Oakland Raiders Initial Depth Chart Is Intriguing

By Jonathan George | Aug 11, 2015

Per raiders.com, the Oakland Raiders have released their initial depth chart before their first preseason game this Friday against the St. Louis Rams. As most fans know, NFL teams will release an unofficial depth chart headed into their first preseason game, and while it is important to remember that it is very early in the process and the depth chart will change, some of the positioning of the players on the Raiders seem to indicate how they are performing early on.

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Again, any over-reaction to this list is a waste of time. Think of the depth chart as more of an indicator on how different position battles are shaping up early on, and whether a player you thought highly of going into the season is doing as well as expected.

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Once the games begin, both coaches and fans will get a better idea on how the team will shake out, but for now there are several notes that should raise a few eyebrows amongst those that are die-hard fans of the Oakland Raiders.

Wide receiver group is a mix bag of expected and unexpected positioning

Sure, just about everyone though that Amari Cooper and Michael Crabtree would be the clear-cut starters on either side of the offensive line, so seeing that play out initially is both expected and a good sign in terms of offensive flow.

It also looks like the coaches will see who can win out between Andre Holmes and Kembrell Thompkins for that third receiver spot anytime the Raiders line up in 3 receiver sets against the Rams, as they are currently listed just behind Cooper and Crabtree respectively.

Unfortunately for the Raiders and Rod Streater, who many expected to be the 3rd wide out on opening day and potentially make a run at C.P.O.Y., Streater has not been able to get on the practice field due to a mysterious illness. He remains on the NFI list, and as such is currently listed 9th on the wide receiver depth chart. And while most hope and expect that to change before preseason ends, Streater’s health history makes this a big concern for fans.

Mack is listed as a DE, not an OLB

Khalil Mack, the 1st round pick for the Raiders a year ago, has been listed as a defensive end before Friday’s game, and not as an outside linebacker like he had been in 2014. It all may be semantics when you think of why Oakland drafted him. He is a pass rushing machine, and if the Raiders can keep him on the field while allowing another player to challenge for the Sam backer spot, so be it.

This decision is interesting only because it either indicates that the coaching staff wants to see what they have in Ray Ray Armstrong, a guy that coaches and players were raving about in OTA’s as a waiver pickup in the offseason, or that possibly 2nd round pick Mario Edwards Jr. is not quite ready to start across from Justin Tuck.

In the end, you want the best combination of talent and physicality on the field. Whether that is Armstrong on the field with Mack, or another combo, the time is now to figure out what works best in the front seven.

The TE group is completely unsettled and wide open

After the draft and free agency, the outlook for the Oakland Raiders tight end position seemed to be coming into form. Incumbent starter Mychal Rivera would most likely be pushed by newly drafted Clive Walford, with Lee Smith potentially being a 2nd tight end on the field as a blocker in two tight end sets. Smith will be on the field all right, but initially he will be listed as the starter, with Rivera the back-up.

While that might not mean much depending on the offense Musgrave chooses to run against St. Louis, it is interesting that even though Rivera seemed to be getting rave reviews during camp he didn’t do enough to convince Oakland’s coaches that he deserves a shot at starting in 3 wide out sets.

With Walford still nursing a lingering injury that has caused him to miss all of training camp, the direction of this unit is far from clear. Time will tell whether Walford can challenge for the starting role, as was assumed after the draft.

With Friday’s game against the Rams on the horizon, keep an eye out to see how these and other position battles shake out going into the second preseason game. Will players set up and start to solidify their roles, or will another guy out perform them? That should be the take away in the preseason: Who deserves to start and who deserves to be cut. Friday night against St. Louis will hopefully begin to reveal the answers.

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