Several Raiders Must Raise Play During Rest of Training Camp

The Las Vegas Raiders are nearing the halfway point of training camp. Monday marked the first day of pads for Klint Kubiak's Raiders. It provided even more insight into the direction the team is heading in. Las Vegas spent the offseason making wholesale changes. Camp is their chance to implement them.

Las Vegas has used the first few training camp practices to iron out the details of a new regime filled with new pieces across the board.

Below are a few players the Raiders need to continue improving over the next few days of training camp and on into the preseason and regular season. There are several more players who could easily be on this list, but won't be.

LB Tommy Eichenberg

The Raiders addressed their group of linebackers in a major way by signing veteran linebackers Nakobe Dean and Quay Walker. Las Vegas has solidified its starting linebacker positions in the best way they possibly could have this offseason.

However, their lack of proven depth at linebacker is still a problem. Las Vegas will depend on the development of their reserve linebackers throughout camp and the upcoming season to ensure they are prepared if and when necessary.

In camp, Eichenberg has had a couple of questionable plays that will certainly be discussed between him and the coaching staff when reviewing the film of Las Vegas' first five training camp practices. Luckily, this is the time of the season for mistakes, and mistakes are a part of development.

Still, Las Vegas must continue to figure out what they have at linebacker beyond Dean and Walker, as their talent is not in question. However, how well the Raiders would be able to compensate if they were without either of them is one of the most significant questions facing the roster and staff.

WR Dont'e Thornton

With the Raiders handling the receiver position by committee, it likely does not matter much to the coaching staff which group of receivers ends up leading that committee. That makes life tough for any receiver not named Jalen Nailor or Tre Tucker who fails to separate themselves in camp.

At the moment, Thornton is a receiver who has all the physical tools, but has yet to differentiate himself from any of the receivers below him on the depth chart. He still has time to make progress, but progress is undoubtedly needed. Thornton must stop thinking so much and just play football.

TE Michael Mayer

To be clear, Mayer has not done anything wrong to be on this list. However, the Raiders have failed to maximize Mayer's talent since drafting him. This was largely due to the multiple coaching staffs Las Vegas has had during that time, and the fact that they drafted Brock Bowers a year after Mayer.

Still, for all of the things outside of his control that factored into how things have turned out for him, as any player would admit, there is always some accountability on the players themselves. Mayer's potential is through the roof. The only reason he is on this list is his incredibly high ceiling.

There is another level for Mayer to get to, and with this being the final season on his contract with the Raiders, there is no more time to bet on only his potential. Many of the things that have held him back that were outside of his control have been reasonably addressed.

There is another level for Mayer to reach, and with a decision on Mayer's future bound to come down in the near future, Las Vegas' front office needs to see more from him. Kubiak agreed that so far in camp, Mayer has performed well, but it is still early.

“I go back to watching Michael [Mayer] at Notre Dame, and he's always open, catches everything. He’s extremely unselfish in the run game, so he's had a really positive start, to be expected," Kubiak said.

Mayer has been one of the players most impacted by the Raiders' instability at head coach, offensive coordinator, and quarterback. With those needs being addressed earlier this offseason, Mayer must make the most out of however many opportunities he gets.

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