The Raiders’ rookie class got a much harder test in Week 2, and the results were mixed in the best and worst ways. Las Vegas didn’t just use six first-year players against the Chargers - it asked more of them, and in a road win by nearly the same margin as Week 1, the kids were right in the middle of things.
That was the real story here: the rookies weren’t hidden. They were trusted.
Some held up. One of them flashed big-time.
A few others had moments that showed why this is still very early.
Treydan Stukes was limited to 31 of a possible 67 snaps because he was in the concussion protocol, but he still did enough to earn a B. He finished with four tackles, played solid coverage and allowed just one seven-yard catch.
The miss on a tackle kept it from being cleaner, though he also brought some juice with a pressure on a safety blitz. It was a steady day, not a special one.
Trey Zuhn III barely showed up on offense - just two snaps in jumbo packages near the goal line - but he made those reps count. He blocked well, which is why he gets a C+.
He also stayed solid on kick and extra point blocking. The sample was tiny, but the work itself was good.
Jermod McCoy finally got real defensive work, logging 18 snaps on defense and three more on special teams. His grade came out as a D, mostly because he gave up several catches in the flat and didn’t look especially sharp on the boundary.
Still, he made three tackles and a stop, and he did some work against the run by shedding blocks and getting involved. He also got blocked out a few times, so there’s clearly more to clean up.
Mike Washington Jr. had a tough stat line: three carries for seven yards and no catches. That earned him a D+, even if the running room wasn’t exactly there. He did have one strong pass-protection rep that helped Kirk Cousins find Cody White for a touchdown, but otherwise he was mostly quiet.
Zeke Masses was the headline act. A two-interception game gets you an A+ every time, and that wasn’t all he did.
He also forced two more incompletions on throws his way and made a handful of plays against the run, including a tackle for loss. By the end of the day, he looked like a legitimate NFL cornerback, and a good one at that.
Malik Benson settled in at C after a day that had a little bit of everything. His lone target wasn’t completed, with the route looking fine but not enough from Benson to come back to the ball the way Kirk Cousins expected. He was otherwise quiet on seven offensive snaps, though he was fine on special teams and added a 16-yard punt return to help offset the miss.
Not every rookie was available. Fernando Mendoza did not play.
Keyron Crawford is on season-ending IR. Dalton Johnson was not active in Week 2.
Through two weeks, the bigger picture is clear enough: these rookies are being allowed to learn on the job, mistakes and all, and a few of them are already making real plays. That kind of early runway matters, and so far the Raiders are getting production along with the growing pains.
In Other News...
Raiders May Finally Have Help For Maxx Crosby But One Doubt Remains
Malcolm Koonce gave the Raiders a much-needed glimpse of what their pass rush could look like around Maxx Crosby in Week 2 against the Chargers. Working in just 28 defensive snaps, Koonce came away with 1.5 sacks, three tackles, a forced fumble and multiple pressures, while also looking sharper off the line than he did a week earlier. The burst and conditioning were encouraging signs for a player the Raiders need to keep the heat on quarterbacks without asking Crosby to do everything himself.
Koonces showing was strong enough to suggest he can be a useful rotational piece, but the next test is a tougher one. Against top offensive linemen, he still has to close faster and turn pressure into cleaner finishes if the Raiders want their edge rush to rise from promising to dependable. The talent is there, and the recent uptick matters, but this is still the kind of development the Raiders will be tracking closely week to week. [Read more 🡒]
Tre Tucker Just Created A New Raiders Problem For Defenses
Tre Tucker gave the Raiders exactly the kind of jolt theyve been looking for in Week 2 against the Chargers, turning a strong outing into a reminder that Las Vegas has another receiver defenses have to account for. He finished with five catches for 119 yards and a touchdown, and his impact went beyond the obvious playmaking, with key receptions and run-blocking helping him stay involved even as attention naturally leaned elsewhere on the offense.
What makes Tuckers surge more interesting is what comes next. Tight end Brock Bowers is expected back soon, and his return could reshape how the Raiders distribute targets and create touches in the passing game. For a team that has been searching for reliable answers, Tucker has suddenly forced a new conversation about how much space there really is for everyone to stay featured. [Read more 🡒]
Raiders Face A Bigger Marvin Harrison Jr. Question Than Fans Realize
The Raiders are already being linked to a wide receiver upgrade before next season, and the list of possibilities says plenty about how aggressive they may need to be. Trade ideas can always start with the biggest names, and Justin Jefferson naturally sits near the top of that conversation, especially with insider Hondo Carpenter noting there could be some appeal if Jefferson wanted to reunite with coach Klint Kubiak. The problem, of course, is that a player of that stature would cost a massive haul of draft capital, which is the kind of price tag that can reshape a roster as much as it improves one.
Marvin Harrison Jr. is the other name hovering around the discussion, and it comes with a very different kind of uncertainty. The Cardinals receiver has not delivered the level of impact many expected, which is why some around the league could wonder whether he might become available, but Carpenter has expressed skepticism about the fit and the value for Las Vegas. For the Raiders, the question is not just whether Harrison could be pried loose, but whether he would represent the right kind of investment if the team is going to spend real assets to solve a major need. [Read more 🡒]