<
>

Can Amari Cooper go for 1,000 yards receiving?

Here's the Oakland Raiders' weekend mail call:


Bill Williamson: I'm going to go with DJ Hayden and TJ Carrie. They both got some good experience last season. Hayden, the No. 12 overall draft pick in 2013, started eight games last season. Carrie, a seventh-round pick last year, started four games. After moving on from 2014 starters Tarell Brown and Carlos Rogers and not addressing the position much in the offseason, the Raiders are poised to go with Hayden, Carrie and 2014 fourth-round pick Keith McGill as their top three cornerbacks. McGill started one game last season and he has promise. All three of these guys will be on the field often, but I'd think Hayden and Carrie will see the most playing time because they appear to be further along than McGill.


BW: Oakland hasn't had a 1,000-yard receiver since Randy Moss in 2005, so it is desperately looking for a receiver who can reach the milestone. If anyone in Oakland achieves the mark this season, I think it will be rookie Amari Cooper. The No. 4 overall pick will be Derek Carr's favorite target. This is a guy who caught 124 passes for 1,727 yards last year at Alabama. He is ready to breakout immediately.


BW: There will be a few to watch. But the one I am going to keep a close eye on is at right tackle between Austin Howard and Menelik Watson. Howard, who signed a five-year, $30 million deal last season, is moving from right guard. Howard was a tackle with the Jets and is more comfortable there. But the Raiders are high on Watson, a second-round pick in 2013. Watson is still raw, but he has big ability and if he comes on strong in training camp, he will get a chance to unseat Howard.