t shown that thus far.
This is by no means saying that the former Duck is a bust or that he won’t be a starting lineman in his rookie season. The issue here is that as a first-year player, getting healthy and getting into Raiders training camp is crucial if he is going to start in Week 1.
Pierce and the rest of the coaches plus how quickly Powers-Johnson picks up the offense and his role in it will determine whether he will start against the Los Angeles Chargers on opening weekend. That said, the longer the rookie sits on the shelf, the more likely he will be to need more time and not be a day-one starting guard like the team needs him to be.
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