Kansas City Chiefs Training Camp Miscues Could Help Raiders

The Las Vegas Raiders have played key starters in the preseason to help facilitate a competitive atmosphere and evaluate their talent. The Kansas City Chiefs, meanwhile, are playing a dangerous game ...

Aug 17, 2024; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) throws a behind-the-back underhand pass to tight end Travis Kelce (87) (not pictured) against the Detroit Lions during the first half at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports / Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

The Las Vegas Raiders are in the same position every other team in the NFL is finding themselves in. Figuring out the 53-man roster, establishing an identity going into the regular season, and evaluating how position battles are shaping up.

One point of contention among NFL teams is whether or not they should play their starters. Many will put in their starters for a drive or two. Others give their starters a quarter's worth of a workload. For head coach Antonio Pierce, it varies. Pierce has a young team with several position groups up for grabs, or at the very least deep and competitive.

For example, the Raiders quarterback battles has allowed for Gardner Minshew and Aidan O'Connell to share a decent workload, especially in the Silver and Black's second preseason contest. Against the Dallas Cowboys, Minshew played five drives. He was the team's starter in the contest. O'Connell stepped in as well.

Interestingly, even a veteran superstar like All-Pro Maxx Crosby played quite a bit for a player of his caliber. Crosby played into the second quarter. It begs the question: is it a competitive environment, or game conditioning? Is it worth the possibility that a star gets injured?

The Kansas City Chiefs, reigning two-time Super Bowl champions, face a similar question. Superstar quarterback Patrick Mahomes has received reps, as well as All-Pro tight end Travis Kelce. They are far from the only notable Chiefs to get preseason snaps.

The Chiefs are atop the AFC West (and the league as a whole), so what is there for the Chiefs to prove by playing their championship stars in meaningless preseason games? Those sort of miscues could lead to injuries. No one wishes for injury upon a player, even a rival, but the fact is that those injuries will come to the benefit of the Chiefs' opponents.

The Chiefs have their identity and established players in key positions, obviously. Said players do not need the conditioning or practice. Nothing to prove.

For the Raiders, it's different. Pierce wants to implement and evaluate, and there are key questions about the roster that could be answered through the preseason. The question of who will emerge as a fourth wide receiver is a big one, and right now, it looks like DJ Turner is a likely candidate. And what about the cornerback room, where second-year corner Jakorian Bennett has looked night-and-day better than last season?

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