Oakland Raiders: 3 Things to Watch For During Training Camp
Jun 11, 2013; Alameda, CA, USA; Oakland Raiders cornerback Tyvon Branch (33) and defensive backs Brandon Ross (29), Phillip Adams (28) and Charles Woodson (2) participate in drills at minicamp at the Raiders Practice Facility. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Training camp is right around the corner for the Oakland Raiders and there will be several things to look out for. The team has been aggressively rebuilding the roster at every position and it will be interesting to see how the players will perform with one another.
Narrowing down the list to just three, here are the main things to watch for during the Raiders’ 2013 training camp.
1. Quarterbacks
Training camp is a critical time for teams to evaluate the players on their roster and more importantly, examine their quarterbacks (for teams who have uncertainty there). The Raiders are definitely one of the teams that are unsure of who their starting quarterback will be.
Matt Flynn, Tyler Wilson, and Terrelle Pryor seem to be the three most likely candidates to take over the job, but nobody still knows who it will be. It seems like the frontrunner is Flynn, who is the most experienced of the three. Pryor only had one start last year and he did an above average job, and Wilson is a rookie but has been impressive throughout the offseason.
This will be one of the biggest position battles for the Raiders, and it will be very intriguing as to who will come out on top.
2. Darren McFadden’s Health
Star running back Darren McFadden has failed to play a full season in every year that he has been in the NFL. Last season he was only able to rack up 707 rushing yards with just two touchdowns. He missed four games during the year and was dealing with injuries throughout the season.
The Raiders need a big year from McFadden if they want to have the slightest bit of success this season. He is one of the most talented players on the roster and when healthy, he is easily one of the premier running backs that the league has to offer.
Stay tuned for more on McFadden’s health throughout training camp, but Raiders fans must hope for him to stay healthy and strong to bounce back from an atrocious season.
3. Defensive secondary
The Raiders have never really been mentioned in the same sentence as “good defense” for a while, but things may be a bit different now.
After acquiring talented defensive backs in Mike Jenkins, Tracy Porter, Usama Young, D.J. Hayden, and Charles Woodson, the Raiders seem to be pretty loaded at a position that has usually been depleted.
If all of these guys can play to their potential then the Raiders will be able to cover opponents and defend passes more efficiently than they have in a very long time.
Look for the play of the Raiders’ defensive backs during this year’s training camp, as they will play a key role in the team’s success this year.