The final game of the preseason is typically uneventful, but the Las Vegas Raiders had a significant development during their 20-10 loss to the Arizona Cardinals. Backup quarterback Aidan O’Connell suffered a fractured wrist in the second quarter, according to coach Pete Carroll. The injury will require surgery and Carroll said he expects O’Connell to be out for six-to-eight weeks. It leaves rookie Cam Miller, who played the rest of Saturday’s game, as the only backup quarterback on the roster.

“We just got to see what we can do and keep developing Cam,” Carroll said Saturday. “Fortunately, he got a lot of playing time tonight, and that’ll help him.”

When asked directly if Miller is ready to be the backup behind Geno Smith, Carroll was non-committal.

“We’ll see,” Carroll said. “Let’s see what happens here. We’ve got to check the film.”

It would behoove the Raiders to canvass free agency, the trade market and the waiver wire following league-wide roster cuts Tuesday in order to make an addition to the quarterback room. Smith has been durable for most of his career, but they need a stronger option to step in if he goes down.

Here are five other things I learned this week from Raiders training camp…

1. Malcolm Koonce is starting to show flashes of his old self

Koonce was excellent in 2023 but missed all of 2024 due to a torn ACL. He was slow to round into form for most of training camp, but he started to show progress in practice the past week. That translated to game action against the Cardinals, when he registered a half-sack alongside defensive tackle Jonah Laulu in the first quarter.

Koonce applying pressure 😤 #LVvsAZ pic.twitter.com/aKWJlw9xkw

— Las Vegas Raiders (@Raiders) August 24, 2025

“It’s taken him a little while to feel that he’s back,” coach Pete Carroll said Wednesday. “I think it took him time to realize he’s OK and he’s in great shape. … Particularly with lower leg injuries and knees and ankles and all that, you got to believe that it’s OK. And sometimes you must prove it. And because after all that time, they’re thinking about it, and they’re limping around, they got the boot on and all that, it just works you.

“He’s got all full strength, he’s explosive, he’s tough, fast, all of that. He’s shown in the last … 10 days that he really is back.”

2. Tyree Wilson came on strong late in camp

Wilson has fallen short of expectations since getting drafted with pick No. 7 in the 2023 draft. Reason for optimism emerged when he began to play well toward the end of last season, but he got off to another sluggish start in OTAs and early in training camp.

In the last couple weeks, though, something has clicked for Wilson. He’s playing with much more confidence, has been getting off the ball faster and has learned to use his unique combination of length and power to steamroll opposing blockers.

“I would say the game slowed down a lot,” Wilson said Wednesday. “It’s more just working on craft now, getting the right technique and just playing with game speed. Don’t think, just go and then react to whatever shows up in front of you, and that’s what I try to do every day.”

Wilson has been disruptive in the pass and run game, regardless of whether he’s lined up as a true defensive end or inside at defensive tackle.

“Steady progress,” Carroll said. “We’re really trying to make sure that we put him in the right spots that take advantage of his skills and in his comfort and so that he can play at his best.”

Wilson isn’t going to be a starter, but he’s rotated often with Koonce and frequently lines up at defensive tackle. He may never justify his draft status, but he could be a useful player for the Raiders this year.

“The kid’s been through a lot, man. The expectation, the injury, the different play style of what he played in college,” defensive line coach Rob Leonard said Thursday. “And then you learn the technique, and then you’ve got to trust the technique. And then not chasing plays. Guys feel the pressure to go out there and do something; just do your job and make the plays that come to you and win your one-on-ones.”

3. Kyu Blu Kelly could be an answer at nickelback

While Kelly previously spent practice time at nickelback, he’d largely been focused on outside cornerback lately as he continues to compete with Darien Porter for a starting role. This week, however, he was limited by a hamstring injury that held him out of practice and the final preseason game.

With Kelly sidelined, Porter got the start in the preseason finale. If he ultimately wins that position battle, then slot corner makes sense as a landing spot for Kelly. He has the speed to play man coverage from the slot and is also physical enough to hold up in the run game. Holmes got the start at nickelback against the Cardinals, but that doesn’t rule Kelly out.

“He’s a good matchup guy,” defensive backs coach Marcus Robertson said Thursday when asked about Kelly’s skillset at nickelback. “He has decent short area quickness and an ability to be able to fit the run. … And then he showed us on the edge that he can go out there and make plays.”

4. Porter has grown when it comes to technique

Although Porter was light on experience playing cornerback in college, the rookie has been a quick learner in the NFL. His sharp fundamentals are one of the biggest reasons why he’s vying for a starting position.

“He’s very smart. He understands all the techniques,” pass game coordinator Joe Woods said Thursday. “He’s probably one of our best technical players. But, for him, it’s just experience. … Everything for him this year is just going to be learning.”

Naturally, it’s not all good with Porter. In a red-zone situation, he got beat by Cardinals receiver Simi Fehoko on fourth-and-1 for a touchdown. Afterward, Carroll was seen telling Porter that he should’ve been more physical with Fehoko at the line of scrimmage.

Simi is here for business 💼#LVvsAZ | @nflnetwork pic.twitter.com/dvYITrpNqe

— Arizona Cardinals (@AZCardinals) August 24, 2025

Another factor is that even though Porter has impressive height, length and speed, he’s as thin as rails. While he does need to continue to get stronger and become more consistent as a tackler, the coaching staff has also been pleased with his willingness to do so. If he’s able to put it all together, they believe his ceiling is high.

“He’s shown us he’s willing to tackle; that was one of the big questions we had coming in,” Robertson said. “But you’re looking at a guy right now who he’s just coming out of the shell, to a certain degree. He’s just going to continue to improve. I think he’s going to be an outstanding corner in this league.”

5. It feels like the offensive line is set

The Raiders had the same starting five in all three preseason games: Left tackle Kolton Miller, left guard Dylan Parham, center Jordan Meredith, right guard Jackson Powers-Johnson and right tackle DJ Glaze. Carroll recently said that Powers-Johnson is still competing with Alex Cappa, but Cappa didn’t rotate in with the starters Saturday.

It would be hard to rationalize starting Cappa over Powers-Johnson in any scenario. He’s coming off back-to-back brutal seasons. And while Powers-Johnson still has plenty to improve on, he was already a good player as a rookie and has much more upside moving forward.

The starting O-line only played one possession on Saturday, but it was a beauty. It was a nine-play, 50-yard drive that ended in a 17-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Geno Smith to receiver Dont’e Thornton. They moved the chains three times — one pass and two runs — prior to Thornton’s score on a tough throw and catch.

7️⃣ ➡️ 🔟 😎#LVvsAZ | 📺 FOX5 pic.twitter.com/HYVJtwT8BQ

— Las Vegas Raiders (@Raiders) August 24, 2025

Smith wasn’t sacked the entire preseason. And while the run game was sluggish in the first game, it was much better in the latter two contests. This offensive line isn’t going to be a great one, but it looks like it could be solid.

(Photo of Malcolm Koonce celebrating with Maxx Crosby: Mark J. Rebilas / Imagn Images)