Las Vegas Raiders Training Camp 2021: Predictions, preview, team news and more
The Las Vegas Raiders are facing as much pressure as any team in the NFL. After several seasons of incremental improvements, the Raiders are coming off an 8-8 season. Will they take a step into the land of winners or will the house of cards come tumbling down? One of the last steps before finding out is training camp.
Here's a news roundup leading into training camp and a look at what to expect when the Raiders arrive at the Intermountain Healthcare Performance Center in Henderson, Nevada on July 27.
Las Vegas Raiders news roundup
The Raiders had a relatively quiet offseason, but not an inactive one. They allowed Donald Penn to have a one-day contract to retire as a Raider. They also signed Quinton Jefferson, Yannick Ngakoue, Kenyan Drake, Solomon Thomas and John Brown.
Willie Snead IV and Casey Hayward were also added to the roster, while the Raiders also drafted Alex Leatherwood.
Heading into training camp, the Raiders are almost completely healthy. The only exception is inside linebacker Nick Kwiatowski, who has an undisclosed injury, according to CBS Sports. He is currently on the injury reserve with Covid-19 cited as a reason.
Aside from Kwiatowski, the Raiders are all at 100 percent.
Players to watch at Raiders training camp
The most interesting group of players to get a look at will be the wide receivers. For the Raiders to have a chance against the Kansas City Chiefs, they will need to be dominant out wide.
Henry Ruggs will be entering his second season. How big a jump will he make? Training camp will also be a first look at John Brown in a Raiders uniform. Will he be the same receiver who earned over 1,000 yards in 2019? If he is, he could challenge Ruggs for the starting receiver role.
Will rookie safety Trevon Moerig hit the ground running in 2021? If not, the Raiders could be in trouble when defending against deep pass attempts. Another player to watch on defense is Clelin Ferrell.
He was drafted in the first round with the fourth overall pick in 2019 but has not lived up to those lofty expectations. In two seasons, Ferrell has seven sacks. This season could be a defining one for him. Training camp will be the first preview of what his 2021 season could look like.
Where the Las Vegas Raiders need to get better in 2021
Overall, the Raiders' offense was not a problem. They ranked eighth in the NFL in 2020.
The defense was the Raiders' Achilles heel. They ranked 25th overall in 2020. If the Raiders' defense can jump into the top 15, this team can go places. That, though, is easier said than done.