Raiders Players Leading Through a Variety of Styles

NFL teams can never have enough locker room leaders. They come in all varieties. For the Raiders, there are extreme vocal leaders, those who guide confidentially, some who mentor through camaraderie, and there are those who let their playing do the talking.

Just who and how are players shaping the team in and out of the locker room? On a recent episode of his Las Vegas Raiders Insider Podcast, On SI Senior Beat Writer Hondo Carpenter talks about who leads and what their style equates to.

"Brock Bowers is not a Maxx Crosby-type leader, but he's a rookie who is very pro team and teammates, willing to help guys. You know, he was only a rookie. He wasn't in a place to sit there and cuss somebody out for not doing their job, but he the demonstrated great leadership skills," mentioned Carpenter.

"Jakobi Meyers, same real situation, you know, some leadership skills. Jakobi leads by example, which those guys are fine, but he also isn't afraid to speak up a little bit, not like Kolton [Miller] and not like Max”. 

But who is willing to speak up when the Raiders need to hear an emphatic message? The Silver and Black have those guys that can pound the table hard to make sure a message hits home. Sometimes hard.

"First of all, Max Crosby, I believe, top three communicator in the entire league of all players. You got to have that one bell cow guy who says, 'Get on my back. I'm taking you there'. It very rarely works when you've got two I've seen it, but it is really rare and so is Maxx Crosby. I've said it before. Mark Davis is the owner. [John] Spytek is the GM, Pete Carroll's the coach, but it's Maxx Crosby's team. But then, but then you look across and you see some other interesting things."

"Kolton Miller is a guy that is a tremendous leader. Kolton Miller is a guy that absolutely leads. He's vocal, but he's not Maxx and so let me explain where I'm coming at with this. What you [have to] understand is [that] Kolton Miller isn't going to scream and yell and be a Maxx. He doesn't have to be. Kolton Miller absolutely holds that offensive line accountable. Kolton Miller absolutely goes and brings leadership. He's willing to call guys out. He's not going to do it publicly. He's going to do it behind closed doors, but that's who he is. You got a solid leader on that offensive line," Carpenter explained.

"But then you got Geno. Geno is absolutely not Maxx as far as expression, but like Maxx in demonstration," continued Hondo. "So he's not going to express himself like Maxx, but he is going to demonstrate the same quality as Maxx. So you got that now on offense and defense. It is just the essence of the quarterback position. You've got to have that. And I'm going to tell you something, players are already talking about Geno's leadership ability.

Having a new guy like Geno step in and step forward is huge for Raider Nation, especially when Pete Carroll's team lost leaders who left via free agency.

"You lose 'the Spills' [LB Robert Spillane], which was huge, [but] you add in Elandon [Roberts] and a Devin [White] who are already demonstrating leadership skills. [DB] Jeremy Chinn, same way. This Raider team has more player-quality leadership on it right now than it's had in the six years I've covered this team and that's factual."

Pete Carroll wants strong leaders, and he's definitely not afraid of strong leaders driving the bus. No matter the style, any brand of guidance helps a team thrive, and the Raiders should see it even more when games matter. Pete has even done that on his coaching staff as well. Delegating leadership responsibilities to those who step up allows coaches to coach, players to lead, and helps an entire team to succeed. In the mean time, Pete Carroll can sit back and enjoy the ride.