With the preseason coming to a close, all eyes are on what the Las Vegas Raiders' potential could be when the real games begin on September 8. For the Raiders, the expectations are not too high based on what we have seen from the national media, but as we see every season, those kinds of rankings do not mean much until the bright lights turn on.
One of the big storylines this summer was which quarterback will be under center when the Raiders take on the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 1. This past week, head coach Antonio Pierce finally landed on his selection, picking veteran Gardner Minshew II over second-year player, Aidan O'Connell.
Minshew has said all the right things since being named the starter, and the hope is, the Raiders can have a bit more consistency on offense than we have seen in recent years. There is enough talent on the offensive since of the ball, but it will really come down to whether or not Minshew was the right choice for the job.
We know about Davante Adams, Brock Bowers, Michael Mayer, Zamir White, and Jakobi Meyers, but this specific Raiders player is going to benefit the most from Minshew being named the starter.
Raiders Tre Tucker could be a 2024 breakout star
It has been an outstanding summer for second-year wide receiver Tre Tucker, who the Raiders saw glimpses from this past season. He has the kind of big-play ability that can take the cover off the defense, and will certainly benefit from having Adams and Meyers in the starting lineup with him.
However, it has been his work with Minshew that has really jumped off the page, whether it has been in preseason games, or even practice. They have developed a strong rapport since Minshew came over from Indianapolis, and after having Lasik Surgery, is much more sure-handed than he was a year ago.
The Raiders are going to have some down moments this season, but Minshew's ability to make plays with his feet and extend drives is going to enable them to push the ball downfield. If he can make that happen, a big benefactor will be Tucker, and he has shown this summer that he is going to be a problem for opposing defensive backs in Year 2.