Trent Richardson is now a forgotten man in Oakland. The running back might be out of chances in the NFL following his release from the Raiders, his third team in a very short career. The Raiders had high hopes for Richardson, hoping he could regain his college form and compete for the starting job. Instead, Latavius Murray went on the rise and Richardson free fell off the depth chart and into the first round of roster cuts. With the running back out of the picture, has Michael Dyer done enough to earn a spot on the field?
The biggest reason for Richardson's release was the rise of both Dyer and Roy Helu. Dyer was drafted out of Auburn while Helu signed as a free agent from the Washington Redskins. At the start of training camp, it was Dyer who was viewed as the first running back cut from the team, but instead it was Richardson on the chopping block. With one more set of cuts to come, Dyer is fighting for his chance.
"If I just keep doing my job and doing what the coaches ask for, there will be a role available at the end of the day," Dyer said, via the San Jose Mercury News. "Just keep striding, going for it, putting hard work in and let it just play out at the end."
The race to make the running back rotation continues to be a heated one, so if the battle to be the third receiver behind Amari Cooper and Michael Crabtree. Andre Holmes was the favorite for that spot, but the receiver broke his hand is out for at least the first game of the season if not longer. At the moment, Brice Butler is leading the charge in his place as the preseason's best receiver on the field getting the most playing time. Butler told the media he is playing with a big chip on his shoulder as he stays focused on doing his job correctly.
"But this year I have a brand new coaching staff and the regular season hasn't happened," Butler said, via the team website. "The cookies haven't crumbled yet, so there's no frustration right now, it's just working. Just grinding and competiting every day and knowing what goals I have for myself individually and that's to be out there during the season making plays. I have to keep on day by day achieving those differnt tasks to get the the main goal I want to get to."
The Raiders receiving group is crowded. Rod Streater has returned to make a name for himself. Kris Durham is showing a lot of strengths. The improved group is good news for Derek Carr, but it also means at least one player might not make the final cut for the team.
