We've past the midway point of the season. The Raiders are sitting at 4-5, coming off their ugliest loss of the season. And there was a big change on the roster this week. With the scene set, let's see who's stock on the rise and whose stock is falling.
Stock up – QB Fernando Mendoza
It’s his time now. The rookie top pick has been thrust into the starting lineup nine games in to the season after the team traded Kirk Cousins to the Vikings. He comes with all the high hopes that accompany a number one overall pick. Yeah, he has a very tough matchup to start his career, and there is bound to be some bumps in the road. But he’s starting from a comfortable spot, being able to sit behind Kirk Cousins for several months and study the game from the sideline.
Stock down – WR Dont’e Thornton
Speaking of studying the
game from the sideline…the physically gifted wide receiver has apparently been so bad that even with the Raiders’ lackluster wide receiver corps, he can’t even get activated to the game day roster, let alone see the field. Which means, he isn’t just waiting to get the call to come in the game, he’s in sweats.
Stock up – GM John Spytek
Spytek played the quarterback situation so absolutely perfectly. Getting Kirk Cousins for $650K to start for the Raiders for nine games, mentor the team’s top pick, and then yield a third round pick in trade at the deadline. It’s a scenario I had atop the list of best cases and Spytek nailed it.
Stock down – CB Eric Stokes
He signed a long term deal this offseason as the best cornerback on the Raiders roster. And I am not writing him off or saying that deal shouldn’t have been made. What I am saying is he’s had a couple of pretty rough weeks in terms of giving up big plays. The previous week against the Jets he offset those big plays allowed with some nice defensive plays. Not this week. It was a lot of bad. And he has yet to record an interception this season either. Call it something to shoot for.
Stock up – STC Joe DeCamillis
Dylan Laube has been getting a lot of credit for his league-leading return average and his big kick return for a touchdown against the Jets. But it’s time to recognize the man whose expertise in special teams helped make it happen. What you saw against the 49ers was a play that was so well done, Laube ran through a hole up the middle that didn’t even need to be cleared by a blocker. Cody White was to be that blocker, but there was no one to block. Laube was 54 yards down the field before a 49ers player just got a piece of his jersey to slow him down. And the coverage team has been swarming as well. It was DeCamillis who brought in Matt Gay as well, who has kicked quite well this season.
Stock down – LB Quay Walker
There are far too many times it looks like Walker is living up to his last name. I don’t want to accuse him of dogging it, but at very least he looks downright defeated out there. While I wouldn’t blame anyone for being discouraged with the way this defense is playing and getting lit up every week, Quay seems like he’s an active part of the reason why that might be. I’d like to give him the benefit of the doubt due to the failures in the scheme, but too often he looks to be in the right position, but just fails to make the play he should.
This article originally appeared on Raiders Wire: Raiders stock watch: Who’s up, who’s down heading into Week 10
