Oakland Raiders: 5 Things To Keep An Eye On In First Preseason Game

Jun 9, 2015; Oakland, CA, USA; Oakland Raiders quarteraback Christian Ponder (9) takes the snap at minicamp at the Raiders practice facility. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Oakland Raiders fans… are you ready for some football?

At least – football of the preseason variety.

Yes, football is back, much to the joy and delight of everybody in the land. Of course, given that this is the first preseason game – a meaningless exhibition – in which the stars will be playing very limited minutes, it may take a little bit of the shine off. But hey, at least it’s football, right?

Second year quarterback Derek Carr is only expected to play a series or two, and that would likely be the case with some of the other players locked into their positions. We likely shouldn’t expect to see much of Khalil Mack or Michael Crabtree, and the like.

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But that doesn’t mean that there won’t be some things, and some players, worth watching on Friday night. With some position battles still raging, some players adapting to new roles, some fighting for roster spots, and some players simply knocking off the rust and working some kinks out, there is still a lot going on.

For a meaningless game – and it is – there is a lot on the line for a lot of people. But there is perhaps, even more on the line for the Raiders as a whole, as this game represents the first stepping stone into what they – and the Nation – hopes is a long journey back toward relevance and prominence – with the ultimate goal of an AFC West title, and a return to the poststeason.

With Jack Del Rio at the helm, Friday night opens a new chapter in Raiders history. And here are just a few things to keep an eye on…

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