Raiders S Chris Smith II doesn't do himself any favors in preseason Week 1
Jeremy Chinn and Isaiah Pola-Mao are the expected starters. Chinn played just nine total snaps versus the Seahawks, indicating the coaching staff is confident in his abilities. Pola-Mao played a sizable 40 snaps and made an impact, making this gorgeous diving interception on an early Seahawks drive in Raiders territory.
Meanwhile Smith played 45 snaps, more than both Chinn and Pola-Mao. The former Georgia standout struggled to make the desired impact. Pro Football Focus assigned him an overall defensive grade of 55.7. Smith was credited with one tackle, but he also missed a tackle.
The Raiders could probably use another veteran addition at safety. Smith did not perform admirably enough to indicate he's capable of giving Pete Carroll and Patrick Graham meaningful snaps this season. Additional training camp practices and preseason games will tell a more complete story, but as of now, the Raiders are going to miss Johnson at safety.
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