As the 2021 Las Vegas Raiders roster begins to take shape, some current starters are fighting to keep their jobs.
The 2021 NFL season is closely upon us and there are a lot of new faces on the current Las Vegas Raiders roster. There’s no denying the Raiders roster added a plethora of talent via free agency and the draft, so it is going to be exciting to see how the depth chart on both sides of the ball shapes up.
With new defensive coordinator Gus Bradley coming in for his first year, there’s no doubt the defense could see a huge shakeup, hopefully for the better.
What seems to be overlooked the most about the Raiders roster, in general, is the amount of young talent, namely on the defensive side of the ball. That’s why bringing in veteran talent was deemed a focal point of this years offseason.
Among the many talented free agents brought in, some of the most notable were Yannick Ngakoue, Casey Hayward, and Solomon Thomas. All are experienced players who can come in and teach the young talent the Raiders roster possesses at their respective positions.
But what do those additions mean for the current Raiders incumbents? Does the addition of these players equal a subtraction of some from their starting roles on the depth chart?
Here are three players who are potentially in danger of losing their starting job in the upcoming 2021 season.
Raiders roster: 3 current starters fighting for their job this summer
DE Clelin Ferrell
It isn’t a hot take to say Raiders 2019 4th overall draft pick Clelin Ferrell hasn’t quite lived up to the hype. A player drafted that high is expected to come in and make a difference right away. However, there is something to be said about his ability as an overall solid player in the run game, as well as a pass rusher.
But what he has produced thus far leaves a lot to be desired. There’s no doubt the Raiders need as much talent as they can get defensively, so it is definitely a blessing having someone as well-rounded as he is. But for as high as he was touted, it isn’t enough to be good, not great.
We saw the emergence of Maxx Crosby as a rookie, who was also taken that same year in the 4th round at 106 overall. The Raiders also decided to bring in Pro Bowl defensive end Yannick Ngakoue this year in free agency, to try and add more firepower to a lackluster pass rush.
It is highly unlikely we see Crosby get bumped by Ngakoue in the starting role with how much Crosby has proven up to this point. That only leaves one other player on the opposite side, Ferrell, who I believe is a better fit for a 3-technique defensive tackle position.
Ferrell is someone who can be a pass-rushing defensive lineman, but also provide quality run support. The insertion of Ngakoue into the starting lineup will probably result in bumping Ferrell down to that 3-Tech, but if Solomon Thomas emerges as a starter for that role, we could see Ferrell playing as a heavy rotational guy and being the odd man out when it comes to a starting role.
Raiders roster: 3 current starters fighting for their job this summer
OG Richie Incognito
The Raiders were the center of a lot of scrutinies when they brought in former NFL bad boy Richie Incognito. In their defense, no one epitomized the aura of being a Raider more than him. The biggest concern with bringing in Incognito outside of his overall issues was his age.
Drafted in 2005 by the then St. Louis Rams, he came to the Raiders organization as a 14-year vet coming out of retirement.
To the surprise of a lot of people around the league, Incognito seemed to come close to playing at the Pro Bowl level he once was. It was clear he still had gas left in the tank and helped bolster a Raiders offensive line that needed guard help opposite of former Raider Gabe Jackson.
Unfortunately, the 2020 season didn’t bode as well for him, as he tore his Achilles and had to have season-ending foot surgery. He was released and then re-signed to alleviate the cap hit, as his contract extension was imposing on the team.
Quietly making his name known for the Raiders offensive line is 2020 fourth-round draft pick, John Simpson. Originally slated to learn behind the veterans in front of him, he was thrust into a few starting spots and a heavy rotational position this past season.
Though he went through his own growing pains along the way, Simpson proved he could hold his own in the trenches and projects to be a long-time solution for the Raiders. If Father Time continues to take its toll on Incognito, or his injury history flairs back up again, we could see Simpson given the shot to take over.
Raiders roster: 3 current starters fighting for their job this summer
CB Damon Arnette
The Raiders have provided a few head-scratching picks during the first round of the draft in recent years. It started with Clelin Ferrell in 2019 and has continued with offensive lineman Alex Leatherwood in this year’s draft. Smack dab right in the middle of them is cornerback out of Ohio State, Damon Arnette.
There is no denying that Arnette’s physical style of play is on par with the type of corners Mike Mayock likes to bring in, but most analysts viewed him as an early Day, 2 player, at best though.
During his rookie season, Arnette showed flashes of being a good cornerback. Playing opposite of Trayvon Mullen, he saw plenty of targets as a lot of teams liked to test the aggressive rookie. One thing was for certain though, which went for the whole defensive back group; a veteran was needed for these young guys to grow and progress.
Insert former Chargers cornerback Casey Hayward.
The one thing that made Hayward a perfect fit for the Silver and Black was simply that he came from the exact scheme Gus Bradley used in Los Angeles the year prior. He knows the system, knows the calls and nuances, and can educate the rest of the group from Day 1.
He also has been vocal about not adjusting to a different spot within the defensive backfield, indicating he’s coming for a starting role at outside cornerback. With Trayvon Mullen taking a big leap last year, his spot is all but solidified.
If Arnette doesn’t show improvement, or progresses slower then expected, we could see Bradley decide to go with his familiar face in Week 1. Just like Ferrell though, I’d expect that it would result in Arnette potentially bumping inside to start at the slot corner position.
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With Lamarcus Joyner gone, he could easily step into that role, especially with his tendency to play in-your-face press coverage. But if Bradley decides to keep him on the outside, Arnette could see a heavy rotational role until he’s experienced enough to take back his starting status.