Los Angeles Chargers at Las Vegas Raiders: 3 things we learned
Depth is still a problem for the Las Vegas Raiders
In another edition of really bad deja vu from the 2019, the Raiders 2020 season started to fall apart at the seams once their lack of depth was exposed. This year, the injury and COVID-related effects started to take their toll on the team in the second half of the season, and just like 2019, it has lead to them being knocked out of the playoff picture.
The Raiders, especially on defense, have had a rotating cast of players at all three levels due to a combination of injuries and COVID-related absences. On Thursday, the Raiders were down to a third-string cornerback, and a cornerback turned safety that they just signed off the street. It was eerily similar to 2019, where the Raiders had to turn to players like DJ Swearinger who were street free agents to patch together their defense.
This lack of depth calls in to question some of the team’s personnel decisions, especially at defensive back. The Raiders chose to release veteran players like Prince Amukamara and Damarious Randall, and instead went with young players who are not as talented like Keisean Nixon and Dallin Leavitt. Both young players were forced to start on Thursday, and both were exposed as nothing more than special teams contributors.
Even if Randall and Amukamara were not going to start all season, the thought of keeping them on the squad in this bizarre season must have crossed the minds of Jon Gruden and Mike Mayock. Randall has played less than 40 snaps for the Seahawks, and Amukamara has been on the Cardinals practice squad, so it’s not like they are tearing it up for other teams, but they would have been better options than who the Raiders rolled out against LA.
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In a year of such uncertainty, where a single positive COVID test could rule out entire position groups in a flash, the Raiders failed to make depth a priority in positions where turnover is already high in a regular season. Let’s hope this lesson is learned for 2021, and we do not have yet another repeat of a season that starts well and ends in heartbreak.