It is difficult to figure out who counts as the most underrated player for the Las Vegas Raiders this season.
Brock Bowers figures to get plenty of recognition after a stellar rookie season, and many Raiders fans are expecting big things from quarterback Geno Smith and running back Ashton Jeanty in their first seasons with the Raiders. The common answer in wide receiver Jakobi Meyers has been given the underrated label so many times that it feels as though he is not truly underrated anymore. As a result, it is difficult to think of a Raiders player who feels overlooked.
One insider does think a recent signing can fill that role, but he will have to prove that status quickly.
Could this veteran get back to their old ways with the Raiders?
Sports Illustrated’s Ezekiel Trezevant wanted to answer the question himself, and he made a case for offensive guard Alex Cappa to serve as the most underrated player for the Raiders this season.
“After joining the Raiders earlier this offseason, the most underrated player on the Raiders’ offense may be veteran offensive lineman Alex Cappa. If he can solidify the right guard position, the Raiders’ offensive line could drastically improve,” Trezevant wrote.
Cappa’s signing with the Raiders made sense, given his ties with general manager John Spytek and minority owner Tom Brady from their shared time with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but the veteran will have to hit the ground running.
Opposite of him at left guard, Dylan Parham and Jordan Meredith look to be competing in one of the more tightly contested battles in training camp. Also worth mentioning is the fact that the Raiders just spent a third-round selection on Caleb Rogers, and he expects to be in the mix sooner rather than later. Cappa is coming off of a pair of rough seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals due to injuries sapping his effectiveness and, if the issues persist, the Raiders have options already on their roster to replace him.
Cappa’s signing was a low-risk, medium-reward proposition when he signed in March, but he will have to prove himself sooner rather than later when the season begins.
