HENDERSON, Nev. -- The Las Vegas Raiders open training camp next month at the Intermountain Healthcare Performance Center in Henderson, Nevada, then open the 2021 NFL regular season at the Los Angeles Chargers on Sept. 11 at SoFi Stadium.
The Raiders finished the 2021 season 10-7 and played in the postseason for just the second time since 2002 and the first time since 2016. It was a season of turmoil and upheaval, from coach Jon Gruden's resignation amid his email scandal to receiver Henry Ruggs III being released after a deadly car crash that claimed the life of a woman and her dog to cornerback Damon Arnette making death threats on social media and being released to an unlikely playoff run that ended in the final seconds at the eventual AFC champion Cincinnati Bengals.
None of it, though, was enough to save the jobs of general manager Mike Mayock or interim coach Rich Bisaccia, as owner Mark Davis went the Patriot Way in bringing in GM Dave Ziegler and coach Josh McDaniels.
Davis said it was not a rebuild; rather, a next step. The roster the new regime puts together will define it, though.
QUARTERBACK (2): Derek Carr, Jarrett Stidham
Wait, only two QBs? Yeah, for now. McDaniels' old employer in New England was not shy about sticking with only two quarterbacks, so this will free up another spot down the roster. Again, for now. Carr is the unquestioned starter and Stidham knows the offense. Keep an eye, though, on Colin Kaepernick, who worked out for Las Vegas in late June, even though the Raiders also have Nick Mullens and Chase Garbers on the roster after OTAs and minicamp.
RUNNING BACK (4): Josh Jacobs, Kenyan Drake, Brandon Bolden, Zamir White
Running back by committee, anyone? This is tough to pick because neither of the returners, Jacobs and Drake, practiced during OTAs or minicamp because they are still rehabbing injuries. Bolden knows the offense, which gives him a huge leg up, and White is here as a draft pick. It's tough to leave veteran Ameer Abdullah off given the work load he had this spring, but here we are.
FULLBACK (1): Jakob Johnson
Let's see, Johnson was signed from New England and is the only fullback on the roster. Next ...
WIDE RECEIVER (5): Davante Adams, Hunter Renfrow, Demarcus Robinson, Mack Hollins, Tyron Johnson
Have you heard that Adams was Carr's favorite receiver in college at Fresno State? Of course you have, and with Adams being acquired in a blockbuster trade with the Green Bay Packers, one might say Carr has no more excuses remaining. Not with Adams -- the best wideout in the game -- and Renfrow, who is next to uncoverable in the slot. Robinson and Johnson bring speed and Hollins is a special teams standout.
TIGHT END (3): Darren Waller, Foster Moreau, Nick Bowers
Waller endured a spring full of trade rumors but is instead watching old tape of old Rob Gronkowski "running wild," as a precursor of what McDaniels envisions Waller doing in his offense. Moreau is still on the ascent and a favorite of Carr's while Bowers' blocking ability gets him the nod over new regime free-agent signing Jacob Hollister. Barely.
OFFENSIVE LINE (10): Kolton Miller, John Simpson, Andre James, Denzelle Good, Alex Leatherwood, Brandon Parker, Dylan Parham, Thayer Munford Jr., Jermaine Eluemunor, Alex Bars
Are the Raiders really going to run it back with the same O-line that got Carr sacked 40 times last season, the second-most in his eight-year career? Looks that way, from a certain point of view. Is Leatherwood going to move back to right tackle? What about Good, who suffered a torn ACL in the season opener? Parham, the first draft pick of the new regime, could get a long look at either guard spot, as well as the backup center.
DEFENSIVE LINE (10): Maxx Crosby, Johnathan Hankins, Bilal Nichols, Chandler Jones, Clelin Ferrell, Malcolm Koonce, Neil Farrell Jr., Matthew Butler, Vernon Butler, Kyle Peko
A 4-3 defense, or a 3-4 under new defensive coordinator Patrick Graham? Either way, the Raiders already have a formidable pass-rush duo in Crosby and Jones and need a lot of interior help to not only defend the run but push the pocket. No wonder Las Vegas drafted DTs with consecutive picks in Farrell Jr., and Matthew Butler, while signing Nichols, Peko and Vernon Butler in free agency. Might Ferrell, the No. 4 overall pick of the 2019 draft, be a better fit as a 3-4 end?
LINEBACKER (6): Divine Deablo, Denzel Perryman, Micah Kiser, Jayon Brown, Kenny Young, Kyler Fackrell
Talk about a rebuilt unit. Only Perryman and Deablo return from last season, while Fackrell knows Graham's scheme and Kiser, Brown and Young have all been in the league since at least 2018.
CORNERBACK (5): Trayvon Mullen Jr., Rock Ya-Sin, Nate Hobbs, Anthony Averett, Darius Phillips
Mullen has been a starter since his rookie season of 2019 but injuries limited him to five games last season, so he has something to prove to the new regime, especially with Averett having started 14 games for the Baltimore Ravens last year. Ya-Sin was acquired in a trade with the Indianapolis Colts for edge rusher Yannick Ngakoue and Hobbs was a rookie revelation in the slot. Phillips fits in as a return man.
SAFETY (4): Tre'von Moehrig, Johnathan Abram, Duron Harmon, Tyree Gillespie
A fluid position, to be sure, with Abram -- whose pass-defense skills need improvement -- getting a lot of work this spring lining up deep and across from Moehrig in a two-high safety alignment. Harmon is entering his 10th season and started 17 games for the Atlanta Falcons last year while Gillespie, a fourth-round pick who was limited to 11 games as a rookie last year, gets the call over Dallin Leavitt. By a whisker.
SPECIALISTS (3): AJ Cole (punter), Daniel Carlson (kicker), Trent Sieg (long-snapper)
Cole is a Pro Bowler, Carlson tied for the league lead with 150 points scored and was clutch for the Raiders in their four-game winning streak down the stretch that got them into the playoffs and Sieg is the glue that holds it all together.