Projecting the Raiders 53-man roster after minicamp
By Brad Weiss
Wide Receiver
Amari Cooper, Jordy Nelson, Martavis Bryant, Seth Roberts, Marcell Ateman
The disclaimer here is that we are going to assume Martavis Bryant will not be suspended for the start of the season, which means he will definitely be included in the 53-man roster for Week 1. Bryant was traded for during the 2018 NFL Draft, and if he can stay on the field for a full 16-game slate, he could be one of the better wideouts in the division this season.
However, rumors are swirling that he will be suspended by the NFL, and where there is smoke, there is usually fire. That means that guys like Seth Roberts and Marcell Ateman are going to play even bigger roles for the team in 2018, as Derek Carr and company look to get back on track after a pedestrian 2017 campaign.
In addition to Bryant, the Raiders brought in Jordy Nelson this offseason, acquiring the free agent from the Green Bay Packers. Nelson was the favorite target of Packers star Aaron Rodgers during his time in Green Bay, and the hope is he can bring the same kind of production to the Bay Area in 2018.
Ateman was nice find in the seventh round of the draft, and the team likes what he can bring to the table. If Bryant is suspended, that opens up a chance for guys like Johnny Holton and Keon Hatcher, but the likely scenario is the team will use Dwayne Harris and Ryan Switzer to give the team depth at the position group.