The Las Vegas Raiders completed their first week of organized team activities last week and there were no doubt some interesting takeaways, especially from the first open session on Tuesday.
The Raiders were last on the practice field on Thursday, but that practice was not open to the media. Las Vegas will return to the practice field on Tuesday, although it remains to be seen when the next open session will be. The rest of the schedule for OTAs is as follows: May 28-29, May 31, June 3-6.
Once the Raiders complete OTAs on Thursday, June 6, the team will have a handful of days off before holding mandatory minicamp from June 11-13.
Thanks to the beat writers who were on the ground on Tuesday, we got some great information on how things went at practice, including who the biggest standouts were. Here's a look at the information we gathered.
Raiders' standouts at OTAs
The quarterbacks
Aidan O'Connell and Gardner Minshew both caught the eye of Levi Edwards of Raiders.com, who noted that the competition is "heating up early."
Both quarterbacks made some impressive throws throughout practice in 7-on-7 red zone drills. O'Connell threw a dot in the middle of the end zone to Michael Mayer, with Minshew creating some time in the pocket to find rookie Dylan Laube in the flat.
Minshew is considered the favorite here because of his experience, but O'Connell is a total wild card because we don't know how big of a leap he's going to make after a rookie campaign in which he had his ups and downs but finished strong.
Jakobi Meyers and Michael Mayer
Also per Edwards, wide receiver Jakobi Meyers and tight end Michael Mayer were two of the biggest standouts among pass-catchers.
The two pass catchers that shined in these early stages were Jakobi Meyers and Michael Mayer. Meyers' route running skills were stellar as usual, with Mayer looking a bit sharper and quicker as he readies for his second season.
Mayer revealed during the week that he has "flipped the script" from his rookie year, while also admitting there were days last year when he didn't want to come into work.
"My mentality, my attitude this year — nothing wrong with last year — it's just different this year," Mayer said, per Vegas Sports Today. "I'm way happier, I'm way more positive. I love to be out here on this field, I love to play football. It's what I do, it's my job. I've definitely flipped the script a little bit. Last year, maybe there were some days I didn't want to come in or something was going on. I flipped the script. It's time to dig down, play some ball, win some ballgames and do what I need to do for this team. Rookie year is over, that's way in the past, I've already reflected on it, I've already put it behind me. I don't even think about it anymore."
Some are blaming Josh McDaniels' disastrous tenure for that, which is understandable.
Alexander Mattison
The Raiders signed running back Alexander Mattison to add to a backfield that includes projected starter, Zamir White, who is unproven thanks to a limited sample size.
Edwards noted that Mattison had the catch of the day on Tuesday. It remains to be seen how involved Mattison will be, but there's a good chance he and White will form a committee.
Tyree Wilson
Defensive end Tyree Wilson's improved physique was a hot topic over the course of the week, with the 2023 first-round pick sporting a leaner and more muscular frame.
"You've got to have good weight, good eating habits, and good sleeping habits to be the best on the field," Wilson explained, per RaiderRamble.com. "I learned that from a leader in the room, Maxx Crosby. I tried to work with him all offseason to improve my game on the field."
Wilson had a rocky rookie season but also had to overcome a foot injury during the offseason that may have stunted his development. We'll see if he can build on his strong finish from last season and earn a significant role behind fellow defensive ends Maxx Crosby and Malcolm Koonce.
Malcolm Koonce
Speaking of Koonce, defensive coordinator Patrick Graham said he's "giddy" over the fourth-year defensive end after he's shown more leadership qualities this year, with his coaching up younger players. Graham is happy with Koonce's development.
“Now you’re seeing a young man developing true mastery of his craft," Graham said of Koonce. "I was impressed, just the confidence he has right now.”
Dylan Laube
Sixth-round pick and running back Dylan Laube caught some eyes at practice.
Jesse Merrick of KSNV News 3 Las Vegas noted that Laube was "making a lot of plays," and Edwards revealed that the rookie "had a pretty solid day" on Tuesday. Last but not least, Vegas Sports Today even compared Laube to San Francisco 49ers star running back, Christian McCaffrey.
Laube has a good chance to make the cut if the Raiders carry four running backs, but he may also challenge for the RB3 role against Ameer Abdullah. Laube has return experience and can play both sides of special teams, which should help.
MORE: Takeaways from Raiders' open OTAs practice
