Raiders: What surprised us from the 2022 Week 1 depth chart

The Las Vegas Raiders released their depth chart for the Week 1 matchup against Los Angeles, and some things stood out.

Ahead of their Week 1 matchup with the Los Angeles Chargers, the Las Vegas Raiders released their official depth chart for the game. While a lot of things were no-brainers, there were a few that really stood out as the team prepares to start the season with a solid win over a division rival.

Here are a few things that surprised us a bit.

Raiders: What surprised us from the 2022 Week 1 depth chart

Jermaine Eluemunor starts at RT

While this is not a shocking revelation at all, with Jermaine Eluemunor playing well enough this preseason to earn this job, it is good to get some clarity at the position. The right tackle spot is one that was up in the air all summer long, as the team tried to figure out what they have in Alex Leatherwood and a host of other options.

With Eluemunor being named the starter at right tackle, all of the talks can go away, and the team can focus on putting the best five players available in front of quarterback Derek Carr. Eluemunor is someone who will have the microscope on him all season long, and hopefully, he can hold down a spot that has been a revolving door for quite some time.

Zamir White behind Bolden and Abdullah

One of the stars for Las Vegas this offseason has been rookie running back Zamir White, who crept up the depth chart all summer long. However, when the first depth chart was released, he was listed behind Brandon Bolden and Ameer Abdullah, two veteran running backs.

Bolden has familiarity with Josh McDaniels, and Abdullah has been outstanding this summer, but White is a guy many believe will end up being the No. 2 behind Josh Jacobs when all is said and done. It will be interesting to see how they deploy him on Sunday.

Andrew Billings listed as a starter

One of the key players returning on this Raiders defense from a year ago was Johnathan Hankins, the big-bodied defensive tackle who has played well for the Silver and Black. However, for the second offseason in a row, the franchise decided to bring in a bunch of new faces along the defensive line, including Andrew Billings.

Billings is playing for his third team in five seasons, starting his career in Cincinnati before heading to Cleveland. He sat out the 2020 season due to COVID, and played in only six games last season, so he is a bit of a Wild Card going into Week 1.

Malcolm Koonce behind Clelin Ferrell

One of the young players I was hoping to take a big step forward in 2022 was Malcolm Koonce, a dynamic edge rusher from the University of Buffalo. He has looked like a solid player when given some playing time, but in the first depth chart, he was listed behind 2019 first-round pick, Clelin Ferrell.

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Ferrell is a guy who many believed would be traded or released this offseason, so Koonce being behind him on the depth chart was a bit surprising. Of course, Patrick Graham is going to utilize all the talent he has, but going into Year 2, the hope is that Koonce can establish himself as a big piece of this defense.