Mincamp Tour: Raiders

It’s a mystery who will be the Week 1 starting quarterback in Oakland next year. Some reports have said Josh McCown is locked into the role, but the Oakland Tribune thought Andrew Walter was ahead of him at minicamps. Neither player has much NFL success, so the coaching staff could get impatient quickly and throw JaMarcus Russell into the mix.
I’ve heard multiple outlets scoff at the starting combination of Ronald Curry and Jerry Porter, as if the Raiders are somehow going to be in trouble without a jogging Randy Moss and Alvis Whitted. Curry and Porter are an above-average duo and would produce 1,000-yard seasons in the right offense. I projected nearly 1,800 yards between them initially, but I’m a little nervous that the quarterback situation will sink the whole operation. … One thing the starters shouldn’t worry about is their teammates stealing receptions. Travis Taylor is probably the favorite for the third receiver role and is the definition of replacement level. Mike Williams could get bumped off the team if he doesn’t get healthy soon.
LaMont Jordan has reportedly looked solid at early OTAs catching the football. He needs to impress the new staff fast to get ahead of Dominic Rhodes and eventually Michael Bush. Bush won’t be ready for full contact work until training camp at the earliest. The Raiders are one of the key teams to watch in August because so much is uncertain.





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