As Raiders start training camp, here are 5 position battles to watch

New York Times

22-07-2025

The Las Vegas Raiders have a roster loaded with unknown commodities, which means there will be position battles aplenty throughout training camp. That could be seen as a negative, but coach Pete Carroll believes the competition will push the team to improve overall.
'If you don't want to compete, you're in the wrong place,' Carroll said in January. 'Our players will understand that early on.'
Advertisement
Whether that comes to fruition won't be known until the season starts in September. But it's already easy to identify the most important position battles for the Raiders, who hold their first training camp practice Wednesday. Here are five positions to keep your eye on over the next few weeks.
Jakobi Meyers is locked in as a starter, but the other two receiver spots are up for grabs. While Meyers can also line up outside, he spent most of his time during OTAs lined up in the slot.
'He's versatile,' offensive coordinator Chip Kelly said in May. 'He could play both inside and outside receiver. He's got experience doing both. His ability in terms of catching the football, his drop rate, I think, is zero. Anything thrown in his direction, he seems to somehow come down with it. He's got a really good understanding of coverage and schemes, where he knows how to get himself open. … You have to be where you're supposed to be when you're supposed to be there with separation and catch a football, and he can do all four of those things. He's the leader of that group.'
If Meyers continues to work primarily from the slot during training camp, receivers who are more effective on the outside will have a leg up in the competition. As it stands, it'll be a three-man race between Dont'e Thornton, Tre Tucker and Jack Bech. Thornton stood out the most among the group during OTAs. He's just different physically — he's 6 feet 4 and has blazing speed — and is working on the nuances of route running and increasing his knowledge of Kelly's scheme. Tucker was also ahead of Bech in the rotation and had his moments during OTAs.
For Bech, the key will be improving his ability to win from the outside. He's best from the slot, but there's a logjam there between Meyers and tight end Brock Bowers, who also works there frequently. The second-round pick has some work to do to make up ground on Thornton and Tucker.
Bech way to start your morning✍️
📰: https://t.co/1d1X94wO5k pic.twitter.com/KFy2euOKnq
— Las Vegas Raiders (@Raiders) July 18, 2025
Dylan Parham received the majority of the reps here during OTAs, but that doesn't mean the job is his. Jordan Meredith rotated in behind him and, toward the end of OTAs, Thayer Munford also got some work at the position. The real evaluation for offensive linemen doesn't start until pads come on in training camp. That's when each player will have an opportunity to separate himself from the pack.
Advertisement
Parham has started 48 of 51 games for the Raiders since 2022 between left guard, center and right guard. But while he has been solid, he has yet to prove himself as a difference maker. If he doesn't take a step forward, Carroll and company could turn elsewhere.
The Raiders placed Christian Wilkins on the active/physically unable to perform list last Friday, putting his status for the 2025 season up in the air as he continues to recover from the Jones fracture he suffered in his left foot last October. If he misses time in the regular season, the Raiders will need someone else to step up opposite Adam Butler.
During OTAs, most of the reps went to veterans Zach Carter and Leki Fotu. The Raiders used both five-man fronts with three defensive tackles and traditional 4-3 fronts. Whichever alignment they go with, it'll be difficult to replace Wilkins' ability to be a disruptive force as a run stopper and pass rusher. Second-year man Jonah Laulu has earned praise from coaches and players alike, and the Raiders spent Day 3 picks on defensive tackles Tonka Hemingway and JJ Pegues, so maybe a young player surprises here.
This may be the most precarious position on the roster. The Raiders let Nate Hobbs walk in free agency and opted not to replace him in free agency or the draft. Safety Jeremy Chinn will rotate down to nickelback in certain situations, but he won't be there full time. The Raiders still need a reliable option to emerge at nickelback.
Darnay Holmes, who played 28 percent of the team's defensive snaps last season, is currently the favorite to handle this role. Second-year safety Thomas Harper, who played 19 percent of the defensive snaps last season, could push him. Beyond that, it's undrafted free agents such as John Humphrey and Greedy Vance. This could be a spot where the Raiders look to add free-agent help.
Advertisement
While the options at nickelback may be the most concerning, this is the most important position battle on the roster. Darien Porter and Eric Stokes got most of the reps during OTA practices, but Jakorian Bennett and Decamerion Richardson will also be given opportunities to carve out starting roles.
Bennett has had a similar journey in each of his first two NFL seasons. He was a day-one starter but lost that role due to injury. He had surgery to repair a torn labrum last season and was still working through the recovery process during OTAs. He was excellent when healthy last season and could be the Raiders' most complete corner if he can stay that way.
Stokes has also struggled to stay healthy throughout his career. While he played all 17 games last year, he didn't make many plays on the ball. He'll need to do more to justify a starting role.
Richardson was thrust into action out of necessity last season. His play was a bit rough, but it's hard to judge him too harshly given he wasn't expected to contribute much as a rookie. He has intriguing traits — he's tall, long and fast — and has a lot of potential if he's able to put it all together.
The same goes for Porter, whom the Raiders drafted in the third round in April. He's Carroll's latest project at cornerback and held up well during OTAs.
The Raiders also could explore the cornerback market at some point. First off, though, they'll see if they can identify a pair of reliable starters from this group.
(Photo of Jack Bech: Candice Ward / Imagn Images)