What Raiders starting lineup should be if it's really 'opportunity time' vs Chiefs

Pete Carroll has been talking about giving the young players on this team a legit chance for a couple months now. The Raiders have lost ten straight games and have won just one game since the season opener. So, it's been pretty obvious for a while that this team was going nowhere. Or at least that introducing some new blood could be beneficial.

In terms of how putting some fresh faces out there could be beneficial to the team this season, that ship sailed long ago. But in terms of how beneficial it could be to the talent evaluation aspect of things, it could go a long way.

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"They're all going to get a great look," Carroll said of the rookies. "This should continue to be as competitive an environment as we can get for the roster spots, for all of that. The guys that come back here are going to be fighting some new guys, and everybody's going to be battling. But all you can do now is play this game and do everything to play a great game for your teammates. And if these guys can do that again, then it's a really good showing. Charles [Grant] has looked pretty good now and we've been excited. He needs to get some steady shots at playing tackle where we can see him out there, and he's been bouncing around the tight end spots and all of that, and he's done that well. So, it's opportunity time, and these guys have to take advantage of it, and they know that, and I think that's why we're feeling them kind of elevate a little bit."

The team sat most of their best players starting last week, sending several to injured reserve. This signals the team is turning the page. If it's really "It's opportunity time" as Carroll says it is, this is what the Raiders starting lineup should look like for this game:

Quarterback -- Pickett gets the nod over Aidan O'Connell. Mainly because O'Connell had his chances the past couple seasons and proved he is not the answer. Perhaps not even as a backup.

Running back -- Ashton Jeanty is 90 yards away from setting a new franchise rookie record for yards from scrimmage. May as well give him that chance.

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Wide receiver -- Three rookies. Easy enough.

Tight end -- Let's see what Michael Mayer does for an encore after his career-game last week.

Offensive line -- Rookie Charles Grant gets the start over veteran Stone Forsythe. That's the only big change as Caleb Rogers was already slated to start at right guard and Mafi filled in for Dylan Parham last week and will again this week.

Defensive interior -- The two rooks get their longest look.

Defensive end -- The undrafted rookie Jahfari Harvey gets his shot. Charles Snowden has looked better this season of any edge rusher not named Maxx Crosby. Give him another shot at it instead of wasting more time on Tyree Wilson and Malcolm Koonce.

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Linebacker -- The two linebackers the Raiders have drafted the past two years get a chance to do something other than just special teams work.

Cornerback -- The rookie Porter and 2024 fourth rounder Richardson start at cornerback.

Safety -- Not much you can do here, so may as well just go with the same guys.

This article originally appeared on Raiders Wire: What Raiders starting lineup should be if it's really 'opportunity time' vs Chiefs