The Las Vegas Raiders have had an exciting first offseason under head coach Pete Carroll and general manager John Spytek. Throwing Geno Smith and Ashton Jeanty into the fold was certainly the headliner, but the new regime added plenty of other intriguing pieces to the roster.
These players came through free agency, the draft, the waiver wire and via trade, which is evidence that the new leadership tandem in Las Vegas will stop at nothing to put a good product on the field in 2025. Even draft picks that initially seemed like head-scratchers have begun to gain momentum.
Unfortunately, the opposite can be said about a few players as well. Notably, Montana State quarterback-turned-wide receiver Tommy Mellott was the talk of OTAs and mandatory minicamp, but training camp has seen him take a major step back.
Tommy Mellott already being buried on Raiders' depth chart
Mellott was selected in the sixth round with the understanding that he was going to be a major project, so there is no disappointment about him potentially not being ready to contribute this season. However, the Raiders released their initial depth chart, and it raised some red flags.
Not only is Mellott a backup wide receiver, but he is actually listed with the third-stringers behind unexpected veteran Alex Bachman. Las Vegas has three starting wide receivers listed, which means that Mellott is considered maybe the seventh-best receiver on the roster.
This puts him firmly in danger of not making the team, as it is unlikely the Raiders keep seven wideouts, considering they may need three quarterbacks. Mellott went from a pleasant surprise in the offseason to someone who could end up on the practice squad, or even outside the building.
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One of the positives about Mellott was that he could contribute on special teams, which would help him make the roster even if the intricacies of the wide receiver position were too much for him to grasp right away.
Based on the team's depth chart, however, Mellott is the fourth-string kick returner and fourth-string punt returner. This could leave him with very few opportunities to prove himself in the preseason and show why he should be on the 53-man roster.
Mellott is incredibly talented and athletic, and eventually, he should become a good NFL player. However, he has some serious work to do if he wants to make the team in Las Vegas and contribute in the coming years.