Sportsnaut
The Las Vegas Raiders rookies will report to training camp in Henderson, Nevada, on July 17, and the veterans will join them on July 22. Head coach Pete Carroll’s mantra emphasizes competition, which could lead to spirited position battles in a few weeks.
While every player will feel the summer heat at padded practices, some veterans face added pressure with jobs and roster spots at stake. Specifically, the 2022 and 2023 draft classes could be under the microscope as they must impress new coaches and first-time general manager John Spytek.
Here are three veterans with the most to lose when the Raiders kick off training camp. These players need a strong showing, or else the team could demote them, place them on the trade block or release them among the final cuts before the regular season.
Tyree Wilson will be one of Carroll’s biggest reclamation projects. The Raiders selected Wilson with the No. 7 overall pick in the 2023 draft. Though he suited up for all 17 games in his rookie year, he had a slow start following foot surgery.
Halfway through Wilson’s rookie season, he made minimal strides but not enough to outproduce Malcolm Koonce, who had a strong finish to the 2023 campaign.
Even though Koonce missed the 2024 season, Wilson couldn’t earn a starting job on the edge. He made small steps in the right direction, but his production didn’t meet the expectations of a top draft pick.
Wilson will compete with Charles Snowden for the third rotational role off the edge. In 2024, Snowden recorded 39 tackles, three for loss, 1.5 sacks and four pass breakups. With a new regime in Las Vegas, Wilson must impress his new head coach or potentially lose snaps to other players who outshine him at training camp.
According to The Athletic’s Tashan Reed, Alex Cappa is the front-runner to win the starting job at right guard. The beat reporter noted that the Raiders have a three-man competition at left guard.
“There’s an ongoing position battle at left guard between Parham, [Thayer] Munford and [Jordan] Meredith that’s worth keeping an eye on,” Reed wrote.
As a primary starter on the interior, Parham has taken snaps at left guard, right guard and center in 49 games (48 starts), but that could change in a crucial fourth year for the versatile offensive lineman.
Next offseason, Parham will be a free agent. So, he must put together his best year for a big payout on the open market. However, Parham will miss out on a pay raise if he’s unable to retain a starting position along the offensive line. Meredith and Munford could beat him out for a lead role.
Wilson and Parham are battling for top spots on the depth chart. Meanwhile, Zamir White could be competing for a roster spot.
Ideally, Carroll wants to employ multiple tailbacks in the offense. Yet, White may not be in that rotation....
