Evaluating Raiders’ rookie class: Why isn’t group getting playing time?
As another Raiders season goes up in flames, the time is ripe to expedite the development process of their youngest players.
That includes being more open-minded about giving their rookies more playing time.
It’s not that the Raiders have ignored their first-year players. The 1,622 total snaps they’ve given their draft picks is in the middle of the pack in the NFL. But the Raiders, at 2-8, need to make the development of their first- and second-year players a priority.
They haven’t yet.
That was evident Monday when veteran wide receiver Tyler Lockett, who signed with the team Oct. 27, played 28 offensive snaps in the Raiders’ 33-16 loss to the Cowboys. Rookie second-round pick Jack Bech played nine.
The Raiders also kept veteran linebackers Jamal Adams, Devin White and Elandon Roberts on the field late in the blowout instead of getting a look at 2024 fifth-round pick Tommy Eichenberg or rookie seventh-round pick Cody Lindenberg.
The team just hasn’t given much consistent time to young players outside of second-year star Brock Bowers and rookie running back Ashton Jeanty, its last two first-round picks.
Raiders coach Pete Carroll wants to attack every day, every practice and every game as if the Super Bowl is on the line. That means Carroll, one of three coaches ever to win a college national championship and Super Bowl title, always wants to give the most playing time to players he and his staff believe give the team the best chance to win, no matter the record, no matter the circumstance.
Carroll, 74, pushes back on doing it any differently.
“That’s not our way,” he said. “We’re trying to win the games. We’re trying to do the best thing to win the games.”
Strong philosophy or problem?
One example of Carroll’s words turning into action is how the Raiders handled the absence of injured right guard Jackson Powers-Johnson on Monday.
The team, instead of taking the opportunity to get rookie third-round pick Caleb Rogers on the field, moved Jordan Meredith from center to right guard and started center Will Putnam, who went undrafted out of Clemson in 2024.
“We’re always going to put the five best guys on the field,” offensive coordinator Chip Kelly said. “It’s Pete’s philosophy, and I’ve always agreed with it.”
That thought process makes sense for a team in playoff contention. But the Raiders haven’t been for weeks. They could turn their focus to the future, even if it means taking some lumps the rest of the year.
That’s not Carroll’s plan, however.
“I don’t know how to coach that way,” he said.
It’s fair to wonder, of course, if the Raiders just whiffed on general manager John Spytek’s first draft class. Carroll wasn’t averse to playing young players during his stellar 14-year run with the Seahawks.
Things have been different in Las Vegas.
Bech, despite being on a team in need of playmakers, has played 141 offensive snaps and caught eight passes for 92 yards.
Wide receiver Dont’e Thornton Jr., an early standout in training camp, has played 274 snaps on offense and caught six passes for 98 yards.
Rogers and fellow third-round pick Charles Grant have combined to play five snaps even though the Raiders’ offensive line has struggled all season and is down Powers-Johnson and left tackle Kolton Miller. Rogers wasn’t even active Monday.
Is that a red flag?
“No,” Carroll said. “He’s a young player trying to make it and he’s trying to do the best he can. He’s been busting his tail for a long time, but he’s still learning.”
By the numbers
Nine members of the Raiders’ 11-player draft class remain on the 53-man roster.
Of the two that were cut, sixth-round pick Cam Miller was signed to the practice squad and the quarterback has stayed there all season. Sixth-round pick Tommy Mellott joined the Saints practice squad but the wide receiver was released in October.
The Raiders need to learn more about the nine players on their active roster. They have to find out who they can count on moving forward.
Here is a look at where the rookie class stands after 10 games:
RB Ashton Jeanty
Selected: First round, No. 6 overall
School: Boise State
Total snaps: 423
What he’s done: 149 carries for 554 yards and four touchdowns, plus 29 catches for 163 yards and three touchdowns
Quotable: “Just staying consistent with who I am. My approach, my process, trying to lead in whatever ways I can as a rookie, and just continuing to try to get better. And even though things aren’t going our way, just not giving up and stick with guys, all of us just stay together and ride this out. You never know what can happen.” — Jeanty
WR Jack Bech
Selected: Second round, No. 58 overall
School: TCU
Total snaps: 246 (141 on offense)
What he’s done: Eight catches for 92 yards
Quotable: “Jack is doing a great job of just studying his butt off. He’s asking all the right questions. He’s attentive in meetings and he’s doing the little things that is going to help him out.” — Quarterback Geno Smith
CB Darien Porter
Selected: Third round, No. 68 overall
School: Iowa State
Total snaps: 340 (218 on defense)
What he’s done: 20 tackles
Quotable: “Everything’s a rotation and everything’s based on what we think is best for the game that week. So, all these guys, they work really, really hard, and it’s a competitive room. Whether you’re a rookie or a fourth-year player, it’s just a competitive room. And then we decide what’s the best plan for the week and then we go with that. And then in the game, we rotate guys.” — Defensive coordinator Patrick Graham
OL Caleb Rogers
Selected: Third round, No. 98 overall
School: Texas Tech
Total snaps: 0
OT Charles Grant
Selected: Third round, No. 99 overall
School: William & Mary
Total snaps: Five (one on offense)
Quotable: “Caleb is doing a good job. It goes back to the question (of) transition. Caleb and Charles are the same thing. Caleb came from a Texas Tech Air Raid-type offense and they scored a lot of points, did a lot of really good things. And then Charles is another one who came from William & Mary, so he’s coming from an FCS level. But both those guys are doing a really good job in their development.” — Offensive coordinator Chip Kelly
WR Dont’e Thornton Jr.
Selected: Fourth round, No. 108 overall
School: Tennessee
Total Snaps: 275 (274 on offense)
What he’s done: Six catches for 98 yards
Quotable: “He’s so young and he’s continuing to learn and to grow into his NFL body. And the more he goes out there and gets those reps, the better he’ll be. I’m going to keep throwing him the ball. He’s doing the right things and he’s staying focused and he’s going to make those plays when it counts.” — Smith
DT Tonka Hemingway
Selected: Fourth round, No. 135 overall
School: South Carolina
Total snaps: 93 (77 on defense)
What he’s done: One tackle
DT JJ Pegues
Selected: Sixth round, No. 180 overall
School: Ole Miss
Total snaps: 31 (26 on defense)
What he’s done: Two tackles
Quotable: “You want to see them consistently having their eyes in the right place. That’s one. And can they get their hands in front of their eyes with low pad levels? So, you’re looking for them to play a little bit lower than they probably did in college. Because, again, I’ve said this before, those guys were hard to block in college, but like now, you’re dealing with the elite level of football players and offensive linemen. So, you’re going to need all the advantages you could gain in terms of pad level, hand placement, a good base.” — Graham
LB Cody Lindenberg
Selected: Seventh round, No. 222 overall
School: Minnesota
Total snaps: 209 (0 on defense)
Contact Vincent Bonsignore at vbonsignore@reviewjournal. com. Follow @VinnyBonsignore on X
