Football is back!
Well, preseason football is at least.
The Oakland Raiders open their preseasons slate Friday night against the St. Louis Rams at O.co Coliseum, and leading up to the matchup with their NFC West foe, here are 10 storylines to keep an eye on.
1. Amari Cooper's First Game in Silver and Black
Since being drafted by the Oakland Raiders in the first round (No. 4 overall) of this year's NFL Draft, wide receiver Amari Cooper has dazzled, showing off the polish and route-running ability that he flashed at Alabama.
Friday will mark Cooper's first game wearing the Silver and Black, and while it's just the first preseason game, countless eyes will be locked on the dynamic receiver.
2. Coach Robertson Squares Off Against His Mentor
Defensive backs coach Marcus Robertson is very familiar with St. Louis Rams Head Coach Jeff Fisher.
Robertson played for Fisher while the pair were in Houston/Tennessee (1994-2000), and then after Robertson retired, Fisher gave him his first coaching job, hiring him as an assistant secondary coach in 2007.
3. Keeping it in The Family
Friday's game will be especially meaningful for rookie linebacker Chase Williams.
Not only will it be his first NFL game, but he'll also be squaring off against his dad, Rams defensive coordinator Gregg Williams.
4. Who's Next After Latavius Murray?
Through the first portion of Training Camp 2015, Latavius Murray has begun establishing himself as the starting running back for the Oakland Raiders.
He's listed first on the depth chart and has received the bulk of the work during practice.
However, after Murray who will be pounding the rock for the Silver and Black?
Trent Richardson is listed behind Murray on the depth chart, but Roy Helu, Jr. and Taiwan Jones should figure into the mix as well. 5. Brotherly Love
The McDonald family will be locked in to Friday's matchup in Oakland, as Raiders safety Tevin McDonald will face his older brother, Rams strong safety T.J. McDonald.
6. Same Faces, New Places
Raiders offensive coordinator Bill Musgrave served as the quarterbacks coach for the Philadelphia Eagles in 2014.
His starting quarterback that season?
St. Louis Rams quarterback Nick Foles.
7. Ray-Ray Armstrong Squares Off Against His Old Team
Linebacker Ray-Ray Armstrong joined the Silver and Black after the first quarter of the 2014 season, but prior to being a Raider, he started his career with the St. Louis Rams.
During his time in St. Louis, he appeared in 20 games for the Rams, recording 15 total tackles.
8. Building on Last Year's Momentum
While the 2014 campaign didn't go as planned for the Raiders, the team did build some momentum heading into the offseason, winning their final three home games of 2014.
With a new coaching staff and a handful of new players in tow, it will intriguing to watch that momentum continue to build.
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- JDR's First Experience With Raider Nation**
Growing up in nearby Hayward, Calif., Head Coach Jack Del Rio is familiar with Raider Nation and the enthusiasm and energy they bring to each game.
Now, he'll once again witness that energy firsthand, although this time he'll do as the Head Coach of the Oakland Raiders.
10. Which Wide Receivers Will Step Up?
Michael Crabtree and rookie wide receiver Amari Cooper have been as advertised, and look to have solidified the Raiders starting wide receiver positions.
However, after that pair the depth chart is unsettled, so it will be interesting to see which wide outs take advantage of their reps during Friday night's game.
