Las Vegas Raiders: 5 players to keep an eye on during the 2021 preseason

Dec 17, 2020; Paradise, Nevada, USA; A general view of a Las Vegas Raiders helmet at the Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign on the Las Vegas strip. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 17, 2020; Paradise, Nevada, USA; A general view of a Las Vegas Raiders helmet at the Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign on the Las Vegas strip. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports /
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HENDERSON, NEVADA – JULY 28: Tanner Muse #55 of the Las Vegas Raiders catches a pass during training camp at the Las Vegas Raiders Headquarters/Intermountain Healthcare Performance Center on July 28, 2021, in Henderson, Nevada. (Photo by Steve Marcus/Getty Images) /

Las Vegas Raiders: 5 players to keep an eye on during the 2021 preseason

Tanner Muse, Linebacker

Tanner Muse has been all the rage lately from Raider Nation on Twitter, and that grew, even more, when the unofficial depth chart was released. The former Clemson product earned his keep at safety during his time as a Tiger, but since being drafted by the Raiders last year in the third round, he has been converted to linebacker.

He missed the entirety of the 2020 season due to injury, but he surely has made noise nonetheless. Muse not only sits atop the depth chart at SLB (strong-side linebacker) on the current Raider depth chart, but he has taken over first-team reps so far in training camp from last year’s starter Nick Kwiatkoski.

There are several reasons to watch Muse this preseason, not only is he converting to a new position, but after running a 4.41 40-yard dash during last year’s combine, the former safety has some wheels. Kwiatkoski just signed his contract last season with the Raiders and was surely one of the lone decent players on the Raiders defense last season, but with the intrigue and potential of Muse, it seems Kwiatkoski’s days as a starter may be numbered.

Keep an eye on both in the preseason, as they battle to be the starter in new defensive coordinator Gus Bradley’s newly implemented system.