Jul 24, 2025; Henderson, NV, USA; Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Geno Smith (7) with coach Pete Carroll during training camp at the Intermountain Healthcare Performance Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Carroll, Raiders Believe In Training Camp Progress

Originally posted on Las Vegas Raiders on SI
By Ezekiel Trezevant | Last updated Jul 31, 2025 11:30 AM ET

The Las Vegas Raiders are busy turning things around. One week into training camp, it is evident they are a better team. They are still flawed but they should produce a much better team than the one that last took the field in January.

Pete Carroll has the Raiders coming together in training camp. At the very least, they should be a competitive football team, which was not always the case over the past two seasons. Following training camp, Carroll sounded off on the team's progress.

"There's so much, really. There's so much that we're doing from a day-to-day basis, going back to the messages that we started with, and setting the expectations and in the guidelines for how this is supposed to feel. And it is the feel part of what culture is really about," Carroll said.

"When you sense where you're supposed to be, how it's supposed to go, how we respond, what's expected, and when the players embrace that, and they add their own little this's and that's to it, now we're moving. We're moving in a good direction now."

Carroll previously explained that he planned to win many games. After training camp, he noted that the team appears ahead of schedule compared to other teams he has coached.

"I can feel it, this is how it's supposed to feel, according to what I've experienced. And maybe even with stronger leadership early on. And the direction of this team, it's unknown right now. We don't know, I mean, I couldn't tell you anything, what's going to happen," Carroll said.

"But I do know they're going to be together, and I do know they're going to play for one another, and they're going to feel that connection that is so, so important to the culture and the effect of the culture on the performance."

Although there is a noticeable buzz and excitement around training camp, Carroll knows the team's performance on the field will determine how he is judged. Coaching one of the most storied franchises in NFL history comes with expectations.

"And really, it's about how we play, but it's the mentality that drives them to study and to work and to give it up for one another and to make the plays toughness-wise, because they have to, because we're counting on them. And that's all about this whole thing," Carroll said.

"So, I mean, there's so many aspects to it. It's ongoing, moment to moment, situation to situation. And I'm just trying to be right in the middle of all of it and keep giving them a format that they can embrace, and they can take to where we're capable of going."

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This article first appeared on Las Vegas Raiders on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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