Silver And Black Pride
Who did themselves a favor, and who hurt themselves during the spring practices?
The Las Vegas Raiders’ roster and depth chart are starting to take shape as the Raiders wrapped up OTAs and minicamp last week. Getting through the spring practices means we have passed the team’s last phase before training camp at the end of July, so let’s dive into some winners and losers from OTAs and minicamp.
While many (myself included) expected Thornton to be a developmental player who is a year or two away from being a significant contributor, it sounds like he’s ahead of schedule. According to The Athletic’s Tashan Reed, the Tennessee product reportedly “made his fair share of big plays” and has been routinely working with the first-team offense.
As a result, Thornton is ahead of fellow rookie Jack Bech, who many considered to be the “pro-ready” wideout of the two. It’s also worth noting that the second-round pick is the only member of the 2024 draft class who hasn’t signed his rookie contract yet, as of June 16.
Injuries suck and it’s hard to hold them against players. However, OTAs confirmed that Wilkins suffered a setback in the foot injury that caused him to spend the majority of last season on injured reserve. That forced him to sit out the entire spring and has cast some doubt on his availability during training camp.
The good news is that the seven-year veteran isn’t someone who needs tons of reps this time of year, and the Raiders are hopeful he’ll be back by August, per the Las Vegas Review-Journal’s Vincent Bonsignore. Regardless, it’s not exactly comforting that Wilkins wasn’t out there, especially since he figures to be a key piece of Las Vegas’ defense.
Cappa was signed in free agency to compete for one of the Silver and Black’s two starting guard spots. After the spring practice sessions, it appears he’s pulled away from the competition, as Reed noted the veteran is “likely to be the starter” at right guard this season.
The early reports suggest the real position battle is between Dylan Parham and Jordan Meredith on the left side, and Parham suffered an injury that sidelined him during part of OTAs and minicamp, further boosting Cappa’s odds to start.
On a related note, Thayer Munford Jr. could be a surprise contender in the competition as he’s been taking reps on the inside after lining up at tackle during his first three years in Las Vegas.
On an episode of The Morning Tailgate, Bonsignore told Silver and Black Pride’s Marcus Johnson that rookie seventh-round pick Cody Lindenberg has been wearing the green dot for the second-team defense and appears to be ahead of Eichenberg on the depth chart. So, Lindenberg could also be considered a ‘winner’, but the second-year pro gets the callout as a ‘loser’ since his roster spot could be in jeopardy.
On top of falling...
