Position Watch for the Raider Game

Beware of the Turk.

There are three positions that I will be watching closely Friday night:

1) Safety. Last year the team carried 4. Earl Thomas and Kam Chancellor are locks as the starters. That leaves 5th round draft pick Mark Legree battling for a spot with Atari Bigby, Jeron Johnson and Josh Pickard. I haven't seen Legree on the field much, so I would guess he is offerred a spot on the practice squad. Bigby offers game experience which the others do not. It is a very young group overall which helps Bigby's chances.

2) Wide Receiver. They kept 6 last year. Rice, Williams, and Obomano are the first three on the field. 4th rounder Kris Durham has a spot too. That leaves 2 spots and a host of guys. My guess is Golden Tate and Doug Baldwin. Burner Ricardo Lockette to the practice squad. Deon Butler on the PUP. I don't see how Husky Isaiah Stanback makes the 53.

3) Defensive Line. There is a logjam here with 15 players and only 9 roster spots likely. Chris Clemons, Red Bryant, Alan Branch, Brandon Mebane, Raheem Brock are on the team. That leaves 4 spots up for grabs. These 5 have the inside track: Junior Siavii, Jimmy Wilkerson, Ryan Sims, Pep Levingston and Clinton McDonald. I don't think Dexter Davis of Jameson Konz are going to make it. Pierre Allen to the practice squad. Colin Cole on the PUP.