Photo credit: raiders.com

By Joe Hawkes-Beamon

OAKLAND — The Oakland Raiders open up the 2018 preseason schedule Friday night at the Oakland Alameda-County Coliseum where they will host the visiting Detroit Lions. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. PDT.

The two teams held two days of practice sessions in Napa this week and per Raiders beat reporter Jerry McDonald of the Bay Area News Group, outside of a minor dust up early in practice that was broken up quickly, both teams appeared ready for their first preseason game.

Raiders head coach Jon Gruden, yes, that Jon Gruden, leaves the comfy broadcast booth of Monday Night Football and returns to the NFL sidelines for the first time in nine years. Gruden replaces Jack Del Rio, who was fired after last season’s 6-10 record following a 12-4 season in 2016; resulting in the team’s first playoff appearance since 2002.

Coincidentally, it was Gruden, following a trade to Tampa Bay after three seasons as Oakland’s head coach, that defeated the Raiders in the Super Bowl that season giving the Buccaneers their only championship in the team’s history.

Its almost certain that Raiders starting quarterback Derek Carr won’t play, meaning that backup quarterbacks Connor Cook and EJ Manuel will each play extensively. Cook is entering his third year in the league (all with Oakland) and is currently ahead Manuel, who is in his sixth season (his second season in Oakland) on the Raiders’ depth chart.

Veteran running back Doug Martin adds depth to a running back group that includes returning starter Marshawn Lynch, and holdovers Jalen Richard and DeAndre Washington.

Martin, who spent the past seven seasons in Tampa Bay where he was the bellcow when healthy, has two seasons in which he’s rushed for over 1,400 yards. Like Lynch, Martin is from Oakland and looks to rejuvenate his career playing for the Silver and Black.

Lynch is unlikely to play against the Lions, giving opportunities for Martin, Richard and Washington to solidify themselves as Lynch’s primary backup.

Undrafted rookie running back Chris Warren III has had an impressive training camp, per numerous reports out of Napa and could factor into Oakland’s offensive equation.

During a scrimmage with Detroit, the former Texas Longhorn took a running hand-off from Cook and drove his shoulder right through second-year starting linebacker Jarrad Davis that went viral on the internet.

Warren III’s father, Chris Warren II, played 11 seasons in the NFL earning three Pro Bowl nods with the Seattle Seahawks. Warren II finished his NFL career rushing for 7,696 yards.

With defensive end/outside linebacker Khalil Mack a training camp holdout due to a contract negotiation (or lack there of depending on what day of the week it is), Oakland’s defense will be an interesting watch against Detroit.

Rookies in defensive end Arden Key and nose tackle P.J. Hall are expected to play heavily Friday night and per reports out of Raiders’ training camp, both players should help improve a defense that finished 23 in total defense in 2017. Key, who left LSU after his junior year, had some off the field issues while in school, but Gruden raved about the 6’5″, 238-pound Key’s ability to rush the passer and Oakland drafted him in the third round of this year’s draft.

Key recorded 20 sacks, 11 coming during his sophomore season for the Bayou Bengals.

The 6’1″, 308-pound Hall was a selected by Oakland in the second round this year and was a clog in the middle at Sam Houston State, but maybe more valuable on special teams for Oakland early in his career.

While at Sam Houston State, Hall blocked 14 kicks.

Detroit will also have a new face on the sidelines Friday night in first-time head coach Matt Patricia, who replaces the fired Jim Caldwell.

Caldwell had winning seasons in three of his four seasons, but back-to-back 9-7 finishes culminating with the hiring of Executive Vice President of Football Operations and General Manager Bob Quinn, who didn’t hire Caldwell initially,  ushered Caldwell’s exit.

Patricia brings a defensive wizardry to Detroit, coming from the Bill Belichick coaching tree after spending 14 seasons in New England, six as their defensive coordinator. Patricia hasn’t worked for any other organization in the NFL outside of the Patriots before agreeing to takeover the Lions.

Detroit finished 27th in total defense in 2017, a ranking that will likely improve under Patricia. Since 2012 when Patricia was first named defensive coordinator of the Patriots, Patricia has never ranked outside of the top 10 in scoring defense while winning two Super Bowls during that span.

Cornerback Darius Slay is Detroit’s brightest star on defense. Slay was voted to his first Pro Bowl last season after finishing tied with Tennessee safety Kevin Byard with eight interceptions.

The head coach with a bachelor’s degree in aeronautical engineering, will have franchise quarterback Matthew Stafford to lead a Lions offense that finished 13th in the NFL in total offense last season. Stafford engineered the NFL’s sixth-ranked passing offense, averaging 261.4 yards per game which featured the NFL’s only starting wideouts to gain over 1,000 yards receiving in a season in Marvin Jones (1,101) and Golden Tate (1,003).

Tate led the Lions in receptions last season with 92 (seventh in the NFL), while Jones led Detroit with nine touchdown catches.

Running back LeGarrette Blount, fresh off of winning his third Super Bowl after spending last season in Philadelphia, reunites with Patricia in Detroit and should help out the Lions’ poor rushing attack. Patricia and Blount won a pair of Super Bowls in New England together.

The Lions finished 32nd in the NFL in rushing averaging just 76.3 yards per game with running back Ameer Abdullah leading the team with just 552 yards in 14 games (making 11 starts) as the team’s primary ball-carrier.

Blount was Philadelphia’s leading rusher, racking up 766 yards as the Eagles went with a committee in the backfield with Jay Ajayi and Corey Clement splitting time also.

Following Friday night’s game, Detroit will head home to host the visiting New York Giants on Aug. 17, while Oakland will face the Rams in Los Angeles on Aug. 18.

Notes: The Raiders signed free agent safety Quincy Mauger Thursday. Mauger originally signed as an undrafted free agent by the Atlanta Falcons in 2017, spent his rookie season on the reserve/injured list with a knee injury. A four-year player out of Georgia (2013-16), he appeared in 50 games, recording 186 tackles (128 solo), 0.5 sacks, seven interceptions, 12 passes defensed, and one forced fumble.

A native of Marietta, Ga., the 6-foot, 206-pound Mauger played in 12 contests as a senior in 2016 with the Bulldogs and tallied 20 stops (12), two interceptions, and two passes defensed.