HENDERSON, Nev.—Even as training camp for the Las Vegas Raiders finishes up with its first week, the changes that have been made throughout the spring have been a focal point.
With a new coaching staff in place and a glut of new faces on the roster, this training camp has felt like one of transition. While the feeling out process was evident over the first set of days, the team is now more keen on attacking on both sides of the ball.
This has become apparent with the first-team offense, where Kirk Cousins has found chemistry with his receiver group of Brock Bowers, Tre Tucker and Jalen Nailor, and the unit showcased their skill throughout the day.
“I should just start off with the coaching staff and all the guys that have come in, especially a guy like Kirk Cousins, who brings so much knowledge into the offensive room,” said wide receiver Jack Bech, who is currently pushing for an expanded role in his sophomore season.
“He come’s in and he’s such a good mentor for all of us. Just the knowledge he has of all the years he’s played in the league. He’s seen every look a hundred times, so he’s really able to coach us through different looks, different reads on what he sees.”
“They’re just both so different. That’s what’s cool,” mentioned wide receivers coach Zach Azzanni about Tucker and Nailor. “That’s what’s unique about the receiver position. There’s a bunch of different body types, a bunch of different skill sets that you can work with.
We all know Tre, he’s got that down the field speed. He’s tough. He makes those contested catches. And Jalen, the last three or four years in Minnesota, has just been that crafty route runner, does the dirty work, understands space, how to get open.”
Despite the positive impression of the first group, no individual Raider has seen their stock rise the way Malik Benson has.
The sixth-round rookie out of Oregon has found immediate chemistry with Fernando Mendoza, as the two have connected on plays throughout the last few days. Known more for his blazing speed out of college, Benson has impressed the coaching staff to the point where he has worked almost exclusively with the second unit. While other depth receivers such as Chase Roberts have also done well, Benson has emerged as the story of training camp so far.
“Malik has been great,” said Bech about his teammate.
“He’s super fast, super twitchy. He’s coming here, he puts his head down, he works super hard. He’s super talented. He makes really good plays, makes the big play. That’s what we’re counting on him to do: to come in here and push all of us.”
Not to be left out, the defense has also made plays throughout the week. Pressure has made its way through the offensive line a few times, which is to be expected with the likes of Maxx Crosby and Kwity Paye posing problems. However, unexpected contributions from defensive linemen such as Tonka Hemingway and even undrafted free agent Cian Slone have attracted attention.
“He’s been balling. He’s been playing great ball, and if you adk anybody on the defense, they’ll say the same thing,” said Paye about Hemingway’s training camp so far.
“You see him every day in the building, one of the first people on the building just working, wanting to get better and you can just see it. He’s been popping up on the field everywhere. A couple other young guys, Jonah [Laulu] I had said before. Cian Slone has a motor, he’s been out there balling as well. I’m real excited for this young group.”
However, the group that best reflects the mix of new faces eager to prove themselves and holdovers adapting to a brand new system is the defensive backs.
While the receivers made plays, the secondary was more than willing to respond with some quality reps of their own. Depth cornerbacks such as Decamerion Richardson, Jermod McCoy and Hezekiah Masses have made noise throughout training camp, building their cases for roles straight away. Even today, rookie safeties Dalton Johnson and Devin Lafayette got involved, with Johnson nearly picking off Cousins and Lafeyette finishing seven-on-seven drills with an interception on Aidan O’Connell.
“I told the DBs today after one-on-ones it was a great one,” said Azzanni, who gave the secondary their flowers despite adding that his primary focus was on the offense. “Iron sharpens iron. They get better, we get better, together we eat. It’s been fun that way.”
Meanwhile, Nakobe Dean is using his green dot responsibilities to bring the groups together, bridging the gap between the new additions and tenured veterans. The high-profile free agent signing has connections to Bowers, fellow linebacker Quay Walker and last year’s top cornerback in Eric Stokes from their time together at the University of Georgia, and he has put the effort in to lead by example on the field.
“Holding everybody accountable,” answered Dean when asked about his responsibilities as an on-field leader. “Getting them up to speed is not only holding [the young players] accountable, but also holding the guys who have played football accountable. They can see that, including myself, nobody’s exempt from being corrected for needing to know what to do down in, down out.”
With preseason inching closer, the battle for roles and roster spots is only going to increase in ferocity, especially against opposing teams.