The Las Vegas Raiders will welcome the Minnesota Vikings to Las Vegas tomorrow. Thanks to the Hall of Fame game, this will be the second preseason contest for the Silver and Black. Don’t expect to see Derek Carr connect with Davante Adams just yet, but there are still some names to look out for come game time.
Can Raiders OL Alex Leatherwood impose his will?
Alex Leatherwood wasn’t exactly a revelation during the matchup with Jacksonville, but he certainly didn’t quell fears of a major hole on the right side of the O-line. Fellow frowned upon offensive tackle, Brandon Parker, earned the ire of Raider Nation. That happened after making rookie first overall pick Travon Walker look like the second coming of Von Miller. From the looks of things, Parker will be on the sidelines on Sunday. That means all eyes will be squarely on the second-year man out of Alabama.
Is Leatherwood better suited to being a guard? Some believe so. Nevertheless, this new regime has decided to give No. 70 a shot at the position he was drafted to play. Leatherwood’s performance against Minnesota could create a sense of urgency in the front office or a sigh of relief.
Don’t forget about WR Demarcus Robinson
The race for the third receiver spot is far from decided, but a few names jumped out more than others last week. Tyron Johnson flashed major game-breaking ability, and while Keelan Cole’s biggest impact may have been a display of general toughness, he still seemed more impactful than Robinson did. Much like the universally loved Mack Hollins, the former Kansas City Chief wideout will need to make his mark in situations like this tomorrow against the Vikings or on special teams, or he could be primed for the chopping block.
Will Kenyan Drake get going versus the Vikings?
It is hard to imagine, but there is a very real possibility that Kenyan Drake will be made expendable by Ameer Abdullah.
What year is this?
Raiders head coach Josh McDaniels played nearly all the available running backs last week. Regrettably, Drake had the least impact of the bunch. Drake was injured shortly after entering the game and returned only to gain nine yards on five carries. The former Alabama tailback’s salary would lead you to assume he’s safe from becoming a cut candidate. However, with a regime in place that didn’t sign Drake on the dotted line, anything is possible.
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*Top Photo: Associated Press/Rick Scuteri