We are inching ever closer to Las Vegas Raiders training camp — and in turn, the start of the regular season — and things are about to get real in the coming week.
After rookies report on Sunday, July 21, Las Vegas’ veterans will arrive a few days later on Tuesday, July 23. From there, the Raiders will hold their very first practice of training camp on Wednesday, July 24, and the pads will come on a few days later on Friday, July 26.
You can check out the Raiders’ full 2024 training camp schedule right here.
With training camp rapidly approaching, we’re taking a look at the Raiders’ most important position battles to watch, along with a prediction for each.
Quarterback
The biggest storyline of training camp will be the competition between Gardner Minshew and Aidan O’Connell. While Minshew has more experience, he’s also the newcomer in the competition and doesn’t have the rapport O’Connell does with his teammates and head coach.
Further, the book is already written on Minshew while O’Connell is a wild card as he enters his second season. It’s not crazy to think O’Connell could make a leap in Year 2 and prove to be better than Minshew, and better than many people expect overall.
Prediction: Aidan O’Connell
Wide receiver (No. 3)
This battle figures to be between Tre Tucker and Michael Gallup mostly, but veteran Jalen Guyton is also hanging around, although he’s the dark-horse candidate of the group.
Gallup was once a solid No. 2 receiver for the Dallas Cowboys, but he has seen his career fall off considerably over the past three seasons, mostly because of injury.
Tucker isn’t a sure thing, either, but he showed enough promise during his rookie campaign to give him the benefit of the doubt that he can beat out Gallup, and Tucker offers more versatility and is a deep threat.
Prediction: Tre Tucker
Tight End (No. 1)
Michael Mayer and Brock Bowers are going to see a lot of snaps together in two-tight-end sets this season, but who the choice is when the Raiders only need one hasn’t been decided yet.
While Bowers has the higher upside in terms of being a playmaker, Mayer figures to be the better blocker of the two. Who the Raiders end up deploying when they use one tight end could be situational, but that’s not a great idea considering that approach could telegraph what Las Vegas is doing.
For now, we’ll give the edge to Mayer because he’s better suited to handle some of the dirty work required of a tight end.
Prediction: Mayer
Left Guard
There is no question that the Raiders want Jackson Powers-Johnson to secure the starting job out of training camp, but considering he’s a rookie that just missed significant time during the offseason program, he isn’t guaranteed to do that.
Thankfully, the Raiders have insurance policies in Cody Whitehair and Andrus Peat, with the latter having been one of the best left guards in the NFL in the past. Either one would be a solid option if JPJ isn’t ready to start by Week 1, but we expect that he will be.
Prediction: Jackson Powers-Johnson
Right Tackle
By all indications, Thayer Munford Jr. is just about locked-in to the starting role, but that’s more by default than anything else.
DJ Glaze won’t offer much in terms of competition because he’ll likely need more time to develop, and there hasn’t been any indication the Raiders will give Peat a look there. This is very much Munford’s job to lose.
Prediction: Thayer Munford Jr.
Defensive End
Malcolm Koonce is definitely the favorite to start opposite Maxx Crosby after a breakout campaign in 2023, but it’s not crazy to think Tyree Wilson could take a big enough leap in Year 2 to supplant him, or at least take some snaps away.
Wilson had a strong finish to last season — albeit while playing on the interior — and he looks to be in phenomenal shape in 2024. Don’t discount the fact that he had a regular offseason, too, something he didn’t have in 2023 because of injury.
Prediction: Malcolm Koonce
Cornerback (No. 2)
Jack Jones enters the 2024 campaign as the team’s No. 1 cornerback, and Nate Hobbs has the slot locked down. But who starts on the boundary spot opposite Jones remains to be seen.
Jakorian Bennett, Brandon Facyson and Decamerion Richardson will vie for the role, but all three are question marks. Bennett is coming off a rough rookie season, Facyson is best suited as a backup, and Richardson is a rookie.
I would count on Richardson needing more time to develop before he’s ready for such a role, which makes Bennett and Facyson the favorites of this group. We’ll bank of Bennett being better than he was last season, which should be enough.
Prediction: Jakorian Bennett
