Following Amari Cooper 's abrupt retirement, the Las Vegas Raiders are thin at wide receiver, and they have two days to decide on how to fill his roster spot. Meanwhile, defensive coordinator Patrick Graham is focused on two particular aspects of the game ahead of the team's matchup with the New England Patriots .
Raiders Daily delves into what might've led to Cooper's decision and Graham's expectations for Sunday's game.
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To some, Amari Cooper calling it a career was just as surprising as his return to the Raiders. Less than two weeks ago, he signed a one-year deal worth up to $6 million, but on Thursday, he decided to walk away from the game, at least for now.
According to The Athletic's Tashan Reed , Cooper showed signs of decline in his preparation.
"In theory, Cooper would've provided some veteran insurance to the room," Reed wrote. "According to a team source, however, Cooper was unimpressive in practice and didn't have the look of a difference maker."
Last week, Cooper discussed " unfinished business " entering his second stint with the team, but this brief stay in Las Vegas turned into a short business trip.
The Raiders may sign a veteran wideout like DJ Chark Jr. or Kendrick Bourne to fill a void within the pass-catching group. They can also elevate 29-year-old Alex Bachman to the active roster. Last year, he played 42 percent of the special teams snaps.
Amid a contract dispute with the front office, Jakobi Meyers ' agent should be keen on this development as it gives the seventh-year wideout some leverage on his value to the offense and specifically a young receiver group.
Read: Las Vegas Raiders' 5x Pro Bowler Abruptly Retires 3 Days Before Kickoff
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Patrick Graham is familiar with New England Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels , who hired him to be the defensive coordinator on his staff. Three years later, he holds the same position under head coach Pete Carroll and speaks highly of McDaniels' coaching acumen.
Having been an assistant on McDaniels' staff, Graham is prepared to see certain tendencies play out through the Patriots offense in Sunday's matchup.
"You know with Josh's offense, they're going to run the ball, and we're going to have tackle," Graham said. "I want to see a level of toughness, get off blocks, tackle their ball-carriers, tackle their receivers. That's what we're looking for."
McDaniels has been an NFL head coach or offensive coordinator for 19 years, and in nine of those campaigns, his teams finished within the top 10 in rushing yards.
Graham knows the Patriots' offensive play designer well, but he should also be aware that the Raiders gave up an average of 149 rushing yards in three preseason games. In fairness, the starting defenders played sparingly. That said, second- and third-stringers will have rotational roles along the defensive line during the regular season.
New England 's backfield will feature Rhamondre Stevenson , who's a 6-foot, 227-pound ball-carrier, electric rookie second-rounder TreVeyon Henderson and dual-threat running back Antonio Gibson , who has 195 receptions for 1,489 yards and seven touchdowns.
Because of the size, speed and versatility of the Patriots' tailbacks, it's not a surprise that Graham harped on toughness and tackling ahead of a what could be a fast-paced, physical matchup on the road.
Read: Raiders vs. Patriots: Three Bold Predictions for Sunday's Season Opener
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While on the Locked On Raiders Squad Show Podcast (h/t Raiders Beat ), Lincoln Kennedy shared what he heard about Jackson Powers-Johnson 's mindset in his shift from center to guard.
"Is JPJ, with actually what I heard, is he in his feelings a lot of times about what's going on? He needs to snap out of it," Kennedy said.
While answering questions from reporters, Powers-Johnson seemed upbeat about his transition. KTNV's Nick Walters captured some of the second-year pro's comments.
"Whatever they need me to play, I'm going to play," Powers-Johnson said. "Versatility has been kind of drilled into me since college and even high school. I've always played multiple positions and have fun doing it."
Read: Raiders Daily: A Rumored Jakobi Meyers Trade Suitor, Jackson Powers-Johnson's Mindset
Of course, Powers-Johnson isn't going to publicly question the team's personnel decisions, though he does have quality experience at guard, which gives him the confidence to make the move.
The 22-year-old interior offensive lineman may have a positional preference, but from a team perspective, it's encouraging to hear his willingness to adapt and own the spot at right guard.
Maurice Moton covers the Raiders for Sportsnaut. You can follow him on Twitter at @MoeMoton .
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