Las Vegas Raiders preseason: 3 things that have shocked so far in 2023
By Brad Weiss
Raiders preseason: 3 things that have shocked so far in 2023
Improvements on Defense
One thing that has been noticeable this summer has been the play of the defense, especially at linebacker, and in the defensive backfield. While the defensive tackles have struggled at times, the Raiders have been getting solid push, and the team looks faster on the second and third levels.
Overall, the Raiders have allowed only 24 points through their two games, and even have a defensive touchdown, something that has been hard to come by in recent years. Once the veterans return at defensive tackle, all three levels could be better than advertised in 2023.
Undrafted rookies
The Raiders did a great job during the 2023 NFL Draft, adding nine players who could play a role on this team as rookies this season. After the draft, they also may have hit some home runs with undrafted rookie free agents, including Dalton Wagner, McClendon Curtis, and Drake Thomas.
All three of those players have a legitimate shot to make the roster after their strong summers, pushing some veterans to the cut list. It is not often UDFAs make such an impact, and they are usually just camp bodies, but this group could change that narrative.