The Las Vegas Raiders held their second session of organized team activities on Tuesday, but this time around it was open to the media, which allowed us to see players in action on the practice field.
Of course, you never want to read too much into what happens at this early stage in the offseason, as there's still a ton of time between now and the start of the 2024 season, and pads haven't even come on yet.
But there were definitely some notable takeaways to discuss following Las Vegas' first open session of OTAs. Just in case you missed anything from the session, you can check out a full recap with news, videos and quotes right here.
Here are the takeaways:
Raiders OTAs takeaways
Jackson Powers-Johnson leaves early
Second-round pick and guard Jackson Powers-Johnson got banged-up and had to leave early, according to Tashan Reed of The Athletic. He didn't return and it isn't clear what he's dealing with. JPJ's status will be one to monitor moving forward since he's competing for a starting job and missing time can set him back.
Kolton Miller rehabbing injury?
Also per Reed, left tackle Miller was working off to the side during practice, which typically means a player is rehabbing an injury. It isn't clear what he's dealing with but hopefully it's nothing that will impact him down the road.
Who else didn't participate?
A total of 78 players took part in the practice. Along with Miller, players who did not participate included running backs Zamir White and Ameer Abdullah, wide receivers Michael Gallup, Davante Adams, Jalen Guyton, and Tulu Griffin (UDFAs), defensive lineman Ron Stone Jr., Matthew Butler and Nesta Jade Silvera and cornerback Jack Jones. Adams was confirmed to be in the building but we did not get updates on the others, outside of Miller.
Patrick Graham "giddy" over Malcolm Koonce
Edge rusher Malcolm Koonce is facing a make-or-break season in terms of his being able to land a lucrative, long-term deal in 2025 free agency. After tallying eight sacks last season, he should net himself a nice payday from the Raiders or another team if he can replicate or build on that success.
Raiders defensive coordinator Patrick Graham said he's "giddy" over Koonce after the Buffalo product has been taking on more of a leadership role this year and coaching up young players. Graham has also noticed more confidence.
“Now you’re seeing a young man developing true mastery of his craft," Graham said. "I was impressed, just the confidence he has right now.”
Dylan Laube stands out
Sixth-round pick and running back Dylan Laube caught the eye of multiple beat writers, including Jesse Merrick of KSNV News 3 Las Vegas and Levi Edwards from Raiders.com. He even drew a comparison to San Francisco 49ers superstar running back, Christian McCaffrey, from Vegas Sports Today.
Laube is going to have a tough time getting to the top of the depth chart with Zamir White and Alexander Mattison in the mix, but he could come away with RB3 duties if he can continue to stand out. Just making the roster would be a win, though.
Two early leaders for CB2
Veterans Jakorian Bennet and Brandon Facyson are "leading the position battle at cornerback," per Reed, as both were on the field with the first-team defense in the wake of Jack Jones not practicing. We'll be keeping an eye on if either rookie Decamerion Richardson or M.J. Devonshire can get involved at some point.
Early info at guard
The Raiders had Dylan Parham at right guard, which is significant because he was the starter on the left side last season. Parham does have experience there from his day in college and he played 110 snaps there during his rookie campaign. At left guard, Cody Whitehair and Powers-Johnson were in a rotation. It wouldn't be surprising to see Andrus Peat get involved at some point, also.
Thayer Munford "entrenched"
Thayer Munford was "entrenched as the starting right tackle," according to Reed. He didn't leave the first-team offense throughout practice. This isn't some kind of shocking development or anything like that, but it does show that his competitors for the starting spot, like rookie DJ Glaze and Dalton Wagner, have some work to do if they want to earn the job. Start penciling in Munford as the starter for Week 1.
