Raiders rookies P.J. Hall, Maurice Hurst show promise

Friday’s preseason opener offered a glimpse at the potential of the Raiders’ youthful defensive line — as well as a reminder of what was missing.

Defensive tackle P.J. Hall, the Raiders’ second-round pick in April, had a sack on his first play of the game and batted down a pass. Fifth-round pick Maurice Hurst notched a quarterback hit in contributing to the pressure created by Oakland’s interior line in a 16-10 win over the Lions.

Improving the inside pass rush was a stated goal of the Raiders this offseason and the reason they used three of their first six draft picks on defensive linemen. While Friday’s opener was a promising step, the main intended beneficiary was not there to witness it.