Graney: Raiders appear all but set on 53-man roster

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Weird. There mightiness person been much coaches than players connected the Raiders’ formation to the Bay Area. Had the look of a coin flip.

Which means manager Jon Gruden — for the astir portion — knows who he’s taking to a 17-game thoroughfare fight.

Even if cipher knows however they volition lucifer up erstwhile the season’s archetypal blows are thrown.

Those volition hap Sept. 13 against the Ravens connected “Monday Night Football” astatine Allegiant Stadium. The Raiders person 2 weeks to hole for their 4th play opener nether Gruden since helium returned to a metallic and achromatic world.

Two weeks earlier Lamar Jackson sprints into Las Vegas.

A vanilla loss

There is simply a vanilla accumulation crippled program and past determination is the triple scoop of uncomplicated the Raiders offered Sunday against the San Francisco 49ers, departing Levi’s Stadium with a 34-10 loss.

I mean, the Raiders didn’t bring overmuch of anyone. There wasn’t a starter successful sight.

A media relations staffer mentioned however unfastened things were connected the level successful a mode helium expected to play linebacker.

(And really mightiness person been amended than a fewer who did.)

“I deliberation you’re damned if you bash and damned if you don’t,” Gruden said. “You suffer 2 to 3 starters successful this crippled and the questions volition beryllium different. We took the attack to measure the guys we don’t cognize overmuch about, truthful we effort to marque the close decisions erstwhile we chopped down. We gave a batch of guys a batch of opportunities.”

You ticker Ravens moving backmost J.K. Dobbins beryllium mislaid for the play with a torn ACL connected Saturday and again marvel that immoderate subordinate of existent effect plays a infinitesimal of accumulation football.

It’s much astir sorting retired the bottommost of the 53-man roster, which the Raiders indispensable bash by Tuesday.

That’s significant. This isn’t checkers. Dudes get hurt. You amended person prime depth. The Raiders request much of it.

Nate Hobbs and Tre’Von Moehrig remained home. The rookies showed plentifulness of bully from the secondary successful 2 erstwhile exhibitions. Didn’t request to spot more.

Gerald McCoy played Sunday aft the six-time Pro Bowl antiaircraft lineman began afloat interaction enactment past week. The antheral goes 6 feet 4 inches and295 pounds and fires disconnected a drawback similar thing from Space Center Houston. He’s a immense summation successful much ways than one.

You besides saw positives from cornerbacks Damon Arnette and Amik Robertson and information Karl Joseph. You saw immoderate forgettable moments from linebacker Divine Deablo and cornerback Isaiah Johnson.

Interesting roster decisions are to travel astatine antiaircraft line, secondary and wide receiver. It won’t beryllium overly hard to scope 53 bodies. It besides won’t beryllium a casual stroll done the Intermountain Healthcare Performance Center.

“We’re anxious to spot if we support the close 53,” Gruden said.

It’s for real

There was a ample reddish passageway astatine the southbound extremity portion Sunday done which the 49ers entered and exited during pregame warmups. On its broadside was this message: Faithful to the Bay.

It’s thought to beryllium shadiness thrown astatine the Raiders for their determination to Southern Nevada. The 49ers contradict specified trolling.

Too bad. It mightiness person added immoderate spice to what really transpired.

“If anything, my thoughts astir the squad are adjacent better,” said McCoy, who signed with the Raiders connected Aug. 4. “When you’ve been doing this arsenic agelong arsenic I have, much than the result, you look astatine the fight. We person a batch of guys who propulsion done adversity and fight.

“When you person a squad afloat of those kinds of guys, it tin instrumentality you a agelong ways.”

It’s connected for real. Here comes Baltimore.

Believe it: Come that Monday nighttime 2 weeks from now, you won’t person to wonderment if a media relations staffer mightiness spot clip astatine linebacker. Unless, of course, he’s a truly bully tackler.

Ed Graney is simply a Sigma Delta Chi Award victor for sports file penning and tin beryllium reached astatine egraney@reviewjournal.com oregon 702-383-4618. He tin beryllium heard connected “The Press Box,” ESPN Radio 100.9 FM and 1100 AM, from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. Monday done Friday. Follow @edgraney connected Twitter.