Sportsnaut
The Las Vegas Raiders completed one week of training camp, and on Monday, they put on pads for the first time this offseason. As expected, the players turned up the intensity in full gear.
Though the Raiders have plenty more practices this summer, reporters have already seen position battles take shape as some players shine on the practice field. Others find themselves in an uphill climb for a lead position or even a roster spot.
Las Vegas can also leverage standout performers in trade talks if the coaching staff feels comfortable with the depth at certain positions.
Let’s examine a few surprises that could shake up the roster for the upcoming season. The Raiders could be active on the trade market, and one undrafted rookie has a pathway to a starting role.
Within the first week of training camp, spectators, particularly Raiders Nation Radio host JT The Brick, noticed something different about Aidan O’Connell.
Geno is our QB but Aidan O'Connell looked fabulous today, he worked his ass off this offseason. pic.twitter.com/fhnGIg8sfG
— JT The Brick (@JTTheBrick) July 23, 2025
The Raiders acquired Geno Smith from the Seattle Seahawks and signed him to a two-year, $75 million extension. Smith will be the team’s starting quarterback in Week 1.
Las Vegas may have a valuable backup signal-caller in O’Connell, who could generate trade buzz closer to the final roster cutdown date on Aug. 26. If so, the Raiders may be able to get a middle-round pick for the fourth-rounder from the 2023 draft.
With Smith locked into the starting position, O’Connell’s trade value isn’t going to increase over time. In 20 games (17 starts), he’s thrown for 3,830 yards, 20 touchdowns and 11 interceptions with a 62.6% completion rate.
When you couple O’Connell’s solid career numbers with his strong impression on the new regime at training camp, he could be an attractive trade candidate for a team that wants a reliable backup. If the Raiders accept an offer for him, rookie sixth-rounder Cam Miller would become the No. 2 quarterback.
At the end of last week, Jakorian Bennett dropped further in the pecking order among cornerbacks.
For most of the spring, Bennett practiced with the second-team defense. Las Vegas Review-Journal’s Vincent Bonsignore noted that the third-year cornerback lined up primarily with the third-stringers last Sunday.
“Veteran Eric Stokes and [Darien] Porter had gotten the bulk of the first-team reps over the first three days, with Decamerion Richardson and Jakorian Bennett lining up as the second-team perimeter cornerbacks,” Bonsignore wrote.
“That changed in a significant way Sunday when Richardson took the bulk of the first-team reps over Porter, and JT Woods replaced Bennett on the second-team defense. The majority of Bennett’s work was with the third team.”
Bonsignore mentioned the size difference between Bennett, who’s listed at 5-foot-10, 200 pounds, and the 6-foot defensive backs the team added to the roster.
Perhaps the coaching staff wants a...
