Roster competition

Langlier

Langlier

Settle Down...
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RB2 - Richard, Washington, Hood - Lynch will start. Who else is active on gameday will come down to contributions on offense and STs. Richard holds the job tentatively

RT - Howard, Sharpe, Alexander, Newhouse, misc others - Open competition here. Howards injury history leaves this open. If howard or newhouse don't take this job and run with it - they likely wont be on the final roster. Howard holds the "edge" but very lightly

TE - Cook, Lee, Walford, misc others - Cook has a pretty firm hold on the starting spot and each has a role - but this isn't a cut and dry situation. Anyone could be the day 1 starter - Cook has the edge.

WR3 - Roberts, Patterson, misc UDFAs - Roberts holds this spot for now - but Patterson and the rookie/2nd year guys will push him. He left this open with a lot of key drops last year. Patterson will have his "plays" regardless of winning the job

QB2 - Manuel and Cook - Cook did "ok" for a horrible situation. Manuel knows the new OC. We "want" cook to win but he needs to show he can earn it.

3 down DL - MEJ, Ward, Jelly, Vandy, Autry, Latham, Jackson, Hester - simply put we don't know how this will shake out. If healthy MEJ starts. I'd give the "edge" to Vandy and Ward as the other 2 starters based on recency bias and ceiling.

ILBs/WLB - Jenkins, Calhoun, Ball, Heeney, Cowser, James, Lee - I see a signing in the future for one of these spots. The other tentatively held by Jenkins. Irvin holds down the OLB/EDGE spot opposite mack. Aldon could take that away with a reinstatement and then Irvin could shift inside. Basically outside of Mack/Irvin/healthy MEJ - our front 7 is a mess. A Riley/Levy signing and Aldons reinstatement would help a ton to clear it up. Jenkins holds the "edge" for one spot but the other is wide open.

CB/NB - Amerson, Smith, Conley, Melifonwu* - How our CBs shake out will depend on how fast Conley takes to develop. I don't expect Conley to start immediately but he will push the incumbents. How Nickel works out and how much Melifonwu plays as a nickelback(or nickel safety) is to be seen.

LS - Condo, Kukwa - Condo should be back - but if Kukwa can replace him adequately being younger and cheaper - it might be time for Condo to ride off into the sunset. If not Kukwa could get "King"ed and IRed for the year with a mysterious injury.

Really the only "open" competitions are at RT, NT, one DE/DT spot, and the 2 non Irvin LB spots. A reinstated Aldon that is brought back to the team helps that a lot.
 
This is a good way of looking at it. A complimentary way of looking at it is how many players we will keep in position groups. That factors in not just who wins a battle in the position but -- as noted for RBs -- ST as well. It will also depend on how Downing and Del Rio see the run game.

RB: 4-6 . Lynch, Richard and Olawale seem locks, Taiwan Jones is the remaining ST ace since Holmes was let go. If we keep six then Washington and Hood are good. But what Washington and Richard offer is so similar in the RB category that I could see Washington losing out; or Hood to PS if Lynch is true Beat Mode.

TE: 3-4. Cook, Lee and Walford are locks, it would seem. We saw what happened to the run game when Smith went down to under-rate him anymore. Given the role in the blocking scheme and questions regarding how Downing would use the TE position in the run/pass game. More 22 sets mean more chance at 3 TE +1 on PS.

WR: 4-6. Cooper, Crabtree and Patterson are solid. Roberts holds an edge, but in limited time last year Johnny Holton showed very well, there is a current buzz about Jaydon Mickens. This is a group that could contribute a lot in ST coverage, giving an edge to Holton and Mickens.

OL: 8-10. Eight seems unlikely, thought the draft status of Sharpe and Ware, and invisibility of Omoile could see them to PS. The running game going 22 or 21 personnel with one or two O-linemen at the TE spots mean we'd need minimum seven active game day. Penn, Osemele, Hudson and Jackson are set, Feliciano and Alexander and Kirkland showed versatility last season to get a chance to stick. Howard and Newhouse are likely an either-or set. Guess is that 5 starters plus Feliciano, Alexander and Kirckland make eight, question being whether one of the rookies or Newhouse also make the final. Here again, Feliciano's work on ST is helpful and Ware seems more capable of coverage than giant Sharpe.

DL: 8-9 (10?) Balance here between LB and DL. Too much to get into, and Pagano will likely have an input here. Playing lots of attacking one-gap stuff means more players to rotate in. Mack is listed as a DE, so that could make for nine.

LB: 5-7. Melifonwu is the wild card here, because if he shows he can cover the TE, Neiron Ball is a goner. Cowser isn't really a LB, Calhoun showed no ability play in space or (despite the obvious effort) in coverage, James and Lee could easily spell the end of Heeney. Interestingly, the roster on the Raiders site shows Perry Riley as the sole UFA though there have been guys let go who have gone unsigned.

DB: 6-7 (8?). Amerson, Smith and Conley at CB, and in dime again Melifonwu shows he can cover big receivers maybe go with only 3 CBs and Nelson, Kujo and Melifonwu plus Carrie or (and) McGill.

Only 48 spots, with King and Seabass and (we presume) Condo. Wonder what the cap hit is if Kukwa beats him out -- probably another reason to IR Kukwa.
 
Conley is the one that needs the *
* if available
 
Also signed LS Ryan Navarro, so...yeah. Jon Condo is in his last season or two, I reckon.
 
Birdwell said:
Interestingly, the roster on the Raiders site shows Perry Riley as the sole UFA though there have been guys let go who have gone unsigned.
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Just try to name two. Dan Williams doesn't count.
 
calojay said:
Just try to name two. Dan Williams doesn't count.
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Hadn't thought of that. Given how he seemed to perform last season and what he got paid, looks to me like his agent knows something from McKenzie. Then again, the way this crew does the LB thing....
 
Birdwell said:
This is a good way of looking at it. A complimentary way of looking at it is how many players we will keep in position groups. That factors in not just who wins a battle in the position but -- as noted for RBs -- ST as well. It will also depend on how Downing and Del Rio see the run game.

RB: 4-6 . Lynch, Richard and Olawale seem locks, Taiwan Jones is the remaining ST ace since Holmes was let go. If we keep six then Washington and Hood are good. But what Washington and Richard offer is so similar in the RB category that I could see Washington losing out; or Hood to PS if Lynch is true Beat Mode.

TE: 3-4. Cook, Lee and Walford are locks, it would seem. We saw what happened to the run game when Smith went down to under-rate him anymore. Given the role in the blocking scheme and questions regarding how Downing would use the TE position in the run/pass game. More 22 sets mean more chance at 3 TE +1 on PS.

WR: 4-6. Cooper, Crabtree and Patterson are solid. Roberts holds an edge, but in limited time last year Johnny Holton showed very well, there is a current buzz about Jaydon Mickens. This is a group that could contribute a lot in ST coverage, giving an edge to Holton and Mickens.

OL: 8-10. Eight seems unlikely, thought the draft status of Sharpe and Ware, and invisibility of Omoile could see them to PS. The running game going 22 or 21 personnel with one or two O-linemen at the TE spots mean we'd need minimum seven active game day. Penn, Osemele, Hudson and Jackson are set, Feliciano and Alexander and Kirkland showed versatility last season to get a chance to stick. Howard and Newhouse are likely an either-or set. Guess is that 5 starters plus Feliciano, Alexander and Kirckland make eight, question being whether one of the rookies or Newhouse also make the final. Here again, Feliciano's work on ST is helpful and Ware seems more capable of coverage than giant Sharpe.

DL: 8-9 (10?) Balance here between LB and DL. Too much to get into, and Pagano will likely have an input here. Playing lots of attacking one-gap stuff means more players to rotate in. Mack is listed as a DE, so that could make for nine.

LB: 5-7. Melifonwu is the wild card here, because if he shows he can cover the TE, Neiron Ball is a goner. Cowser isn't really a LB, Calhoun showed no ability play in space or (despite the obvious effort) in coverage, James and Lee could easily spell the end of Heeney. Interestingly, the roster on the Raiders site shows Perry Riley as the sole UFA though there have been guys let go who have gone unsigned.

DB: 6-7 (8?). Amerson, Smith and Conley at CB, and in dime again Melifonwu shows he can cover big receivers maybe go with only 3 CBs and Nelson, Kujo and Melifonwu plus Carrie or (and) McGill.

Only 48 spots, with King and Seabass and (we presume) Condo. Wonder what the cap hit is if Kukwa beats him out -- probably another reason to IR Kukwa.
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1) Gotta think that this is the end of the line for Taiwan. He is a very good ST'er but he was essentially replaced as a gunner by Patterson...something he excelled at last year in MN. I just don't see how we can continue to carry a player that doesn't offer depth at any position.

2) Because we release TJ, we can now keep both Richard and Washington. The coaching staff gave Washington more carries than Richard over the last 3 games of the season. That is telling, IMO.

3) I don't think Patterson will be our primary #3WR....he's more of a replacement for Holmes. I think he sees the field more than Holmes did last year though. The bigger question, to me, is who can beat our Roberts for the primary slot role.

4) I think the coaching staff wants to get rid of Howard. If we cut him with a June 1st designation, we would save $3.6M.

5) LB is a mess. I just can't see us going into the 2017 season with the players currently on the roster. Can we?
 
Raidervinny said:
1) Gotta think that this is the end of the line for Taiwan. He is a very good ST'er but he was essentially replaced as a gunner by Patterson...something he excelled at last year in MN. I just don't see how we can continue to carry a player that doesn't offer depth at any position.
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I'm not sold. We lost 2 key STers and gained 1. It really depends on how our rookies/udfas stack up as replacements for STs

2) Because we release TJ, we can now keep both Richard and Washington. The coaching staff gave Washington more carries than Richard over the last 3 games of the season. That is telling, IMO.
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I like both and both will have roles. I don't think TJ influences either of them.

3) I don't think Patterson will be our primary #3WR....he's more of a replacement for Holmes. I think he sees the field more than Holmes did last year though. The bigger question, to me, is who can beat our Roberts for the primary slot role.
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I think Patterson is at least in the running. I don't think he's being given the job. Roberts, him, Holton, Mickens, any standout UDFAs. All could end up with it.

4) I think the coaching staff wants to get rid of Howard. If we cut him with a June 1st designation, we would save $3.6M.
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I don't know if I'd say the coaching staff wants to get rid of him. Just if he doesn't win the RT job - he wont be on the roster.

5) LB is a mess. I just can't see us going into the 2017 season with the players currently on the roster. Can we?
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I think the only way we go with current players - is if Aldon is reinstated soon and we keep him. Bruce then shifts inside and we have Jenkins at the other spot. Thats not awful. Maybe the coaching staff loves Ball or James and thinks they developped a lot this offseason. IDK. I don't know what the plan is. Just that we have one or two potentially huge holes at LB right now. lots of "if"s could fill them
 
Agree, don't think we are getting rid of Taiwan this year. Lost pretty much all of our big time ST coverage guys in FA. I would think he will get at least one more year. And its not like he will be cut for cap purposes.
 
Did Callhoun and Cowser play Will at all last year that much? I'd figure them as Leo/SAM only guys.

So that would leave the rest of the bunch fighting over two starting roles. Lee probably has the edge as MLB on early downs with Jenkins and Heeney fighting over passing downs.

As far as Will goes I'm thinking it's going to be James and Jenkins fighting it out with Obi possibly manning that position on occasion. Heeney will also be in the mix here as well (I guess as well as Ball)
 
alteredst8 said:
Did Callhoun and Cowser play Will at all last year that much? I'd figure them as Leo/SAM only guys.

So that would leave the rest of the bunch fighting over two starting roles. Lee probably has the edge as MLB on early downs with Jenkins and Heeney fighting over passing downs.

As far as Will goes I'm thinking it's going to be James and Jenkins fighting it out with Obi possibly manning that position on occasion. Heeney will also be in the mix here as well (I guess as well as Ball)
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Calhoun and Cowser have virtually no coverage skills with the exception of maybe dropping off a few yards to handle short flat in zone. They are really only backups to Irvin or Mack as edge players with primary responsibility of pass rush.

Jenkins really is the only one that has the skill set for Will. Perhaps Ball, if healthy (not), or Heeney would be able to be backups for the position.

Hard to project anyone at this point at MIKE since we know nothing about Lee, and James/Heeney have been underwhelming thus far.
 
alteredst8 said:
Did Callhoun and Cowser play Will at all last year that much? I'd figure them as Leo/SAM only guys.

So that would leave the rest of the bunch fighting over two starting roles. Lee probably has the edge as MLB on early downs with Jenkins and Heeney fighting over passing downs.

As far as Will goes I'm thinking it's going to be James and Jenkins fighting it out with Obi possibly manning that position on occasion. Heeney will also be in the mix here as well (I guess as well as Ball)
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I remember seeing Calhoun in coverage and it was a sad state of affairs.

Only saw them play SAM and DE, best as I can recall.
 
DonkeyKilla said:
sure, at least someone with ILB experience in the NFL and not totally sucking at it like Heeney.
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Have Riley start, with Hodges on the sideline explaining to Heeney and James what's happening.
 
Cowser might have "some" coverage skill. Calhoun has none. I don't trust either as an option at this point. Both are backup "edge" players only.
 
RaiderJF said:
Calhoun and Cowser have virtually no coverage skills with the exception of maybe dropping off a few yards to handle short flat in zone. They are really only backups to Irvin or Mack as edge players with primary responsibility of pass rush.

Jenkins really is the only one that has the skill set for Will. Perhaps Ball, if healthy (not), or Heeney would be able to be backups for the position.

Hard to project anyone at this point at MIKE since we know nothing about Lee, and James/Heeney have been underwhelming thus far.
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I could be completely off base but why not James at Will? I would prefer him as a back up but I see no reason he couldn't play there. Kid was a Rookie last year maybe that's where they see him in the future.
 
alteredst8 said:
I could be completely off base but why not James at Will? I would prefer him as a back up but I see no reason he couldn't play there. Kid was a Rookie last year maybe that's where they see him in the future.
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IDK, but would have thought the team would have given James snaps at WIll in the preseason last year or showed him somewhere on the depth chart behind M Smith if they thought he could play the position.
 
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