The Raiders preseason slate starts tonight, and there are plenty of questions after a couple of weeks of practice.
One preseason game will not provide all of the answers. But from quarterbacks to kickers, this game will give a peek into how Klint Kubiak and his staff view the roster.
How will quarterback reps be split?
Kirby Lee - IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Kubiak has already stated the starters are going to play; we will see Kirk Cousins and Fernando Mendoza tonight. But for how long is unknown. When asked about Mendoza playing with the starters, Kubiak declined to answer.
“I just don’t want to talk about how we are going to play those guys,” Kubiak said.
Cousins is expected to start in Week 1, so giving a new quarterback as many reps as possible with the starters would seemingly help the Raiders for this season. But the Raiders are in a rebuild and this is not a year where the team expects to contend.
The most important part of the Raiders franchise is turning Fernando Mendoza into a star. His development will determine how good this team is for the next five years (or more). There is no better way to get development without regular season risks than in preseason games.
We will see tonight how much the Raiders are valuing this season compared to the long-term outlook.
Who is the third-best wide receiver?
Tre Tucker and Jalen Nailor are the Raiders' top two receivers. The battle for the third spot is between Jack Bech and Malik Benson.
Bech enters his second season after posting 20 catches for 224 yards as a rookie. He was drafted in the second round and has yet to show he will be an important piece of the Raiders' future. But he does still hold an edge, as he is currently listed as the third wideout on the depth chart.
However, Benson is closing in. The rookie has impressed in training camp and could usurp Bech for the number three role. With the Raiders planning to play their starters, Benson and Bech's snaps will give us insight into where the battle stands.
Will Maxx Crosby play?
Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images
Maxx Crosby has been healthy and participating in training camp. But his availability for the preseason opener is in question, as Kubiak said Crosby was “TBD” for Thursday night.
The Raiders defensive star is coming off knee surgery, but has not looked impeded during training camp. Kubiak hasn’t said that any other healthy player will miss the first preseason game.
So the better question might be why Crosby is not playing in a preseason game.
Will either kicker impress?
The Raiders have two kickers in camp. Though it isn’t a true competition, Las Vegas still needs to see some success on field goals.
Matt Gay was brought in this offseason after struggling in Washington and San Francisco last season. The main issue for Gay is his inability to hit long kicks. Over the last three seasons, he has made just 48.3 percent of his attempts from 50 yards or longer.
His competition also has questions about his ability on deep kicks. Kansei Matsuzawa signed as an undrafted free agent this offseason. But in his college career, he attempted just two kicks beyond 50 yards.
If either kicker could prove reliable from 50 yards, the Raiders special teams will see a boost.
