If Matt Schaub is going to be successful in quarterbacking the Oakland Raiders he needs the offensive pieces to make it work. The Raiders are hoping the veteran can provide some offensive stability while rookie Derek Carr develops under him. After a round of organized team activities and team minicamps, Schaub is still working on chemistry with the wide receivers.
With the Houston Texans, Schaub had a clear-cut No. 1 wide receiver. He knew that no matter what Andre Johnson was downfield and ready for the ball. Johnson was the team's safety blanket. However, the Raiders do not have that luxury. Their passing offense is a team effort, requiring work from everyone, meaning Schaub must work to develop his timing with every player, something he is trying to adjust to.
"That's what this time of year is all about, especially between quarterbacks, tight ends and receivers," Schaub said, via CSNBayArea.com. "It's all about getting on the same page. It's about understanding route adjustments, what guy is best at a particular type of route and where that player's strengths lie. Can he adjust to the ball in the air? Is this guy good at slants? Is this guy a go-route runner? All those things, as a quarterback, you start to learn about and file away so that, once we get to the fall, it's second nature."
Schaub told media that he has been spending a lot of time watching game film of all the receivers, working to identify their strengths and weaknesses. The top three receivers for the Raiders are returning along with tight end Mychal Rivera. The Raiders also added James Jones and Greg Little to help with veteran depth. The roster grouping is crowded and not overly consistent. Jones and Rod Streater have been reliable in their career, but Denarius Moore and Greg Little are the wild cards of the group.
There is a chance that someone does not see training camp either by release or trade. Moore's name has been floated around in trade talks over recent weeks and if presented with an opportunity, general manager Reggie McKenzie will pull the trigger on a deal. Right now, the Cleveland Browns are the primary target as they await the future of Josh Gordon. The New York Jets could also be very interested.
For now, Schaub is focused on the group in front of him. He notes that he truly does not have a wide receiver that he prefers over the others. He simply says that the receiver that proves consistent will get the most passes his way.
"I don't know if I can necessarily single one out because I'd be doing the other guys an injustice," Schaub said. "It's the entire group. I've been so impressed with the six, seven, eight guys so, really, it's gonna make a great competition throughout training camp. They're all pushing each other and competing at such a high level that no matter who's in the huddle, we just go out and play. We don't skip a beat no matter what core is in the group."
