The Las Vegas Bandits have a lot of motivation to be invigorated after the 2024 NFL draft, regardless of whether they track down a quarterback.
The Silver and Dark got a thrilling draft class featuring Brock Nook and Jackson Powers-Johnson while procuring a B+ in our draft grades.
Include the addition of free specialists like Christian Wilkins and Gardner Minshew II, and most would agree that head supervisor Tom Telesco is now making his presence felt in the front office.
While his greatest choices this offseason were focused on adding ability, the following gathering of choices he will have to make will include who is leaving.
The Pillagers have 53 players on the dynamic list going into the season. The cutdown to that number is still months away; however, it’s a great opportunity to take a gander at the program and see who may be in peril.
Whether a player has sufficient worth to exchange or somebody who could be delivered in view of the ongoing list and monetary circumstances, the following are three names to watch:.
RB Ameer Abdullah
Ameer AbdullahDylan Buell/Getty Images
The Raiders backfield is going to look a lot different in 2024. With Josh Jacobs leaving for the Green Bay Packers in free agency, the hierarchy is going to shift dramatically.
Zamir White and free agent signee Alexander Mattison figure to be the primary beneficiaries of the move. However, the third running back spot on the roster could be up for grabs.
Ameer Abdullah played 21` percent of the offensive snaps last season while serving as a core special teamer. He was the team’s kick returner and also got some work as a third-down back.
The 30-year-old could find stiff competition for that role in sixth-round pick Dylan Laube. The New Hampshire back was one of the most versatile weapons in FC last season. He had 749 rushing yards, 699 receiving yards and averaged 31.1 yards per kick return.
Laube is a running-back prospect at 24 years old. That probably impacted his draft stock, but it also means that the Raiders could have enhanced confidence that he can get on the field right now.
Abdullah is hitting the running-back age cliff and is a vestige of the Josh McDaniels era.
It wouldn’t be surprising to see him outright released if Laube can come in and prove himself.
LB Luke Masterson
Cooper Neill/Getty Images
There’s a lot to like about Luke Masterson. He went from undrafted free agent to starting seven games in his rookie season in 2022.
He carried that momentum into a reserve role on the defense in 2023. At the beginning of the year, he was the third linebacker and saw a little bit of action in each game. By the end of the season, Masterson had seen very few snaps. He played 22 snaps in Week 15 but two or fewer in every other game from Week 14 on.
It isn’t going to get any easier for Masterson to carve out a role. The Raiders used a fifth-round pick on Tommy Eichenberg. The Ohio State ‘backer could push Masterson for the role of third linebacker.
Eichenberg is a classic, tough linebacker. B/R scout Matt Holder highlighted his old-school skill set in his scouting report:
“He’s a good run defender with impressive instincts who clearly loves contact, as he’s physical at the point of attack and comes downhill with a flurry. He also has a relentless motor and is tough as nails, which he proved by playing with two broken hands at the end of the 2022 season.”
Telesco brought in Eichenberg so he’ll get every chance to carve out a role, even as a Day 3 pick. Masterson, meanwhile, will need to prove that he has higher upside than Amari Burney and Darien Butler, who will also be competing for roster spots.
WR Tre Tucker
Tre Tucker, Candice Ward, and Getty Images
Let’s get this out of the way first: the Raiders shouldn’t cut Tre Tucker. The 23-year-old had some flashes of brilliance last season and his speed is an asset to the offense. He’s on a cheap contract so it makes no sense to let him walk for nothing in return.
But the selection of Brock Bowers in the first round will leave him with a smaller role than what he was projected to have ahead of the draft.
Bowers is listed as a tight end, but he’s simply an offensive weapon. Given offensive coordinator Luke Getsy’s penchant for using 12 personnel (one running back, two tight ends), we can expect a lot of packages with both Michael Mayer and Bowers on the field at the same time.
That diminishes the need for a true slot-wide receiver.
At 5’9″, 185 pounds, Tucker is a pure slot receiver. However, Jakobi Meyers is also capable of operating on the inside, and Bowers is going to get a lot of run from the alignment as well.
If there’s a team that’s willing to part with a decent draft pick to get Turner, the Raiders should be willing to listen.
