Las Vegas Raiders: Gerald McCoy should have earned his roster spot against 49ers
By Brad Weiss
The Las Vegas Raiders may have been dominated in the first half by the San Francisco 49ers, but Gerald McCoy likely earned his roster spot.
It has been 20 months since new Las Vegas Raiders defensive tackle Gerald McCoy has played in an NFL game, so it would have been perfectly normal to see him have a bit of rust. However, McCoy did the exact opposite in the first half against San Francisco, dominating against their starting offensive line, and likely landing a roster spot for the 2021 season.
McCoy has looked very good in practice, and head coach Jon Gruden had said this week that if he played the way he has played in practice in the game, then he would be getting a new number. As of now, McCoy is wearing No. 61, but that is certain to change after his effort against the 49ers.
Blowing up centers, getting into the backfield, and showing some great twitch from the interior of the Raiders offensive line, McCoy looked every bit the part of a player who is going to make an impact in 2021. Las Vegas has revamped the defensive line this offseason, bringing in veterans like Solomon Thomas and Quinton Jefferson, but McCoy could end up with an extended role when all is said and done.
Raiders went with mostly reserves on Sunday against San Francisco
While San Francisco played a ton of their starters on Sunday, the Raiders did not, as many of the key players for the 2021 team did not even make the trip to the Bay Area. Many feel San Francisco will be a playoff team in 2021, and they looked like one against the Raiders reserves, though it will be interesting to see how they do this season, as they have still yet to name a starting quarterback.
For Las Vegas, this was a final dress rehearsal for a bunch of bubble players, including McCoy, who answered in a big way.
Las Vegas also got strong play from Amik Robertson, who has done enough to earn a spot in the rotation at cornerback, showing the ability to play on the outside, as well as the slot. So while the first half ended with the Raiders down 20-3, there were definitely some positives to take out, including McCoy and Robertson.