Oakland Raiders: Potential surprise cuts and starters

Check out some Oakland Raiders potential roster cuts and starters before training camp.

The Oakland Raiders enter training later this week. Who could end up as the surprise cuts in training camp? Who will step up and surprise as a day one starter?

Jihad Ward

Surprise Starter

Ward made plenty of headlines throughout the offseason program. That is surprising considering some people questioned his health when the Raiders drafted him in the second round.

The 2015 second-rounder starting would be a surprise because he would need to beat out Mario Edwards Jr. and Denico Autry. Both players played well in spots last season. Both are not much older than Ward.

However, Ward brings freakish athleticism from his days as a Junior college safety and receiver. That may not be enough to start on a deep Raiders defensive line. Nonetheless, that gives Ward something that the other guys do not have. This could wind up making him the surprise starter at defensive end.

Next: Someone from the trading block