The Las Vegas Raiders brought in head coach Pete Carroll this offseason as part of a hard reset for the franchise. He'll bring with him a wealth of experience and a winning pedigree, as well as an ability to connect with players and bring out the best in them.
Carroll will also seek to change the culture of the organization, and he has already done so with just one word: Compete. He and general manager John Spytek brought in several new faces this offseason who will challenge for starting spots in 2025.
With the offseason now in the past and the preseason just ahead, let's take a look at several of the battles Raider Nation can expect to see in training camp and why they could make or break the season.
5 training camp battles that will define Raiders' 2025 season
Jakorian Bennett vs. Darien Porter
Bennett was the team's starting cornerback last season opposite Jack Jones and Nate Hobbs. Now, however, despite these two players being gone, Bennett is having a hard time finding his way into the starting lineup with all the new additions.
Free agent signing Eric Stokes seems locked into a starting spot, but Porter, a third-round rookie, took the majority of the first-team reps during the offseason program. Bennett has more experience and is a proven NFL cornerback, however, so this battle could be fun to watch.
Raheem Mostert vs. Sincere McCormick
Ashton Jeanty will be the Raiders' featured back this season under offensive coordinator Chip Kelly, but a mystery remains surrounding who will take whatever snaps are leftover. Zamir White wore out his welcome last season, so it is between the veteran Mostert and the up-and-comer McCormick.
Mostert may have more homerun-hitting ability and has a knack for punching the ball in near the goal line, so he figures to take on more of a role immediately. However, McCormick is more of a steady and consistent runner, so he'd be the likely replacement for Jeanty if he went down with an injury.
Tre Tucker vs. Jack Bech vs. Dont'e Thornton Jr.
Tucker should be a solid No. 2 wide receiver alongside Jakobi Meyers at this point in his NFL career, but he has been slow to get going as a pro. Now, he will face off against a physical second-round receiver in Bech and a speedster in fourth-round pick Dont'e Thornton Jr. for a starting job.
Both pose threats to Tucker's playing time in different ways, as Bech is a nasty run blocker with a sure set of hands, and Thornton is a massive target who can take the top off the defense. Given the tight end prowess that the Raiders have, only two wide receivers will be on the field a lot of the time, and they will have a chance to sort out who this will be in the preseason.
Amari Gainer vs. Tommy Eichenberg vs. Jaylon Smith
While Germaine Pratt, Elandon Roberts and Devin White are seemingly locked into roles for the Silver and Black, Gainer, Eichenberg and Smith will be fighting for rotational reps. Rookie seventh-rounder Cody Lindenberg does not stand much of a chance this year, so two of the aforementioned three players will likely make the roster as ancillary pieces.
Smith is the only player who Carroll brought in himself, but both Gainer and Eichenberg have been largely praised this offseason for their efforts. Both also play a good bit of special teams, which Smith may not be up for at this point in his career.
Dylan Parham vs. Alex Cappa vs. Jordan Meredith
Despite both Parham and Meredith playing well for the Raiders last season, Spytek brought in a familiar face in Cappa just before the offseason officially began. While they did not break the bank, they paid him starter money, and he ran with the first team throughout OTAs and minicamp.
That leaves Parham and Meredith clawing for the left guard spot opposite Cappa, but something tells me that this competition will be wide open come training camp. It is very possible that Las Vegas sees Meredith and Parham starting on either side of Jackson Powers-Johnson once again in 2025.
