What I Saw At Raiders Training Camp Today?

• The teams are not wearing pads, but even without them, it was clear that rookie Ashton Jeanty is different.

·     What stands out to me is that he is a physical player, and even without pads, it shows. Usually, the physical players don’t look as good early, but that is not the case with him.

·     His football movement and lateral leverage was nothing short of amazing, and his ability to catch the football was surprising.

·     He is trying to send the message early that he is a complete back, and he doesn’t need to come off the field on any down.

·     His teammates are excited to watch him in pads, and so am I.

·     I watched nearly every rep that he had over the last two years at Boise State, and I had no clue he could adjust his body to the ball and catch like that.

·     I will not be shocked to see him becoming a significant part of Chip Kelly’s passing game.

·     What contract issue 1.0?  Kolton Miller appeared to be in the best shape I have ever seen him in, over the past six years.  This monster of a man looked strong, but he was in super condition, and it was great to see him healthy.

·     You would have had no idea that he was entangled with the Silver and Black over a new deal, because he acted like the Kolton Miller his teammates and fans love.

·     He was helping the young guys and encouraging the veterans while maintaining his high standards of effort and play.  LTs in the NFL are worth their weight in gold; those as good as Miller, and as impressive of a human as he is off the field, are unicorns.

·     A terrific player, an even better person.

·     What contract issue 2.0?? Unfathomably, the Raiders have another veteran player with plenty of wear left on the tires heading into training camp.

·     WR Jakobi Meyers, like Miller, was out there today helping the young WRs, playing tough and setting a standard of expectation.

·       Jakobi didn’t drop a ball last year and is a reliable weapon with sure hands.  He, like Miller, looked like he picked up at training camp, having never missed a beat from 2024.

·     Rookie Caleb Rogers, I thought, was okay during OTAs and Minicamp, today, he looked comfortable.  He looked good to me, but today he looked the part.  He showed some nasty (even without pads), and that edge is what got him to the NFL; it seems like he's found it.

·     I loved him in college, and have liked him since he arrived in Las Vegas.  Today, he looked like what I saw in school. That is fantastic news for the Raiders.

·     Laki Tasi is new to American Football, and while he still has to get his body in American Football shape, he looks the part. He isn’t ready for the 53-man roster, but I will be stunned if he doesn’t make the practice squad and he has a future in this league.  He looked far more comfortable today than he has all year, and I have been impressed.

·     Qadir Ismail shined in the OTA and minicamp portions of the offseason.

·     I have written and discussed Ismail extensively, and he has earned praise.

·     I have reported that I expected him and Ian Thomas to battle for the third TE spot, but some in the organization think if the play of both men continues at the level it has been, the Raiders could very possibly carry four tight ends.

·     Both Thomas and Ismaill showed up today in big ways.

·     Thomas ran a perfect route, showing some impressive speed and route running that culminated in a 55-yard strike for a touchdown from Aidan O’Connell.

·     Ismail, who is a monster at 6’5” and 245#, lined up, and I had not previously seen his vision like I did on this play. 

·     As he surveyed the field, I took note that he looked like a QB reading coverage.  He flipped his hips on a moving defender and made a block that won’t show up on highlights of fans, but will stand out when coaches are reviewing film.

·     All four of the Raiders' TE look impressive, but camp is long, and guys have to maintain this when the pads come out.

·     Aidan O’Connell was NEVER out of shape, but he looked like he was in fantastic shape.  His body was toned, and he flew through drills with ease.  He showed some today that I had not seen, and while there is ZERO QB controversy at QB1, there is ZERO QB controversy at QB2.

·     Geno Smith looked as cool as the opposite side of the pillow on a hot summer night today.  He is a solid veteran who knows how to lead and when to lead.

·     I watched a veteran who made a mistake, and Geno said nothing, and when a rookie made one, he walked over and his countenance changed.

·     You can’t fake leadership, and one thing that I respect about Geno is that there is nothing fake about him.

·     He spoke today about Jackson Powers-Johnson coming to Miami to join him after he signed with the Raiders.

·     Geno joked about JPJ and Maxx Crosby being joined at the hip, but this team has that camaraderie that special teams do.

·     Make no mistake I don’t think this is a Super Bowl team, by any imagination, but they are building something special, and that is evident.

·     Geno Smith is so comfortable already in this offense, and the ball floats effortlessly off his hands. It is impressive.

The Defense

·     Jamal Adams may be one of the newest Raiders, but I watched him closely today.  To be honest, I didn’t see a lot, which I didn’t expect since he just signed yesterday.  But towards the end, I was standing with my buddy Q Meyers from ESPN, and he made a play in which his speed was very evident.  If he is healthy and his speed is there, he can be another Swiss Army Knife for Patrick Graham.

·     Maxx Crosby looked like Maxx Crosby.  He reminds me of one of those guys you hide in a case and only let come out on game day.  Even without pads, he was everywhere, doing everything.

·     I have sung the praises of S Jeremy Chinn since he signed, but I feel like I haven’t said enough.  He looked like a coach on the field today. He is impressive.

·     Isaiah Pola-Mao has grown before our eyes from a kid to a man.  He may not be the most vocal player on this team, but he doesn’t have to be.  What he is, is a respected person, and it started with his play and has been maintained by his character.

·     One player that stood out was Malcolm Koonce. 

·     Koonce bet on himself this offseason by coming back to the Raiders, and today he maintained the emotion he showed all offseason, and looked like he couldn’t wait to get pads on.

·     Koonce and Crosby are going to have a significant 2025.

The Intangibles

·     I enjoyed being in California last year.  With that said, the weather was perfect today, and it was great to have the Raiders fans back.

·     There were a fair number last year, but the complaints of NFL (California) teams limited the fans who could attend.  Not today.

·     It was nice for the Raider Nation to have the team home, and I can tell you the fans made their presence felt.

·     The players felt their presence and their energy took the practice up, in the words of the great Cajun Chef Emeril Lagasse, “Another notch.”

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