AP
Las Vegas Raiders running back Josh Jacobs (28) fist bumps quarterback Derek Carr during an NFL football training camp practice Tuesday, Aug. 25, 2020, in Henderson, Nev. (Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal via AP, Pool)
Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2020 | 2 a.m.
For the Las Vegas Raiders, the 2020 season unofficially began on Monday morning.
The Raiders wrapped their inaugural training camp in Las Vegas on Friday, then took the weekend off. On Monday, they returned to the field bright and early to begin preparing for their first regular-season game at Carolina on Sept. 13.
Transitioning from training camp to regular game-week practices means a more focused approach, with more emphasis on execution and fewer reps for those at the bottom of the depth chart. The coaches are less interested in overall player evaluation and more interested in developing the game plan that will be used in Week 1.
The team will have to cut its roster from 80 players to 53 by Saturday, and while head coach Jon Gruden hinted that a lot of those decisions have already been made, this week of practice could make the difference for the guys on the fringe of the roster.
Simply put, the players who can help the team will make the team.
The Raiders made one move on Monday morning, releasing cornerback Prince Amukamara, but that was done to make room for newly acquired linebacker Raekwon McMillan, who came over from Miami in a trade on Sunday.
Amukamara signed a 1-year contract for $1.2 million in May as Las Vegas wanted to add a veteran to its young cornerback stable. Little of Amukamara’s deal was guaranteed, however, and the emergence of rookie Damon Arnette as a likely starter made Amukamara’s presence less essential.
The team’s other starting cornerback, Trayvon Mullen, returned to practice on Monday after missing the previous five sessions, so his availability also could have played a part in the decision to jettison Amukamara.
McMillan was in uniform Monday and participated in the stretching portion of practice that was open to the media.
After Friday’s mock game at Allegiant Stadium, Gruden spoke mostly in generalities but alluded to the difficulty of trimming nearly 30 players from the training camp roster in the coming week.
“This is a time where everything is winding down,” Gruden said, “so we’re going to have to meet as a staff and make some tough decisions. It’s been a very competitive camp.”
Mike Grimala can be reached at 702-948-7844 or [email protected]. Follow Mike on Twitter at twitter.com/mikegrimala.
