Oakland Raiders: Three-Way Race For The Fifth Receiver Spot

The Oakland Raiders have an abundance of talent at the wide receiver position in 2017 — here are three players in particular, to keep on your radar throughout this preseason.

Who is the Oakland Raiders’ fifth wide receiver? A trivial question, one might think, given that the Raiders had the sixth-rated offense in 2016, and are a team that is expected to have an even more potent offense this year.

The team boasts a powerful triple receiving threat in Amari Cooper, Michael Crabtree, and Seth Roberts and have added two new aerial assault weapons for Derek Carr in Jared Cook and Cordarrelle Patterson.

But this is football. Injuries happen, prized offseason additions can disappoint, and talented backups lie in wait for their chance to prove they belong in the league.

Ready to pounce on an opportunity are three undrafted free agent wide receivers who impressed the coaching staff enough that they each earned a spot in the Raiders’ locker room during the 2016 season — whether on the 53-man roster or on the practice squad.

Hungry for game reps, eager to flash their abilities, and committed to securing a role on the team, Johnny Holton, K.J. Brent, and Jaydon Mickens are looking to display their growth from last year. Who will take that coveted final receiver spot on this year’s roster?

Let’s take a look at the top three candidates to fill this position: