Oakland Raiders Preseason Week 1 Preview: Storylines to Watch
By Austin Gayle
Jun 9, 2015; Oakland, CA, USA; Oakland Raiders receiver Andre Holmes (18) at minicamp at the Raiders practice facility. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
5. Raiders depth at receiver Vs. Rams Secondary
Cooper, Michael Crabtree, and Rod Streater seem to be already solidified as Oakland’s top three receivers in 2015, but the few spots behind them have yet to be decided through training camp.
Former Undrafted Free Agent out of Hillsdale, Andre Holmes has had his ups and downs as a Raiders receiver as he has continued to struggle with drops throughout his career and early on this offseason. At 6’4″, 210 pounds Holmes’ potential to develop into a lethal weapon in the red zone has kept him in the mix at receiver, and he apparently has been outworking some of the competition recently in training camp.
According to Levi Damien of SilverandBlackPride.com, Holmes and Kenbrell Thompkins have had the opportunity to make plays with the first team, while third-year receiver Brice Butler has been taking reps with the second and third team offense.
Holmes also led the team with 693 receiving yards.
On the other hand, Thompkins had little production in 2014 with just 15 receptions for 209 yards with the Silver and Black, but he has made his presence known in Streater’s absence.
With Streater out the last week, I think WR Kenbrell Thompkins has made a strong case to be on the final 53. #Raiders
— Asher Mathews (@AsherMathews) August 6, 2015
With the top three receivers locked in, the second tier of receivers should receive a majority of the playing time Thursday. Which will give them all a chance to impress the coaching staff as the battle for depth chart spots heats up on Friday night with the first preseason contest of 2015 at the Coliseum.