Las Vegas Raiders have a handful of tough decisions that will be made leading up to their Week 3 game vs. the New Orleans Saints
The Las Vegas Raiders are going to play a tough Saints team this week, and guys like Brock Bowers, Darien Porter, and Treydan Stukes could all be out. Or, they could have some of those players.
The Las Vegas Raiders are riding major momentum into Sunday’s Week 3 matchup. They’ll face the New Orleans Saints, who just beat the Baltimore Ravens 24-17. Meanwhile, the Raiders are trying to start 3-0 for the first time since 2021.
This could be hard to accomplish, though. The Raiders are going into this game pretty beaten up. Their starting safety, Treydan Stukes, is out with a concussion. The rookie second-round pick has been pretty good to start the year. This drastically limits what Rob Leonard can do with the looks they have on defense. Stukes is much more versatile and more of a center fielder than his replacement, Isaiah Pola-Mao. Pola-Mao is more of a guy who likes to be in the box. That said, Stukes could have company with him in street clothes.
“Brock [Bowers] is questionable; he sat out of practice, all part of the plan there,” head coach Klint Kubiak said. “[Treydan] Stukes is out. Kwity [Paye] is questionable with an illness, and Aidan [O’Connell] will not travel with the team today. Our prayers are with Aidan and his family, and we miss him. Can’t wait to get him back. He’s a huge part of our team, and we love him. So, any questions we got, bring them.”
Klint Kubiak is optimistic about Brock Bowers, and won’t be giving up any personnel secrets
Bowers has missed the first two weeks of the season. They didn’t really need him, as they dominated both games offensively. However, you always want your best player available.
“I’m optimistic,” Kubiak said of Bowers playing Sunday.
The Raiders are also set to get Darien Porter back. However, last week, when Hezekiah Masses was called to play because of Porter’s absence, he won AFC Defensive Player of the Week. Mind you, that’s a fifth-round rookie. So, now you’re in a tough position. Do you start the guy you started the season with? Or do you start the rookie who just played extremely well with two interceptions?
“We’ll see,” Kubiak said when asked about Darien Porter playing Sunday and whether he will be the starter.
Both guys will likely see the field on Sunday. However, it feels like Masses may be the starter to enter this week. The Raiders are entering Sunday with some decisions to make. Do they want to give Bowers another week to rest? The same question applies to Porter.
