The Las Vegas Raiders' depth chart is very different this season, with some interesting positional battles coming.
Will the best man play? That’s the party line being put out by the Las Vegas Raiders now that they’ve actually drafted quarterback Fernando Mendoza with the top pick in last week’s NFL draft, but it’s just one of several intriguing listings that Sam Warren of The Athletic included in his initial post-draft depth chart.
The details of this particular positional battle are well-known at this point. GM John Spytek has been hedging, saying that he’s “not necessarily in favor of running him out there right away” when he was asked about who’s going to play quarterback in Week 1. Coach Klint Kubiak, meanwhile has said it would benefit a young quarterback (i.e., Mendoza) “if they can sit behind a mature adult and watch how they run the show.”
Some reports have Mendoza sitting for an extended stretch, but that can change quickly if the losses start to pile up due to bad quarterbacking, which is exactly what happened in Las Vegas last year with QB Geno Smith. But that’s not the only intriguing item on the depth chart, so let’s go there on a couple of the other lists.
Running back: Ashton Jeanty, Mike Washington Jr.
Jeanty will carry most of the load again, but the Raiders made a concerted effort to add a second back who could contribute. Kubiak’s zone-rushing scheme should give Jeanty more room to work, according to Warren, but Washington has a lot of athleticism that could make him more than just a spot player if Las Vegas can turn his potential into performance. The other running backs Warren listed include Dylan Laube, Chris Collier and Roman Hemby, but there’s nothing to see here other than a rundown of obligatory names.
Receiver: Jalen Nailor, Tre Tucker, Jack Bech
This part of the depth chart should be fascinating to watch. Nailor was a good receiver, but he’s not a #1 target, and the rest of this group has been underwhelming to say the least. Most of us were expecting the Raiders to add something at wide receiver prior to or during the draft, but the only player who rates a look among the secondary choices Warren mentioned is Malik Benson, who’s undersized but does offer some potential in the return game.
The rest of the list is even more underwhelming. It includes Dont’e Thornton Jr. and Phillip Dorsett II, and it remains to be seen if the Raiders’ confidence in this group can produce actual receptions and yards on the field.