News Raiders Team Notes

[Las Vegas Raiders]

Raiders extend Kolton Miller’s contract

Kolton Miller | Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images

Stalemate ends for standout left tackle

A potential ugly situation between the Las Vegas Raiders and a key foundation piece has been avoided.

Standout veteran left tackle Kolton Miller has agreed to sign a contract extension with the team.

The #Raiders and left tackle Kolton Miller have reached agreement on a three-year, $66M contract extension with $42.5M guaranteed, per sources.

The longest-tenured Raider now in long-term plans of new regime. pic.twitter.com/QZqUa7kvle

— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) July 31, 2025​

The contract extension ends what could have been a sticky situation between the franchise and Miller, who has been a key member of the team since being drafted in the first round in 2018.

Miller made some news when he decided to skip the start voluntary offseason workouts because of his contract situation. But he worked in good faith as he attended most of the offseason and publicly said he wanted to be a “Raider for life.” Miller was entering the final season of a three-year, $54 million contract that included $42 million in guaranteed money.

Any further acrimony between Miller, who turns 30 in October, and the franchise ends with this deal and he will continue to be a key member of the offense for the foreseeable future with this new extension.

Miller started 107 games for the Raiders. He had a bounce-back season in 2024 after dealing with a shoulder injury late in the 2023 season. Now, he is poised to perhaps play out his career in the Silver and Black.

Source: https://www.silverandblackpride.com/2025/7/30/24410476/raiders-news-kolton-miller-contract-extension

 

[Las Vegas Raiders]

What is happening at center?

Raiders centers | Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images

There is an unexpected battle brewing at training camp

The most surprising development in the first week of training camp practices for the Las Vegas Raiders have been the battle at center between Jackson Powers-Johnson and Jordan Meredith.

And make no mistake, this is a true battle.

Meredith worked with the first team offense on Tuesday. It was the third time in six practices that has been the case. So, this is more than just an experiment. These two are competing for the starting job and Las Vegas head coach Pete Carroll confirmed that fact after practice.

“Both guys are battling and it just makes us better,” Carroll said Tuesday.

What should we make of this unexpected battle?

Well, it’s pretty surprising. Look, I get the whole competition angle. But it was expected throughout the offseason that Powers-Johnson would be the starting center, but he is fighting for the job.

You’d think Powers-Johnson would given all the reps with the first unit, but that s not happening.

Whoever wins the job, it would be decided fairly quickly because whoever wins the job needs as much time building chemistry with starting quarterback Geno Smith.

Plus, I have a difficult time believing it would be in the team’s best interest is Powers-Jackson is not a starter somewhere on the offensive line. If the team thinks Meredith is the best center on the team, Powers-Jackson needs to playing guard over Dylan Parham or Alex Cappa.

The same may go for Meredith as well.

Thursday, Meredith was at center and Powers-Johnson was at guard.

#Raiders have Jordan Meredith as the starting C and Jackson Powers-Johnson as the starting RG today.

— Tashan Reed (@tashanreed) July 31, 2025​

Overall, this competition is a good thing and it will be fascinating to see play put over the course of the next few weeks.

Sign up and go to the comments section.

Source: https://www.silverandblackpride.com...jackson-powers-johnson-starting-center-battle

 

[Las Vegas Raiders]

Allen, Asomugha or Routt for CB on 2000s All-Quarter Century Team?

Eric Allen

Second chance for Allen and Asomugha to make the team

After Charles Woodson took home the first cornerback spot on the Oakland/Las Vegas Raiders 2000s All-Quarter Century Team, it’s time to give Nnamdi Asomugha and Eric Allen a second chance to make the squad. Also, Stanford Routt is joining the party and will be looking to play spoiler.

As a reminder, we’re rolling with nickel personnel on the All-2000s team, so we’ll have one more chance for a defensive back to make the team.

Eric Allen​

Eric Allen

Previously:

Raiders Stats (2000-2001): 7 INTs (3 TDs), 23 PDs, 2 FFs, 1 FRTD, 123 tackles, 1 TFL, 1 sack (32 games, 2 seasons)

Accolades: Hall of Fame (2025)

While Allen only spent a couple of years with the Raiders in the 2000s, he turned in two impressive campaigns. He led the NFL in pick-sixes with three in 2000, a franchise single-season record, and returned a fumble to the house the following year, collecting four touchdowns as a defensive player. Like Woodson, Allen was also a key factor in Oakland’s playoff teams at the turn of the century, picking up another interception and six more PDs in four postseason games.

Nnamdi Asomugha​

Photo by Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images
Nnamdi Asomugha

Previously:

Raiders Stats: 11 INTs (1 TD), 61 PDs, 2 FFs, 311 tackles, 18 TFLs, 2 sacks (122 games, 8 seasons)

Accolades: 3x Pro Bowl (2008-2010), 2x 2nd-Team All-Pro (2006, 2009), 2x 1st-Team All-Pro (2008, 2010)

In a way, the football gods were cruel to Asomugha since he was drafted by a team that was coming off a Super Bowl appearance, but the Raiders never finished above .500 during his eight seasons in Oakland. Also, he might be the best player in NFL history to have never played in a playoff game. Individually, the four-time All-Pro had a great run with the Silver and Black, though. He was both a ballhawk and shutdown corner, as he recorded eight interceptions in ‘06 and quarterbacks openly admitted to not even looking his way after that campaign. In fact, Hall of Fame quarterback Peyton Manning famously introduced Asomugha to his father, Archie, as “the best cornerback in the game” during the ‘08/’09 Pro Bowl. Additionally, the Cal product currently ranks second in franchise history for passes defended*.

Stanford Routt​

Photo by Drew Hallowell/Getty Images
Stanford Routt

Raiders Stats: 10 INTs (1 TD), 51 PDs, 1 FF, 244 tackles, 6 TFLs, 2 sacks (110 games, 7 seasons)

Accolades: none

A second-round pick in the 2005 NFL draft, the Houston product was a classic Al Davis height/weight/speed project. He measured in at just under 6-foot-1.5 and 193 pounds while running a 4.27-second 40-yard dash, which was the fastest electric-timed 40 in combine history at the time. He took a couple of years to crack the starting lineup, but currently ranks fourth in franchise history for passes defended*. Routt’s best years in Oakland were his last two—2010 and 2011—where he recorded back-to-back double-digit PDs with 13 and 15, respectively.

*PDs didn’t become an official NFL statistic until 1999.

---

So, which defensive back are you going with for the second cornerback spot on the Raiders’ 2000s All-Quarter Century Team?

Vote in the poll below and sound off in the comments section with your reasoning. If you don’t have a commenting account already, you’ll need to create one but the steps are pretty easy and it’s a seamless process. Also, we have full-time moderators to enforce the Community Guidelines. Sign up and go to the comments section.

Source: https://www.silverandblackpride.com...ack-eric-allen-nnamdi-asomugha-stanford-routt

 

[Las Vegas Raiders]

Could Richardson become a surprise starter?

Decamerion Richardson | Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images

2nd-year cornerback has been a standout so far in training camp

A lot is up in the air when it comes to the Las Vegas Raiders’ cornerback rotation this season. It’s a young position group, and every starting spot is seemingly up for grabs. Still, heading into training camp, most people didn’t expect second-year corner Decamerion Richardson to be a major factor in the competition. However, he currently looks like one of the favorites to start in Week 1.

“The rotation for reps at starting outside cornerback has largely consisted of Richardson, Eric Stokes and Darien Porter,” The Athletic’s Tashan Reed reported on July 29. “Stokes has been on the field the most, while Porter and Richardson have been rotating frequently. Jakorian Bennett has been the fourth cornerback. Richardson struggled as a rookie but looks a lot more comfortable this year.

It’s also been reported that the Mississippi State product came up with an interception during one of the Raiders’ full team periods and has looked sharp during the team’s first two padded practices of training camp.

As Reed noted above, Richardson had a tough first season in the NFL. He didn’t see the field defensively until Week 7 and ended up allowing a 66.7 completion percentage and 407 receiving yards when targeted in 11 games, according to Pro Football Focus.

But the former Bulldog was considered a project coming out of college, and he’s impressed the Raiders’ coaching staff with his work ethic so far.

“The thing about Cam (Richardson), he works really hard,” defensive coordinator Patrick Graham said on July 27. “He corrects his mistakes. He has all the tools. He’s long, he’s fast, he’s physical. We’ll evaluate that a little bit more, but I’m just really pleased with the progress he’s made from rookie year to now.”

Building on that, head coach Pete Carroll has also sung the second-year pro’s praises.

“[He’s] ascending,” Carroll replied when asked about Richardson on July 29. “D-Cam, he’s been doing a really nice job, he’s had some really competitive plays, he’s won some one-on-ones just in the first couple days of pads here. ... It’s good, positive to start with.”

One difference between this year’s camp and last year’s for the Louisiana native is that he has a familiar face to turn to. Richardson and free-agent addition, linebacker Devin White, are first cousins.

Photo by Aaron M. Sprecher/Getty Images
Decamerion Richardson

Per White, they’ve been driving to and from practice together, eating meals together and talking with each other. Presumptively, that allows the younger cousin (by three years) to pick the six-year NFL veteran’s brain, which clearly has been paying off.

The linebacker said he’s “very pleased” with how the cornerback has performed so far. But, at the same time, he’s making sure his little cousin doesn’t get a big head.

“[I’m] very proud of D-Cam,” White said. “He’s been a good player all his life, a great player all his life, and we’re just going to continue to grow, and hopefully we can do it together right here.

“...It’s in the blood, but I’m not going to let him take no shortcuts. I’m on him all the time. He caught a pick the other day in practice, but he got like a good catch caught on him by a tight end, Brock [Bowers]. And I was like, ‘Nah, that pick don’t count,’

“...It’s just holding him to that higher standard. Like man, we can’t go one for one, we’ve got to go one for none every time. And that’s our standard, that’s our mindset, not just being family, but being teammates. I’m going to hold [him] to that regard. And I know I can push him a little harder, because he is family, and at the end of the day, he knows that it’s real love, like real, real love.”

Perfect placement #RaiderNation pic.twitter.com/OcAJY6XBDx

— Las Vegas Raiders (@Raiders) July 30, 2025​

The video above shows the catch Bowers made over Richardson, and it seems like White is being a little harsh on his cousin. Richardson was in a good position; it was just a better throw and catch by quarterback Geno Smith and Bowers.

However, the second-year pro could benefit from the mindset that his family member is trying to instill in him. Ball skills are one of the biggest areas of improvement for him, and while he’s shown growth in that department with the previously mentioned interception, it was the difference between completion and incompletion in the rep against Bowers.

Additionally, Carroll favors cornerbacks who can swat passes out of the air or come down with interceptions. So, continuing to improve in this area could go a long way toward Richardson finishing the job in training camp, emerging as a surprise Week 1 starter.

Source: https://www.silverandblackpride.com...camp-cornerback-decamerion-richardson-starter

 

[Las Vegas Raiders]

Can you guess this Raiders receiver in today’s in-5 trivia game?

Think you can figure out which Raiders player we’re talking about? You’ll get five clues to figure him out in our new guessing game!

Hey Raiders fans! We’re back for another day of the Silver & Black Pride in-5 daily trivia game. Game instructions are at the bottom if you’re new to the game! Feel free to share your results in the comments and feedback in the Google Form.

Today’s Silver & Black Pride in-5 game​

If you can’t see the game due to Apple News or another service, click this game article.

Previous games​

Friday, August 1, 2025
Thursday, July 31, 2025
Wednesday, July 30, 2025

Play more SB Nation in-5 trivia games​

NFL in-5
MLB in-5
MMA in-5

Silver and Black Pride in-5 instructions​

The goal of the game is to guess the correct Raiders player with the help of up to five clues. We’ll mix in BOTH ACTIVE AND RETIRED PLAYERS. It won’t be easy to figure it out in one or two guesses, but some of you might be able to nail it.

After you correctly guess the player, you can click “Share Results” to share how you did down in the comments and on social media. We won’t go into other details about the game as we’d like your feedback on it. How it plays, what you think of it, the difficulty level, and anything else you can think of that will help us improve this game. You can provide feedback in the comments of this article, or you can fill out this Google Form.

Enjoy!

Source: https://www.silverandblackpride.com/2025/8/2/24479489/sb-nation-raiders-daily-trivia-in-5

 

[Las Vegas Raiders]

Talk isn’t cheap for Raiders defense

The Las Vegas Raiders defense breaks a huddle and heads to the practice field during the team’s training camp session last week. Development is vital during camp but so is being able to communicate and talk for Patrick Graham’s defense. | Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images

Communication is crucial for Patrick Graham’s unit in Las Vegas

Talk isn’t cheap for Patrick Graham. When it comes to his Las Vegas Raiders defense, it’s vital.

The Silver & Black’s defensive coordinator wants his unit talking frequently especially considering defensive-minded Pete Carroll is now the head coach and general manager John Spytek infused the roster with players to suit the new head honcho’s wants and needs.

And it was no surprise to hear Graham drop communication (and variations of the word) frequently during his media availability this past Sunday after the Raiders’ training camp session.

By The Numbers
Raiders Defense

• 2024: Points allowed 434 (25th out of 32 teams); Yards allowed 5,663 (15th); Takeaways 13 (29th); Passing Touchdowns allowed 29 (26th); Rushing Touchdowns allowed 14 (15th); Third Down Conversion Rate 39.8 percent (17th); Fourth Down Conversion Rate 76.9 percent (31st); Red Zone Percentage 60.3 percent (21st)
• 2024 Leaders: Tackles, Robert Spillane (158 total); Tackles for loss, Maxx Crosby 17; Sacks, Maxx Crosby (7.5); Interceptions, Jack Jones (3); Pass deflections, Jack Jones (16); Forced fumbles, Isaiah Pola-Mao (2); Fumble recoveries, Tre’Von Moehrig (2)

Not only did the defensive boss expand on why talking is crucial, Graham said communication is a must in practices and during the game.

“I’m sure Coach (Pete Carroll) talked about we’re in a relationship-based business, and so with those relationships that we build off the field, on the field, it makes it easier to communicate. Just straight, right between the eyes, communication,” Graham said. “Whether something’s right or wrong, between the players to players, coaches to players, the players to coaches, and then on the field order to play defense, there’s a lot of grass throughout the defender.

“If we can communicate effectively, be a noisy defense and kind of cut down the variables by seeing a cut split, seeing where the quarterback is under a under or in guns, and cut down the variables that puts it back in our favor a little bit, because they have a play called, and we’re reacting to the play.”

#Raiders DC Patrick Graham, who has worked with three regimes the last three seasons, speaks highly of the positive culture Pete Carroll is building.

"It's a relationship business. With those relationships we build off the field, on the field, it makes it easier to communicate." pic.twitter.com/I75niekjXM

— Nick Walters (@nickwalt) July 27, 2025​

Effective communication is a lost art when it comes to the Silver & Black. Far too often, the team doesn’t look like a cohesive group where down the line, all 11 defenders know what they’re doing and are willing to talk and get each other in proper spots.

Carroll’s arrival is slated to alleviate this. With a strong history of coaching along with being an exemplary teacher — on the field and in the classroom — the Raiders head coach is renowned for relating to his players and building relationships at the granular level. Graham is witness to it during the offseason and currently as Las Vegas is knee-deep in training camp.

And general manager John Spytek built a roster to help both Carroll and Graham get the Raiders defense trending in the right direction. Take the safety position, for example.

Las Vegas extended promising young undrafted free agent Isaiah Pola-Mao (two-year, $7.45 million deal) to keep the USC product in the fold and signed free agent Jeremy Chinn (two-year, $16.258 million contract) to bolster the Raiders secondary. The duo gives the Silver & Black serious height with Pola-Mao listed at 6-foot-4 and 205 pounds and Chinn at 6-foot-3 and 220 pounds.

And to no surprise, when Graham was asked what Chinn brings to the table, the “C” word was said twice.

“He’s big, he’s fast, he’s physical, ball skills. It’s wonderful having him as a weapon out there, and then on top of that, the communication and him being able to communicate what he’s seeing out there,” the Raiders defensive coordinator said about the newest safety. “Not keeping it a secret, helping his fellow players out there. That’s the more we could be a noisy defense pre snap and be a physical defense post snap, we’re trending in the right way.”

Raiders Safety Isaiah Pola-Mao speaks about building off of his strong 2024 campaign, and how important it is that Patrick Graham has stuck around as defensive coordinator. pic.twitter.com/J0BR2J7824

— Vegas Nation (@VegasNation) July 27, 2025​

Ditto for Pola-Mao.

“Just him continue to mature as a leader. More and more confident. The success he’s had is building his confidence. And as a communicator, he’s going to be a main part of that in the middle of the defense, one of the main people communicating,” Graham said when asked what he wants to see out of the 26-year-old safety. “The position calls for it, but he has to take it to another level there with the communication, and that’s what I’m looking forward to the most.”

Graham’s quest to have his defense nosy and boisterous will be an interesting watch. If the defenders can rely on one another and get in sync, Las Vegas has a good opportunity to finally become a team that exemplifies Carroll’s “see ball, get ball” approach.

Takeaways — forcing turnovers — isn’t a big Raiders trait. You can go back 25 seasons and see the Silver & Black have been in the Top 5 in that category exactly once: 2016, when the team racked up 30 takeaways to finish second overall. In 2011 the team forced 26 turnovers (good for 13th) and in 2015 the Raiders generated 25 takeaways (12th). Since then, it’s been paltry.

The 2024 Raiders netted 13 takeaways (29th). In fact, the highest amount of forced turnovers Graham’s defenses in Las Vegas has produced is 22 in 2023 (19th). It was twin paltry unlucky 13s in 2022 and 2024.

Thus, more communicating is indeed vital.

And it’s not just relegated to the Raiders’ defense. While offensive guard Alex Cappa was speaking about the offensive line rotation, his thoughts on talking being important for the next man up mantra hits nail on head.

“Yeah, it’s just communication. So if you got a different guy in there, you got to make sure you’re talking,” Cappa said when asked about the rotations the big uglies up front are engaging in during training camp. “Somebody you maybe haven’t gotten as many reps yet. It’s just talking, making sure you’re on the same page. And then for me, because I’m new, that’s really everybody, even DJ (Glaze), who I’ve been working with all the time, we still got to talk and make sure we’re on the same page for everything. So that really is the key when you have moving parts.”

Source: https://www.silverandblackpride.com/2025/8/2/24474937/raiders-2025-training-camp-patrick-graham

 

[Las Vegas Raiders]

Can you guess this Raiders receiver in today’s in-5 trivia game?

Think you can figure out which Raiders player we’re talking about? You’ll get five clues to figure him out in our new guessing game!

Hey Raiders fans! We’re back for another day of the Silver & Black Pride in-5 daily trivia game. Game instructions are at the bottom if you’re new to the game! Feel free to share your results in the comments and feedback in the Google Form.

Today’s Silver & Black Pride in-5 game​

If you can’t see the game due to Apple News or another service, click this game article.

Previous games​

Saturday, August 2, 2025
Friday, August 1, 2025
Thursday, July 31, 2025

Play more SB Nation in-5 trivia games​

NFL in-5
MLB in-5
MMA in-5

Silver and Black Pride in-5 instructions​

The goal of the game is to guess the correct Raiders player with the help of up to five clues. We’ll mix in BOTH ACTIVE AND RETIRED PLAYERS. It won’t be easy to figure it out in one or two guesses, but some of you might be able to nail it.

After you correctly guess the player, you can click “Share Results” to share how you did down in the comments and on social media. We won’t go into other details about the game as we’d like your feedback on it. How it plays, what you think of it, the difficulty level, and anything else you can think of that will help us improve this game. You can provide feedback in the comments of this article, or you can fill out this Google Form.

Enjoy!

Source: https://www.silverandblackpride.com/2025/8/3/24479985/sb-nation-raiders-daily-trivia-in-5

 

[Las Vegas Raiders]

Experience, knowledge from older Raiders vital for young roster

Veteran running back Raheem Mostert (31) takes the handoff from veteran quarterback Geno Smith during the Las Vegas Raiders minicamp back in June. The two experienced Raiders are vital for the younger players on the roster. | Candice Ward-Imagn Images

Raheem Mostert, Alex Cappa, Geno Smith are important lead-by-example types in Las Vegas

At age 34 and 33, respectively, Geno Smith and Raheem Mostert are the two oldest on the Las Vegas Raiders. As such, the quarterback and running back bring over a decade of experience and knowledge as older players that’s vital for a young roster.

Smith, who has 13 NFL seasons under his belt, has seen the trials and tribulations as a pro signal caller and went from prized second-round selection by the New York Jets to castoff and to franchise quarterback with Pete Carroll and the Seattle Seahawks.

Mostert, who has 11 years on his resume, is a classic tail of an undrafted free agent that bounced around before given the opportunity to showcase his fleet-feet with the San Francisco 49ers and then being a bell cow back for the Miami Dolphins in 2023.

As quarterback, Smith is at the helm of an offense that features big-time weapon and second-year tight end Brock Bowers — who is just 22 years old — while Mostert is part of a running back room that boasts the 2025 NFL Draft’s sixth overall pick Ashton Jeanty — who is 21 years old. With both Smith and Mostert knowing what it takes to sustain a career in the the pros, it’s imperative the rest of the Raiders soak up the tutelage and work ethic displayed by both.

Raheem Mostert on the punt return.

The veteran RB told me he “has a really strong feeling about this offense” — something he says he “hasn’t felt in a long time,” as he steps into a leadership role with the #Raiders. #RaiderNation pic.twitter.com/QQsenecfl1

— Taylor Rocha (@TaylorRochaTV) July 27, 2025​

“Honestly, I like the challenge,” Mostert said when asked about a leadership and mentor role as a veteran, when asked about being a veteran voice after one of the Raiders’ training camp sessions last week. “I feel like it’s a way for me to display who I am as a player and as an individual, and also to showcase my abilities as being a leader. You want to say you want to be a leader on the team, but for me, it’s all about action. This is ‘What have you done for me lately?’ That’s the mantra that’s always been around.”

We’ve already mentioned Jeanty’s age above and the rest of the running back room is young with Zamir White, Dylan Laube, and Chris Collier all 25 years old and Sincere McCormick 24. Thus, it’s abundantly clear the elder Mostert — who has defied Father Time — is the standout vet. And the neat thing for the running back room — and other Raiders — when it comes to the Purdue tailback is he’s willing to impart his knowledge.

“So if I’m able to come in in a situation like here and provide my leadership and my presence and to show everybody that, ‘Hey, look, I’m going to put in the work, you can learn from me, just ask the questions. I’m an easy going guy. I’m one of those guys that you can come up to and talk to about anything, and if you want to keep it on the hush, that’s fine with me too. I have an open door policy with my personality as you guys will get to know,’ so it’s a lot of fun,” Mostert explained. “And just wanting to be there for those guys, like once my career is over with, I want to look back and be like, ‘Hey, I helped that guy out, and whether he took the advice or not, I did my part.’ And that’s something I got to look myself in the mirror at.”

Smith, Mostert, and other newly-added veterans are set to bolster a standard set by incumbent Raiders like defensive end Maxx Crosby, defensive tackle Adam Butler, and left tackle Kolton Miller.

Pete Carroll notes Maxx Crosby, Geno Smith, and Elandon Roberts for their leadership and competitive nature on the Raiders team.

“He loves to be challenged and pushed. It’s interesting, because Geno is on the other side of the ball, and he’s the same way. But there’s other guys… pic.twitter.com/1uCoGNVhQx

— Vegas Sports Today (@VegasSportsTD) July 22, 2025​

Throughout the offseason — from OTAs, to minicamp, to training camp — Las Vegas is assimilating to Pete Carroll’s culture and the Raiders head coach brings uncanny energy even at age 73. It’s at a level that rivals Crosby and has the buy-in is clear.

Which amplifies the veteran leadership in this rendition of the Silver & Black.

Take for example offensive guard Alex Cappa — added by general manager John Spytek before the onset of free agency back in March.

The 30-year-old lineman was a draft pick by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers — Spytek was a personnel man for the Bucs during that time period — and once he became the Raiders chief personnel man, Cappa was an addition after he was cut by the Cincinnati Bengals. So familiarity is there from the get, but is also multiplied by Raiders minority owner Tom Brady, who Cappa blocked for during the Bucs’ title run.

And to no surprise, the Humboldt State product is imparting his know-how to his fellow offensive lineman.

“He’s got experience. He’s played many years. So, just another guy you can go to if you have a question or if you need something,” Raiders right tackle DJ Glaze, who enters his second season in the league, said of Cappa. “Him playing beside me, we talk all the time. So, it’s been huge just to have another guy like that who can, just talk, feel through things. We learn the plays together. I feel like it’s helped out a lot, especially me playing beside him. But in meetings or whatever he’ll see a young guy do something, he’ll speak up, he’ll talk so I feel like it’s been huge and impact the whole room.”

Maxx Crosby is mentoring Tyree Wilson in one-on-one pass rush drills, coaching him in every detail as they fine-tune techniques like rip drills and bull rushes.#RaiderNation

— Mike Dixon (@MikeDixon_VST) July 28, 2025​

The results will eventually speak for themselves, of course.

The good vibes that Carroll and his crew are bringing to the desert will be thoroughly tested when games start to count in the win-loss column. Lauded for his relationship building, Carroll made no bones about his lofty expectations for his Raiders in 2025. And for Las Vegas to win football games and reverse course on a downtrodden seasons, they’ll need to do it together — veterans and youngsters alike.

The Raiders do have sound leadership at integral positions. But Raider Nation is eager to see if that all pays off.

We’ll see soon enough.

Source: https://www.silverandblackpride.com/2025/8/3/24476006/raiders-2025-training-camp-veteran-players

 

[Las Vegas Raiders]

Fans believe best QBs are in AFC West

Geno Smith | Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images

The division is loaded at the position

The AFC West is a powerhouse for quarterback play and it has gotten even more formidable this year after the Las Vegas Raiders upgraded at the position by trading for new starter Geno Smith.

And fans believe not a better division for quarterback play than in this division. We recently asked our community members which of the eight NFL divisions has the best group of quarterbacks.

To recap, here was your choices:

• AFC East: Josh Allen (Buffalo Bills), Tua Tagovailoa (Miami Dolphins), Drake Maye (New England Patriots), Justin Fields (New York Jets).
• AFC North: Lamar Jackson (Baltimore Ravens), Joe Burrow (Cincinnati Bengals), Aaron Rodgers (Pittsburgh Steelers), undecided (Cleveland Browns).
• AFC South: C.J. Stroud (Houston Texans), Trevor Lawrence (Jacksonville Jaguars), Daniel Jones or Anthony Richardson (Indianapolis Colts), Cam Ward (Tennessee Titans).
• AFC West: Geno Smith (Las Vegas Raiders), Patrick Mahomes (Kansas City Chiefs),Justin Herbert (Los Angeles Chargers), Bo Nix (Denver Broncos).
• NFC East: Jalen Hurts (Philadelphia Eagles), Jayden Daniels (Washington Commanders), Dak Prescott (Dallas Cowboys), Russell Wilson (New York Giants).
• NFC North: J.J. McCarthy (Minnesota Vikings), Jordan Love (Green Bay Packers), Jared Goff (Detroit Lions), Caleb Williams (Chicago Bears).
• NFC South: Baker Mayfield (Tampa Bay Buccaneers), Michael Penix (Atlanta Falcons), Bryce Young (Carolina Panthers), Tyler Shough (New Orleans Saints).
• NFC West: Matthew Stafford (Los Angeles Chargers), Brock Purdy (San Francisco 49ers), Kyler Murray (Arizona Cardinals), Sam Darnold (Seattle Seahawks).

It wasn’t close as the AFC West was a runaway winner. The season should be a blast.

Here are some of your responses. Sign up and go to the comments section.

Mac Raider
Feels like a homer vote if ever there was one.
AFC North (Lamar and Burrows and maybe the old fella) or NFC East for me.
I don't rate Herbert that highly/
osaji922
AFC West only has Mahomes so it can't be this division.
Dafe2cat
AFC west has solid or better QBs with every team.
NASHVILLER8ER
It is really hard to argue that it is not the AFC West. Maybe the AFC North? but in a division with Mahomes and Herbert, and Nix played quality football last year, and Geno has the ability to play quality football the AFC West is pretty tough. The north has Burrow and Lamar. Maybe the NFC East with Hurts, Jayden and Dak is tough too?​

Source: https://www.silverandblackpride.com/2025/8/4/24476781/best-quarterback-divsion-afc-west

 

[Las Vegas Raiders]

Rod Woodson, Huff or Branch for S on 2000s All-Quarter Century Team?

Tyvon Branch, Michael Huff | Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

Could we have a Woodson and Woodson secondary?

After Charles Woodson won the first safety spot on the Oakland/Las Vegas Raiders 2000s All-Quarter Century Team, we only have two spots left to round out the defense! We’re looking for Woodson’s running mate in today’s poll, as Michael Huff and Tyvon Branch get a second chance, while Rod Woodson hopes to join his former teammate.

Rod Woodson​

Photo By Scott Halleran/Getty Images
Rod Woodson

Raiders Stats: 133 tackles, 10 INTs (2 TDs), 19 PDs, 4 FRs (26 games, 2 seasons)

Accolades: Pro Bowl (2002), 1st-Team All-Pro (2002), Hall of Fame (2009)

After a decade with the Pittsburgh Steelers, a year across the Bay with the San Francisco 49ers and four seasons with the Baltimore Ravens, Woodson ended his 17-year career in Oakland. The Hall of Famer only spent two seasons with the Silver and Black, while missing six games during his final campaign, so he doesn’t rank high in the franchise’s record books. However, the 2002 free-agent signing made a significant immediate impact by leading the league with eight interceptions to help guide the Raiders to a Super Bowl appearance. Woodson also had two stints (2011 and 2015-2017) as a coach for the organization.

Michael Huff​

Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Michael Huff

Previously:

Raiders Stats: 441 tackles, 19 TFLs, 11 INTs, 53 PDs, 5.5 sacks (108 games, 7 seasons)

Accolades: 2nd-Team All-Pro (2010)

The No. 7 overall pick in the 2006 NFL draft, the Texas product was fresh off a National Championship before heading to the Raiders. His ball skills stood out with the Silver and Black, as he ranks in the top 25 in franchise history for interceptions and is third for passes defended*. Additionally, Huff recorded double-digit PDs in three out of his seven seasons with the Raiders. His best overall performance came in 2010, totaling 95 tackles, seven TFLs, four sacks, three interceptions and seven PDs to earn some postseason recognition.

Tyvon Branch​

Photo by Ed Mulholland/Getty Images
Tyvon Branch

Previously:

Raiders Stats: 475 tackles, 25 TFLs, 4 INTs, 33 PDs, 9 sacks (75 games, 7 seasons)

Accolades: none

As Huff’s running mate for five years, Branch proved to be a solid strong safety in Oakland. From 2009 to 2011, he had three consecutive triple-digit tackle campaigns and was just shy of making it four in a row by racking up 94 tackles in 2012. As a result, he ranks eighth in franchise history with 367 solo tackles**, per Pro Football Reference.

*PDs didn’t become an official NFL statistic until 1999.

**PFR states that solo tackles are “unofficial and inconsistently recorded”, adding ambiguity to the franchise rankings.

---

So, which defensive back are you going with for the second safety spot on the Raiders’ 2000s All-Quarter Century Team?

Vote in the poll below and sound off in the comments section with your reasoning. If you don’t have a commenting account already, you’ll need to create one but the steps are pretty easy and it’s a seamless process. Also, we have full-time moderators to enforce the Community Guidelines. Sign up and go to the comments section.

Source: https://www.silverandblackpride.com...-safety-michael-huff-rod-woodson-tyvon-branch

 

[Las Vegas Raiders]

Raiders August news tracker

Albert Okwuegbunam | Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images

We’re into the eighth month of the Las Vegas Raiders’ 2025 offseason after a 2024 season which didn’t go as hoped and the team is well into training camp with the season looming next month. We’re collecting all the news, injury reports, signings, rumors, and everything you need to follow the Raiders and the NFL in the month of August.

We’ll update everything below in reverse chronological order:

August 3

11:23 a.m.: The Raiders are doing some early roster reshuffling, signing wide receiver Kawaan Baker and tight end Albert Okwuegbunam, while waiving wide receiver Kyle Philips and tight end Pat Conroy in the process.

#RAIDERS ROSTER MOVES:

– Signed #82 WR Kawaan Baker and #86 TE Albert Okwuegbunam

– Waived TE Pat Conroy and WR Kyle Philips

— Raiders PR (@RAIDERS_PR) August 3, 2025

August 1

8:14 a.m.: A day after Washington wide receiver Terry McLaurin asked to be traded, another NFC East star may be preparing a drastic measure. Micah Parsons would look good in Silver and Black, wouldn’t he?

BREAKING: The Micah Parsons-Cowboys relationship has deteriorated to the point where the star pass rusher is considering drastic measures which could include a trade request or even a declaration that he is severing his relationship with the team, per multiple league sources… pic.twitter.com/7Yujmv4JQ2

— Dianna Russini (@DMRussini) August 1, 2025

Source: https://www.silverandblackpride.com/2025/8/1/24478966/raiders-august-news-tracker-2025

 

[Las Vegas Raiders]

‘Everybody’s ready to go’ for Raiders’ 1st preseason game against Seahawks

The big question heading into any preseason game is whether a team’s starters are going to play. Ahead of Thursday’s matchup with new head coach Pete Carroll’s former team, the Seattle Seahawks, Carroll indicated that the Las Vegas Raiders will be playing their starters.

“Everybody’s live,” Carroll said via The Athletic’s Tashan Reed. “Everybody’s ready to go.”

It’s unclear if that means Raider Nation will get its first chance to see new starting quarterback Geno Smith and how many of the Silver and Black’s starters will suit up. However, the head coach didn’t shoot the idea down.

Smith will be looking to show his former club what they’re missing after spending five seasons in Seattle, four with Carroll, and making two Pro Bowls before getting traded to Las Vegas for a third-round pick in the offseason.

It will also be interesting to see which offensive line hits the field first for the Raiders. The coaching staff has been tweaking the interior linemen during training camp and released an unofficial depth chart on Monday. Dylan Parham is listed as the starting left guard, Jordan Merdith is at center, and the right guard spot was given an “or” between Jackson Powers-Johnson and Alex Cappa.

Additionally, the defensive lineup will be noteworthy given that Las Vegas is replacing several starters from last year’s team, including recently released Christian Wilkins. So, keep an eye on the defensive tackles, linebackers and cornerbacks on Thursday night.

Per The Athletic’s Michael-Shawn Dugar, Seattle won’t be playing its starters in the game, meaning Las Vegas’ first-stringers will be facing backups if they do hit the field.

Thursday’s game between the Raiders and Seahawks will kickoff at 7 p.m. PST and will be broadcast locally on FOX-5, Raiders.com and in the Raiders app, per the team’s website.

Source: https://www.silverandblackpride.com...r-raiders-1st-preseason-game-against-seahawks

 

[Las Vegas Raiders]

Submit your mailbag questions!

Ladies and gentlemen, the moment you’ve all been waiting for is finally here: Las Vegas Raiders football is back, baby! The Raiders have their first preseason game tonight, Thursday, against the Seattle Seahawks at 7 p.m. PST.

Las Vegas has also undergone some roster reshuffling lately, trading away cornerback Jakorian Bennett in exchange for defensive tackle Thomas Booker IV. Also, there’s a bunch of other training camp news to go over. So, we have plenty to talk about for this week’s mailbag.

As always, anything Raiders-related is on the table and fire away with anything that’s on your mind. Send your questions my way by either dropping a comment in the comments section below, tweeting at me (@MHolder95) or via email at [email protected]. I’ll follow up with another column in the coming days.

If you don’t have a commenting account already, you’ll need to create one but the steps are pretty easy and it’s a seamless process. Also, we have full-time moderators to enforce the Community Guidelines. As you may already know, SB Nation switched platforms so you may need to log back into your account to comment. Here are a few guidelines on what you may need to do, and reach out to [email protected] if you’re having issues.

Source: https://www.silverandblackpride.com...ders-preseason-seahawks-training-camp-mailbag

 

[Las Vegas Raiders]

Get to know Thomas Booker

The Las Vegas Raiders traded for defensive tackle Thomas Booker recently.

Let’s take a closer look at Booker, who was traded Monday night for cornerback Jakorian Bennett:

Size:

6-3, 301 pounds.

NFL experience:

He has played in 27 regular-season games in the NFL. He played 10 games for the Houston Texans in 2022 and all 17 games for the Super Bowl-winning Philadelphia Eagles last season. He has two career starts, one for the Texans and one for the Eagles. He has 33 career tackles and 1.5 career sacks. He was cut by Houston in 2023 and spent that season on the Eagles’ practice squad.

College:

Booker went to Stanford. The Texans drafted him in the fifth round in 2022.

How he will fit in with Raiders:

Booker, who turns 26 in November, is known as a smart, high-character player who plays with a big motor. There is an opportunity at defensive tackle in Las Vegas and Booker has a real chance to make the 53-man roster and be part of the rotation. He hasn’t shown he can be a dynamic player, but he could be a solid backup.

Source: https://www.silverandblackpride.com...s-thomas-booker-trade-eagles-defensive-tackle

 

[Las Vegas Raiders]

NFL draft lottery? No thanks

Raiders fans at NFL draft | Photo by Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images

There has been recent speculation in the media that perhaps someday in the future that the NFL may adopt an NBA-style draft lottery.

And that idea doesn’t thrill a lot of Las Vegas Raiders fans. We recently asked our community members if, as a Raiders’ fan, would they like to see the NFL make the draft lottery-pick based at the top of the first round like the NBA does. Major League baseball just adopted a similar plan.

The results weren’t close as about three quarters of the voters think the NFL draft lottery would be an awful idea.

The Raiders drafted sixth this year based on the win/loss formula. A draft lottery could have enhanced the pick all the way to No.1 or dropped them down all the way to No. 18.

So, it’s a risk and I agree with most of our voters on this subject. It’s a lousy idea. Keep the current system, NFL.

Here are some of your responses. Sign up and go to the comments section.

SnB Stop the Run
There should be a lottery. Tanking is bad for the sport and teams are encouraged to junk games towards the end of the season.
RaiderG
The NFL wants parity. They don’t want a 10-7 or 9-8 team drafting #1 overall.

We played the Jags and Saints in the last few weeks. We were all bad but I don’t think any of us were trying to lose. Mostly we were dysfunctional teams decimated by injury.
TheElevenAngryMen
How cool would it be if they had a lottery for the worst 10 and had it on draft night right before the first pick? This would be followed by a ton of trades and would be totally unpredictable! Plus you get rid of the 20 million mock drafts!
GRANDVILLAPIANO
Nah…just leave it as is. No matter where a team drafts, most will have bad picks and a few diamonds in the rough.

Source: https://www.silverandblackpride.com/las-vegas-raiders-news/24447537/nfl-draft-lottery-future

 

[Las Vegas Raiders]

Raiders’ quick slants: Preseason opener edition

Did the Las Vegas Raiders engage in live-action tackling drills when they were allowed to put on full pads and get physical during training camp practices?

That’s a legit question after what the Silver & Black put on film during the team’s preseason opener on Thursday. While the final score may have been a 23-all tie, what Pete Carroll’s Raiders showcased against his old Seattle Seahawks left many feeling the exhibition tilt was the first time Las Vegas was given an opportunity to get physical and hit.

It was whiff city for a large portion of the preseason opener. Carroll football teams are renowned for being fundamentally sound and on Thursday, the Raiders were fundamentally awful in terms of tackling. Defensive backs and linebackers were suspect in that department and Las Vegas’ defensive line was bullied in the trenches. Ditto for the Silver & Black offensive line getting manhandled.

“We started really poorly,” Carroll said after the game. “We had a really hard time. … It was a miserable-looking first quarter. We didn’t run the ball very well in the first half. We really didn’t do much of anything very well. But we stayed close.”

The field goal attempt is blocked and the game ends in a tie. pic.twitter.com/jgghvMGAXP

— NFL (@NFL) August 8, 2025

New regime, same issues?

In 2024, the Raiders ranked second in missed tackles with 134, according to Pro Football Reference. The only team worse than Las Vegas: The Indianapolis Colts who whiffed 157 times. There’s plenty of teach tape stemming from the preseason opener and we’re almost assured that form tackling and fundamentals will be harped on as the Raiders proceed through camp and preseason tilts.

Let’s hit the quick slants as fast as Seahawks running back George Holani scampered around the edge for a 24-yard first-quarter touchdown run:

—Raiders starting quarterback Geno Smith only threw three passes (one completion for 15 yards) while backup Aidan O’Connell went 18 of 30 for 205 yards with one touchdown and two glaringly awful interceptions. The third-year pro had a dying duck of an underthrow that was picked and his second arrived as he stared down his target.

—Prized sixth-overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft Ashton Jeanty wasn’t given much room to operate by the Raiders offensive line. He had three carries for negative one yard in the preseason opener. Deep reserves Chris Collier (nine carries for 42 yards) and Dylan Laube (five carries for 34 yards) paced the run game.

—Sixth-round rookie quarterback Cam Miller had the highlight of the night when he hooked up with Shedrick Jackson for a 41-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter. Miller’s pump fake along with Jackson’s sluggo (slant and go route) torched Seattle’s defense and Las Vegas’ signal caller delivered a perfect pass to Jackson for the score.

Miller making it happen #LVvsSEA | FOX5 Las Vegas pic.twitter.com/JDGT13U1F5

— Las Vegas Raiders (@Raiders) August 8, 2025

—Safety Isaiah Pola-Mao snared the Raiders’ lone takeaway by picking off Seattle quarterback Drew Lock on the Seahawks’ first drive of the night. The fourth-year defender is slated to be a starter for Las Vegas and it’ll be vital for him to create turnovers when games count.

—Veteran linebacker Jamal Adams showed the fiery competitiveness and tenacity of old for Las Vegas against his former squad. The former safety flew to the ball and was a sure tackler finishing with three solo stops in the opener. Adams even chirped with Seattle, a good sign the 29-year-old defender is healthy.

—Seeing Jackson Powers-Johnson and Jordan Meredith play well into the third quarter was… interesting to say the least. Meredith manned the center spot while Powers-Johnson was at right guard. The two competed for the starting gig at pivot but perhaps the coaching staff wanted to see extended action from both at their respective spots?

—Las Vegas was snagged for 10 penalties for 80 yards. The team also went 5-for-14 on third downs and 1-for-2 in the red zone. In comparison, Seattle had nine penalties for 78 yards and went 8-for-15 on third downs and 2-for-2 in the red zone.

—Raiders place kicker Daniel Carlson finished 3 of 5 on his field goal attempts. Once was a miss before halftime and the second was his game-winning field goal attempt getting blocked. Special teams tag team partner AJ Cole III punted the ball twice for 83 yards (long of 52). Seattle’s Jason Myers, in comparison, went 1 of 1 on his field goal attempts and punter Michael Dixon finished with four boots for 222 yards (long of 77).

Quotes of Note:​

“It just takes one play at the end if you can get it done, and we got a chance to feel that. The most important thing is that we take that forward, and we know that we ain’t never done and it ain’t never over and we’re going to keep hanging until we get a chance to win a game.” —Las Vegas Raiders head coach Pete Carroll on the team’s tie with the Seattle Seahawks

“I just gave him a one-two at the top of the route, and he bit on it. We were running slants most of the game, and that’s what he was reacting to, and once I gave him the one-two and he bit on it, I just took off.” —Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Shedrick Jackson on his 41-yard touchdown catch

Source: https://www.silverandblackpride.com...raiders-quick-slants-preseason-opener-edition

 

[Las Vegas Raiders]

AJ Cole remains an elite punter

There was a time where the punter was the best player in Silver & Black, any given Sunday.

We’re not in those dire times, though.

While the win-loss record most definitely needs work, the roster is not as barren as previous incarnations. Thus, punter AJ Cole III isn’t the best player the Las Vegas Raiders showcase. But that’s not to diminish the 29-year-old North Carolina State product’s impact.

Far from it.

Cole is an elite player at his position group and is a strategic field-flipping punter who sends the ball into orbit and deep into opponent’s territory, putting pressure on the other team. At 6-foot-4 and 220 pounds, the undrafted free agent who enters his seventh season in the NFL generates the power and has the accuracy to blast and place the ball. His consistency earned Cole a four-year, $15.8 million contract extension in late May that locks him in Las Vegas for the next five seasons.

By The Numbers
AJ Cole III, Punter, 7th year

• 2024: 17 games, 65 punts, 3,304 yards, 50.8 average per punt, 42.6 net average per punt, long of 71 yards, 27 punts inside the opponent’s 20-yard line, 8 touchbacks, 2 blocked punts
• Career: 100 games, 374 punts, 18,193 yards, 48.6 average per punt, 42.1 net average per punt, long of 83 yards, 168 punts inside the opponent’s 20-yard line, 30 touchbacks, 2 blocked punts

Sources: The #Raiders and 2x First-Team All-Pro punter AJ Cole have agreed to a 4-year, $15.8M extension with $11M guaranteed, making him the highest-paid punter in the NFL.

Cole had one year remaining on his current deal, so he’s now under contract for the next 5 seasons at… pic.twitter.com/oo7tmmsE1Z

— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) May 26, 2025

With long-term contractual security in hand, Cole is slated to be a weapon on special teams once more. The two-time NFL All-Pro first-teamer (2021 and 2023) and three-time Pro Bowler is in his first offseason under the new Pete Carroll and John Spytek regime. Cole and fellow place kicker Daniel Carlson and long snapper Jacob Bobenmoyer form a consistent kicking battery for special teams coach Tom McMahon — one of the few remaining coaches that returned during a coaching change.

While Cole may be 29, punters tend to have long careers deep into their 30s — former Raiders punter Shane Lechler sported Silver & Black at age 36 in 2012 and then spent five more seasons with the Houston Texans before retiring at age 41 — for example. Despite leading the league in punting with a 50.0 average per boot in 2021 and having a career high 50.8 figure this past season, McMahon is impressed with the drive Cole brings this offseason.

“I’ll tell you what I think. I think he’s really doing a good job of getting that ball outside
the red line. He’s giving us a rectangle that’s very, very small, and that’s important to him. He wants to
punt the ball to the gunners,” the Raiders special team’s boss explained when asked what Cole is doing to better himself. “You guys have heard me say a squared plus b squared is c squared. Let him punt the C squared and let us run the A squared. He’s bought into that, and he always has, but he’s getting better and better. He’s a competitor now, he’s good football player.”

Booting it with hangtime, power, and direction is vital as Las Vegas drafted a prospect in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft that arrives as a special teams maven — cornerback Darien Porter out of Iowa State — the team hopes can develop into a long-term starter as a defensive back. Porter is a 6-foot-3, 195-pound defender who has 4.30-flat 40-yard dash speed that can not only block kicks, but glide down the field to cover punts.

"I just spend hours and hours and hours staring at the football trying to think about how I can kick it further and higher and closer to the sideline." #Raiders punter AJ Cole won the offseason by becoming the NFL's highest-paid punter and he now wins quote of the day. pic.twitter.com/fuGQ3Fq7a8

— Nick Walters (@nickwalt) July 28, 2025

That all said, the less we see of the elite special teamer in 2025, the better.

While Cole produces when his number is called, his presence usually means the Raiders offense faltered and the team has to punt the ball to the other side. Cole’s career-high and -low are 75 punts in 2023 and only 44 in 2020. With Carroll leading the charge at head coach and Chip Kelly orchestrating the offense as the play caller, perhaps the seasons with that duo at the helm means Las Vegas doesn’t roll snake eyes so much resulting in Cole punting the ball away.

Of course, that doesn’t mean Cole will get complacent and his skills will diminish without the constant repetition he’s seen so far — in his first six seasons in the league, he’s averaging 62.3 punts per season.

“But yeah, if I can put the ball in a small rectangle and give them a tiny field to work with — we got explosive returners in this league,” Cole noted reiterating what McMahon said. “There”s 32 guys on 32 teams that can crib it every time they touch the ball. And so if you can give them as little field to work in and make guys try and tackle them in a phone booth, I think that’s best.”

Coffin Corner​

Glancing at the punter contracts on OverTheCap I found it interesting that Cole was designated by many as the highest-paid specialist in the league. In terms of fully guaranteed coin, Cole does top the field banking a cool $10 million ($11 million total guaranteed).

However, in terms of overall contract value, the Raiders punter is No. 3.

The Seattle Seahawks’ Michael Dickson tops the position group with a $16.2 million contract while the Jacksonville Jaguars’ Logan Cooke comes in second with a $16 million contract.

Interestingly enough, that trio of punters are locked into deals that see them becoming unrestricted free agents in the year 2030.

Quote of Note​

“Yeah, I was actually talking about this a little bit earlier — the funny thing about my job versus Daniel’s (Carlson) job is, for instance, is for Daniel, the uprights are the exact same dimensions every single year. So there’s a theoretical max to what he can do, which is make 100 percent of his kicks. But for a punter, the better you play, the more the goal posts just shift. If I kick it 50 yards, can I kick 51? I kick a 4.8 hang, can I kick a 4.9? There’s no theoretical limit to what I can do. It feels like the ball could always go a yard further, a tenth higher, a yard closer to the sideline. And so, yeah, I mean, I think there is a little bit of pressure, but I think it’s a good thing. And I think that it forces me to really lock in.”—Las Vegas Raiders punter AJ Cole III when asked what kind of pressure he feels as one of the NFL’s top punters.

Source: https://www.silverandblackpride.com...h-chart/92366/aj-cole-remains-an-elite-punter

 

[Las Vegas Raiders]

Open competition means opportunities for Raiders to impress

Expected to the starting center, Jackson Powers-Johnson found himself working with the second-team offensive line at times during the Las Vegas Raiders training camp. Powers-Johnson and other expected starters also found themselves mixing in with other units as the team evaluates its talent. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Initially, it was the shuffling of defensive backs that merited attention during the offseason.

From OTAs to minicamp and now in training camp, the Las Vegas Raiders deployed a variety of personnel groupings in the secondary which gave the group ample time to impress. Open competition is Pete Carroll’s guiding principal as head coach. And he’s openly said he’s not afraid to play rookies.

And the Raiders lead man provided a succinct summation of why cornerbacks and safeties were getting mixed in from first- and second-team unites as the Silver & Black navigated an integral offseason.

“We’re gathering information really, and I want them to feel what I’m saying. You’re either competing or you’re not, and so I’ve got to give them the opportunity to show what they can do and who they are and how far along they’ve come,” Carroll said of the defensive back rotation. “And I’m not afraid one bit of playing the young guys. If rookies play, I’m fine with that. I’ve been doing that for years. That’s a positive if that can happen. So, we have to give those guys opportunities to show themselves. So that’s really what it is, and if you notice we’re mixing everybody at all spots with that intention.”

Now, all eyes are on a shuffle on the offensive line — one that’s (potentially) shattered the preconceived notions of starting spots, particularly at the pivot. Originally assumed to be held by second-year standout Jackson Powers-Johnson, Jordan Meredith moved into the starting group at center. Powers-Johnson shifted to right guard which pushed veteran Alex Cappa to the second-team grouping.

But the mix-and-match didn’t end there as in training camp sessions, Powers-Johnson was back at the pivot, Meredith to guard. And this past Thursday, in the Raiders preseason opener against the Seattle Seahawks, Meredith was starting at center and it was Powers-Johnson at right guard playing deep into the third quarter.

Starting OL today:
– LT Kolton Miller
– LG Dylan Parham
– C Jordan Meredith
– RG Alex Cappa
– RT DJ Glaze

— Tashan Reed (@tashanreed) August 1, 2025

This of course is a byproduct of open competition and Raiders afforded the opportunity to show Carroll and his coaching staff what they bring to the table. And it isn’t relegated to just the front five on the offensive line.

“Yeah, if you can’t compete, then you don’t belong out here. Everybody’s got to compete. Every position is a competition. It doesn’t matter what position you are, they’re going to play the best guy. So there’s always competition,” Cappa said after one of the Raiders training camp sessions. “But working with the young guys is what I like the most honestly. I love passing along what I’ve learned, trying to help them. We got good young players on the O-line, and it’s been cool seeing them grow already. It really is my favorite part of the job.”

As training camp proceeds, both sides of the ball are getting the mix-and-match treatment, all with the intention Las Vegas can identify the Raiders and groupings that put the team in the best possible position to succeed. The depth chart is long from being set and while elevation and demotion of certain players does raise eyebrows, solidifying the pecking order is far from being done.

From second-year linebacker Tommy Eichenberg getting a run with the first team — veterans Elandon Roberts, Germaine Pratt, and Devin White have been the mainstays — to second-year cornerback Decamerion Richardson earning first-team snaps in the secondary — veteran Eric Stokes is a mainstay at outside cornerback — Las Vegas is evaluating the roster to identify the best options at several position groups.

As the Silver & Black advance in training camp and preseason games on the horizon, the open competition/earn your spots and snaps mantra is going to hit overdrive when Carroll’s Raiders have joint practice with Kyle Shanahan’s San Francisco 49ers on Thursday, Aug. 14.

That’ll likely be a chippy session as both teams get to lock horns with someone other than teammates.
What’ll be fun to watch is how Raiders standard- and tone-setter Maxx Crosby performs when Las Vegas locks horns with San Francisco. The elite defensive end is continuously pushing his teammates, which makes them better.

“Yeah, I love it. I love it. It’s like game competition every day. So, like you said, it’s going to do nothing but get me ready. I know Maxx [Crosby] kind of looks for me to push him. I look for him to push me 100%. He’s one of the best players in the league. So, I love going against him. I know it’s only going to make me better in the end, get me ready for the season. So, I look forward to each day.”

During red zone 11-on-11s, #Raiders QB Geno Smith threw an interception in the end zone to CB Decamerion Richardson.

Smith tried to hit WR Tre Tucker but Richardson jumped in front of the pass attempt to record a pick.

— Ryan McFadden (@ryanmcfadden_) July 28, 2025

The internal nudge and the upcoming competition will amplify the overall message Carroll has for his Raiders: Earn your spot.

There’s ample starting gigs to be earned in all three phases of the Raiders game — offense, defense, and special teams. And now’s the time for Raiders to make their mark and stake their claim on not only starting spots but rotational contributor roles.

Young, old, no matter.

Put your best foot forward everyday and let the chips fall where they may.

“Yeah, it’s been smooth honestly. Everybody in the room, we all compete against each other. We’re all trying to maximize as many opportunities that we possibly can, and especially the younger guys and Ashton [Jeanty], right, I’ve been able to help him out in some of his reads and everything like that, and tell him, ‘Hey, look, you need to make a one cut instead of jagger at the line of scrimmage because that just slows your timing down with the O-line,’” veteran running back Raheem Mostert said of the competition in the tailback room. “So just little things like that, just trying to help not just him, but a lot of different guys, and they’re helping me as well just understanding the vision of everything. It’s been fun. The competition is always going to rise up. I always got to lead the room because I’m the older guy in the room. So it’s been fun though.”

Source: https://www.silverandblackpride.com...476015/raiders-2025-training-camp-competition

 

[Las Vegas Raiders]

Fans put Geno Smith third in AFC West QB hierarchy

Geno Smith | Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images

The AFC West is a a strong division that should get even better in the upcoming 2025 regular season.

One of the reasons why the division is so stout is the strong quarterback play.

It’s a powerhouse division at the most important position on the field with Kansas City Chiefs’ star Patrick Mahomes, Los Angles Chargers standout Justin Hebert and young Denver Broncos’ quarterback Bo Nix and it now includes Geno Smith, who the Las Vegas Raiders acquired in a trade with the Seattle Seahawks this offseason.

We recently asked our community members where they’d place Smith in an AFC West quarterback rankings. Of course, Mahomes is No. 1 so we went with second, third or fourth best for our options.

Our readers voted that Smith is the third best as the majority. That’s far. We will see how Nix continues to develop, but It’s fine to consider Smith a top three quarterback in the division. That is a major improvement from last season, of course.

Sign up and go to the comments section.

Source: https://www.silverandblackpride.com...ders-afc-west-quarterback-rankings-geno-smith

 

[Las Vegas Raiders]

How newly acquired Thomas Booker helps Raiders defense

After waxing Christian Wilkins from the roster, the Las Vegas Raiders moved quickly to fill in the gap at defensive tackle.

A day after the sudden release, the Silver & Black claimed Keondre Coburn via waivers from the Tennessee Titans and, most recently, the Raiders acquired Thomas Booker IV from the Philadelphia Eagles in exchange for cornerback Jakorian Bennett.

The trade saw Las Vegas land an interior lineman taken in the fifth round (150th overall) of the 2022 NFL Draft by the Houston Texans while Philly nets a fleet-footed defensive back taken in the fourth round (104th overall) of the 2023 draft. It was a rare preseason player-for-player deal both squads executed this past Monday that was finalized Tuesday.

Yet, considering Las Vegas added two former Philadelphia front office personnel men to general manager John Spytek’s crew in the desert — Anthony Patch as senior personnel executive and Brandon Hunt as vice president of player personnel — Booker’s arrival is a good litmus test of the play evaluation of the newcomers.

Arms too short to box with Carroll I guess. Eagles getting a solid cover corner. Says a little about how they feel about their DT depth. https://t.co/XsVwXc65Xt

— Marcus Johnson (@TheMarcJohnNFL) August 5, 2025

Booker joins a crowded defensive tackle room (10 total players listed at the position group) that remains unsettled with starting spots and rotational snaps there for the taking. Veterans Adam Butler and Leki Fotu are penciled in as starters at three technique and nose tackle, respectively.

How does Booker’s addition help the Raiders defense?

By The Numbers
Thomas Booker IV, Defensive Tackle, 3rd year

• 2024: 17 games (1 start), 18 total tackles (8 solo), 2 tackles for loss, 1 sack, 1 pass deflection
• Career: 27 games (2 starts), 33 total tackles (19 solo), 3 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, 2 pass deflections

At 6-foot-3 and 301 pounds, Booker is a run stopping defender that Las Vegas can’t have enough of. Dating back to his collegiate days at Stanford, the 25-year-old defender wasn’t a high-volume sack producer — 10 in his four years as a Cardinal and just 1.5 in his two seasons in the pros.

Booker’s nose for the football should serve well as an early-down run stuffing option in a rotation on the Raiders defensive line. And he has the ability to line up on the edge as an end or inside as a tackle.

The competition is stacked at defensive tackle, however.

Las Vegas drafted two interior linemen in the 2025 NFL Draft in Tonka Hemingway (fourth round), who had thre total tackles in the preseason opener against the Seattle Seahawks, and JJ Pegues (sixth round), who earned a starting nod against Seattle this past Thursday. There’s also youngster Jonah Laulu, veteran Zach Carter, along with undrafted rookies Tank Booker and Treven Ma’ae, who blocked an extra point and a fourth-quarter sack in the exhibition tilt.

Thomas Booker is a run stuffer that will compete for a starting spot on early downs but doesn't offer much as a pass rusher. Raiders will use Tyree Wilson inside in passing situations. pic.twitter.com/xHn4OHMfoo

— Ted Nguyen (@FB_FilmAnalysis) August 5, 2025

Thomas Booker, though, showed that nose for the football and willingness to compete in a crowded field in the preseason clash — even though the stat sheet shows only one tackle this past Thursday.

While some added juice as a pass rusher would be nice, what Booker brings to the table as a lineman that can drive the offensive line back, find and drop the ball carrier is a skillset that Las Vegas needs to bolster a run defense that finished 13th in yards allowed (1,987) and 15th in touchdowns yielded (15) in 2024.

The Raiders are slated to deploy defensive end Tyree Wilson (seventh overall pick in the 2023 draft and 6-foot-6 and 275 pounds) inside to create more inside rush.

A Look At Coburn​

At 6-foot-2 and 332 pounds, the former Texas Longhorn brings nose tackle-type size to the Raiders defensive tackle group. Originally drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs in the 2023 draft (194th overall), Coburn played in five games his rookie year — one with Kansas City, four with the Tennessee Titans after he was waived.

Coburn amassed eight total tackles in 2023 before playing in 15 games (one start) with the Titans this past season. He logged 126 defensive snaps and totaled 14 combined tackles (seven solo). Coburn was waived on July 24 and the next day, Las Vegas put in the waiver claim and got him.

Coburn is in the mix to man the nose where Fotu is the leader. Tank Booker, who is 6-foot-4 and 347 pounds, and Pegues (now listed at 6-foot-2 and 325 pounds on the official Raiders website) are the competition for Coburn.

One player who impressed was JJ Pegues.

He gives that NT feel and had dominant reps against the run. 3 plays from Pegues here. pic.twitter.com/Ub97KjrJFu

— Marcus Johnson (@TheMarcJohnNFL) August 9, 2025

Source: https://www.silverandblackpride.com...-acquired-thomas-booker-helps-raiders-defense