Las Vegas Raiders vs. Minnesota Vikings: What to watch for in Preseason Week 1

The defense and special teams are mostly set, but there are still a few loose ends

The Raiders defense is, without a shadow of a doubt, the team's focal point heading into 2024. Spearheaded by elite players Maxx Crosby and Christian Wilkins, the team has the front seven figured out. Additionally, defensive end Malcolm Koonce enters a contract year where he is set to succeed, given the team's addition of Wilkins in free agency.

Tyree Wilson, the team's 2023 first-round selection, enters the season healthy and physically transformed after coming on strong at the end of an initially tough rookie campaign. Preseason will be a good test for him to showcase his growth.

According to Pierce, safeties Tre'von Moehrig and Marcus Epps have changed the culture of the team's secondary.

With the starting safety positions set, there is plenty of room for jockeying for the backup position behind Epps. Second-year players Chris Smith II and rookie Trey Taylor will have a good battle in preseason for that position. Behind Moehrig is an undrafted free agent out of Oregon State Jaydon Grant, who is ahead of Raiders' third-year safety Isaiah Pola-Mao on the team's first unofficial depth chart.

Jack Jones is the team's top cornerback entering 2024. Nate Hobbs will also be the team's starter at the nickel cornerback position. Outside of that, second-year player Jakorian Bennett is listed as the team's opposite cornerback of Jones. Bennett is not necessarily a lock at the position, as rookie Decamerion Richardson has done well in training camp. Expect all the cornerbacks to get plenty of work this preseason and prove that no position is safe except for Jones.

On special teams, the NFL is implementing a new kickoff in 2024. It will be a challenge for all teams and something to keep an eye on for the Silver and Black. As of now, Abdullah is the team's kick returner, but that may change with speedster Tre Tucker lying in the wings. Tucker was a return specialist in college.

Above all, preseason means that the world is one step closer to football; these games matter as the 90-man roster will drop to 53 in just a few weeks. A lot of hard decisions will be made, and Pierce's players are fighting with a lot on the line.