Oakland Raiders: Notes And Observations From The Preseason

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August 30, 2015; Oakland, CA, USA; Oakland Raiders wide receiver Seth Roberts (10) runs with the football past Arizona Cardinals defensive back C.J. Roberts (36) during the fourth quarter in a preseason NFL football game at O.co Coliseum. The Cardinals defeated the Raiders 30-23. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

Seth Roberts Comes On Strong

When the preseason started, most people had the Raiders’ receiving corps penciled in. Amari Cooper, Michael Crabtree, Rod Streater, Brice Butler, Andre Holmes, and perhaps Kenbrell Thompkins if they wanted to keep six on the roster.

But Seth Roberts has quickly thrust himself into the mix for a roster spot with a pretty stellar preseason. Butler was all the talk over the first couple of preseason games, but over the last couple, all of the talk has been about Roberts. And with his performance against the Seahawks – seven receptions for 110 yards and a score – Roberts has made the decision tough on the coaches.

With Thompkins gone, and most people thinking that the Raiders will likely only keep five receivers on the active roster, with Cooper, Crabtree, and likely Streater occupying the first three spots, that leaves three receivers to battle for the final two spots.

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Butler didn’t hurt himself with his performance against Seattle, catching four balls for 62 yards, but he did have at least one bad drop in the game.

If Del Rio holds true to his philosophy of only keeping those who are contributing to the team, and are getting what they’ve “earned,” – a lesson we saw in action with the handling of LB Sio Moore – it could be Holmes that finds himself the odd man out given the performances of Butler and Roberts over the preseason.

Holmes has been out for a couple of weeks with an injury and is expected to be out a few more. Though he led Oakland in receiving yards in 2014, he was notoriously inconsistent and had quite a few very bad drops over the season. With the level of competition on Oakland’s roster raised considerably higher, the Raiders may opt to part ways with him.

With his performance this exhibition season, Roberts may have done enough to secure himself a spot on the 53 man roster while pushing Holmes off.

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