After a busy offseason, the Raiders are about two weeks from entering training camp with a roster that is a lot better from top to bottom than many seem to think.

There are questions about health and questions about where a handful of rookies and second-year players are going to fit in, but the overall roster is ready to compete for the AFC right now.

With that said, if there’s a position group that’s worth worrying about in mid-July, it has to be the Raiders linebacker group and the biggest question is in the middle with Derrick Johnson.

Maybe Jon Gruden got the steal of the offseason when he signed Johnson, who will turn 36 during the season, but there’s a reason the Raiders (or any other team) didn’t pounce on Johnson before a full two months into the free agency period. The Raiders were essentially the only team that seemed willing to give Johnson a shot at a full-time role.

What’s more, the Raiders haven’t yet brought in competition for Johnson at middle linebacker.

“I’m not even sure Gruden knows [who will be his middle linebacker],” John Middlekauff wrote in The Athletic Thursday morning. “In a perfect world for Gruden, Derrick Johnson would prove he’s the guy in camp. But I’m not sure he can run anymore. And in a league that spreads you out more than ever, you must cover ground to play in the middle. I think there is a better chance that Johnson gets cut at the end of camp than ends up the starter.”

Behind Johnson on the Raiders depth chart is essentially Marquel Lee or bust – unless defensive coordinator Paul Guenther decides to really start shuffling around players. And that thought raises the question: is the Raiders starting middle linebacker even on the current roster?

If not, how aggressive will Gruden be to acquire a starting-caliber middle linebacker? In the past, general manager Reggie McKenzie has been borderline irresponsible at addressing the position, but some of McKenzie’s past roster failures have since been pushed off on the former coaching staff (a theory that actually makes some sense).

For what it’s worth, if the Raiders do decide to revisit the NaVorro Bowman idea, they’d have two of the best linebackers (based on their 2017 performances) at finding and hitting ball carriers.

Joe Schobert was the first defender to the ball carrier more than any other defensive player in 2017. pic.twitter.com/17AdkmrnY5 — Pro Football Focus (@PFF) July 3, 2018

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