We are inching ever closer to the 2024 NFL season, and another sign of that is the Las Vegas Raiders beginning training camp in Costa Mesa, California, this week.
Las Vegas already saw its rookies report on Saturday, July 20, and the rest of the team will arrive on Tuesday, July 23. The Raiders will then hold their first practice on Wednesday, July 24, and will throw on the pads for the first time two days later.
The Raiders will enter the 2024 campaign with a head of steam after a strong finish to the 2023 season. After a 3-5 start, Las Vegas fired Josh McDaniels and made Antonio Pierce the interim head coach. He then proceeded to lead Las Vegas to a 5-4 mark, which earned him the full-time job earlier this year.
MORE: Raiders' full training camp schedule
While the Raiders have a question mark under center with Aidan O'Connell and Gardner Minshew set to compete for the starting job, Las Vegas has a solid group around them, and the defense should be a top-10 unit.
But exactly how high or low are experts on the Raiders going into training camp? Let's find out now in our NFL power rankings round-up.
NFL power rankings for Raiders
Josh Kendall, The Athletic: 26
The Raiders signed defensive tackle Christian Wilkins to the third-largest free-agency contract of this offseason, so they’re not acting like a rebuilding team. Just a thought, maybe it’s time they did. Las Vegas has had only two winning seasons since 2002 and will be quarterbacked by Aidan O’Connell or Gardner Minshew this season. In defensive tackle Maxx Crosby and wide receiver Davante Adams, the Raiders have two of the most coveted trade pieces in the league. The Raiders can miss the playoffs without Crosby and Adams the same as they will with them, and they could restock with lots of high draft picks if they move them.
The 2023 season was quite the roller-coaster ride in Sin City. After a miserable start to the season, the Raiders fired head coach Josh McDaniels and benched quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo. With young quarterback Aidan O' Connell and interim coach Antonio Pierce leading the way, Las Vegas won five of their last nine games to finish the season 8-9.
Now Pierce has the job for good, and O' Connell will battle free agent-acquisition Gardner Minshew to start under center.
Mike Florio, Pro Football Talk: 26
26. Raiders: If they can get solid quarterback play, they could climb the ladder.
It was commendable what Antonio Pierce and the Raiders were able to do during the second half of last season, but with an unproven RB and lack of high-end talents at QB, they are still going to have to wait for the playoffs.
Curt Popejoy, Steelers Wire: 27
This team has a ton of talent everywhere but quarterback. That’s a problem.
MORE: Raiders have bad season in analyst's prediction
