The Oakland Raiders finished minicamp a couple of weeks ago. Here is my take on the biggest headlines since then.
Matt McGloin
Raiders QB Matt McGloin started minicamp as the No. 3 quarterback, behind Connor Cook.
My Take: It should not come as a surprise. McGloin was drafted by the previous regime. He is a game manager at best. Let’s see what we got in Cook. All reports indicate he looks good.
Karl Joseph
- Defensive coordinator Ken Norton Jr. said this secondary is more talented than last season’s crop.
- Norton Jr. said Raiders rookie Karl Joseph is a stick of dynamite, because of his explosiveness via film.
My Take: Norton Jr.’s comments are in line with what everyone has said about the Raiders secondary. However, they need to get healthy. We gotta see it on the field, because they haven’t played together yet due to injuries.
D.J. Hayden
Speaking of the Raiders secondary, head coach Jack Del Rio said D.J. Hayden had a good spring. He said he was excited about Hayden’s development.
My Take: I’ve made it a point to defend Hayden. I’m glad the Raiders are doing so as well. It is clear he will have the first shot at winning the slot corner position.
Max McCaffrey
My Take: Max McCaffrey made a name for himself this spring. That is a lot considering he is the son of a Broncos great and brother to a Stanford great. McCaffrey should be one of the leads to breakout as an UDFA this year. Think Seth Roberts, Andre Holmes, and Rod Streater mold.
Read more on dude here.
Pro Football Focus
- The popular stats website graded Khalil Mack as the No. 6 overall player in the league.
- Other Raiders like Amari Cooper and Derek Carr also made the list.
My Take: Shout out to the Raiders finally catching some respect.
Kick Returners
- Apparently, the Raiders will keep the status quo at the returner positions.
- T.J. Carrie is expected to keep his job as the punt returner, while Taiwan Jones will return kickoffs.
My Take: No surprise here. Both Jones and Carrie could see reduced roles at their normal positions. Carrie is no longer a starter at CB and Jones could lose his spot as RB No. 2. Both dudes are athletes who should make great contributions on special teams still.
Mario Edwards Jr.
Mario Edwards participated in minicamp. His status was questionable with an undisclosed neck injury.
My Take: Good for Edwards. He should breakout with more talent around him on defense. He balled as a rookie, until injuries cut his season short.
