Malik Benson arrived at Raiders camp with real buzz, and for a minute it looked like the sixth-round rookie might climb the depth chart almost by force. Las Vegas came into training camp with patience in mind more than big expectations, but Benson’s early practice run had fans talking.
Then the Texans showed up last Thursday, and the rookie’s day turned rough in a hurry.
Benson’s first preseason game offered a little promise. He finished with two catches for 26 yards on four targets in 20 snaps, and one of the incompletions came on a back-shoulder throw that many believed should have drawn defensive pass interference. That was a miss that was easy to live with.
Against Houston, though, the mistakes piled up. Benson opened by hauling in his first target for 18 yards, but after that he let a perfect throw slip through his hands on third down, ending the drive and wiping out the Raiders’ momentum. On his next target, he didn’t attack the ball or get it tucked away quickly enough, and a Texans defensive back punched it loose before he could secure it.
Two straight drops are a tough look for any receiver, especially a rookie trying to carve out a role.
Aidan O’Connell looked Benson’s way twice more in the second half, and neither throw was completed. By the end of the night, Benson had played 34 snaps, caught one pass for 18 yards on five targets, and was charged with two drops.
That’s the kind of outing that brings a player right back to earth. And it lines up with the message Klint Kubiak is sending about the wide receiver room in Las Vegas: the opportunity is there, but nothing is being handed out.
Benson still has a path to becoming a useful pass-catcher right away. The depth chart is open, and the door is still there for him to step through. But if he’s going to be that guy, the simple errors have to disappear.
In Other News...
Raiders Center Just Offered A Telling Read On The QB Battle
Joint practices have given the Raiders a useful early window into Fernando Mendoza, and Tyler Linderbaum likes what he has seen from the rookie so far. The center said Mendoza is starting to take command of the huddle and is picking things up quickly, which matters as much as any throw in a competition still taking shape. Linderbaum also pointed to the snap exchange as a key part of the job, a reminder that for a young quarterback, the basics can be every bit as revealing as the highlight plays.
Kirk Cousins remains the standard in the room from a preparation and experience standpoint, and Linderbaum made clear that comparison is part of what Mendoza is working against and learning from. For the Raiders, the comments add a little more texture to a quarterback battle that is still unfolding, with the rookie showing signs of readiness while still having plenty to prove before anything is settled. [Read more 🡒]
Tom Brady Just Sent Raiders Fans A Loud Fernando Mendoza Message
Tom Brady has found a new way to stir up Raiders buzz, and it comes through a piece of memorabilia tied to Fernando Mendoza. The Raiders part-owner recently landed a one-of-one Mendoza rookie card that includes the quarterbacks first NFL autograph, and the deal took weeks of negotiation before Brady finally secured it with a cash payment and an autographed jersey.
Brady then showed off the card publicly, turning a collectors prize into a pointed message about what he sees in Mendozas future. For Raiders fans, it reads like more than just a flex from a Hall of Famer. It is also a sign that Brady views the young quarterback as both a desirable collectible and a possible long-term asset for the team. [Read more 🡒]
Raiders Already Moved On From Their Newest Receiver Addition
The Raiders latest receiver shuffle lasted barely a week, with Noah Brown moving on almost as quickly as he arrived. Brown had appeared in a preseason game and finished with one catch for 11 yards, but Las Vegas decided to release him without immediately bringing in another player, a reminder of how quickly the back end of the roster can change in August.
Receiver depth has been a moving target for the Raiders, especially with injuries affecting the group and another wideout expected back soon. Browns departure fits the kind of short-term adjustment teams often make this time of year, when every spot is under review and even a recent addition can become the odd man out in a hurry. [Read more 🡒]