The Las Vegas Raiders held their third and final open practice of organized team activities on Tuesday, meaning the media got the opportunity to film and document the session, which was the eighth overall of Raiders OTAs.
With media attendance, we got to see the players in action and hear from some of them, and some assistant coaches spoke, as well.
After today, the Silver and Black have two more days of organized team activities. After a few days of rest, they'll hit the field for mandatory minicamp on June 11th, which will last until June 13th.
Though putting too much stock into a June practice is mindless, there are some notable takeaways from Las Vegas' final open OTA session. Here they are
Raiders OTAs Takeaways
Offense had a good day
After struggling in last week's practice, the Raiders' offense bounced back Tuesday, led by quarterbacks Aidan O'Connell and Gardner Minshew and wide receivers Jakobi Meyers, DJ Turner, and Tre Tucker.
From Levi Edwards of Raiders.com:
Overall, it was the offense's time to shine Tuesday. Both Gardner Minshew II and Aidan O'Connell stepped up to make some big throws to a variety of receivers. The two headliners of the day were Jakobi Meyers and DJ Turner. The receiving duo caught two touchdowns apiece during red zone 7-on-7 drills, including a highlight reel toe drag in the back of the end zone for Turner.
Another receiver who stood out to me was Tre Tucker. He looks even faster going into Year 2, which is saying something considering NFL Next Gen Stats labeled him as the second most athletic receiver at the 2023 NFL Combine.
Who didn't practice
According to Tashan Reed of the Athletic, players who didn't participate included left tackle Kolton Miller, guards Jackson Powers-Johnson and Jake Johanning, wide receiver Davante Adam, running back Brittain Brown, defensive ends Maxx Crosby, TJ Franklin, and Elerson Smith, defensive tackles John Jenkins, Nesta Jade Silvera and Matthew Butler, and linebacker Darien Butler.
Miller, Powers-Johnson, Adams, Jade Silvera, and Butler also didn't practice last week. Miller has been seen rehabbing an undisclosed injury over the past few weeks, and Powers-Johnson left practice two weeks ago with an injury and hasn't practiced since.
Who returned to practice?
Based on the reported list, wide receivers Michael Gallup, Jalen Guyton, Jeff Foreman and Tulu Griffin, cornerback Cornell Armstrong, and defensive tackle Marquan McCall returned to practice today after not participating last week.
Gallup and Guyton will compete for the WR3 spot and key depth roles in training camp, so it's good to see them back.
Tight ends shine
Las Vegas' tight end duo of Brock Bowers and Michael Mayer continue to impress. Their partnership could prove to be lethal this season.
Per Edwards:
The position group that excelled throughout the day was the tight ends. Michael Mayer caught two touchdowns in the middle of the end zone during red zone drills, with Cole Fotheringham also making some big catches. First-round pick Brock Bowers continued to make plays in space, a trait he was synonymous with at Georgia.
Christian Wilkins dominates
Christian Wilkins was the Raiders' big free agency splash, signing a four-year, $110 million contract in March. The former Dolphin totaled nine sacks and 58 QB pressures in 2023, along with a 71.5 run-defense grade.
Wilkins hasn't wasted any time making his presence felt in Vegas, as he was "everything as advertised" on Tuesday, according to Edwards:
On the defensive side of the ball, Christian Wilkins was everything as advertised. His get off at the line of scrimmage is something to marvel at and noticeably assists the edge rushers next to him. "That dude is running so fast every single play," Gardner Minshew II said of Wilkins. "Wherever the ball is, you'll see him soon. He shows up. It's really impressive to be around a guy that nonstop works the way he does."
Wilkins has earned plenty of praise from teammates and coaches thus far. You can check out more on that right here.
Praise for Nate Hobbs
Cornerback Nate Hobbs will be the Raiders' slot corner again this season. The 24-year-old snagged one interception and scored a 68.1 coverage grade in 2023 while playing 75% of his defensive snaps in the slot.
Cornerbacks coach Ricky Manning believes that Hobbs is the "key to unlocking our defense" at the nickel position this upcoming season. Hobbs is entering his fourth season, and a breakout year from the former Illinois standout would be a major plus to the Raiders' defense.
Mike Caldwell praises Raiders' culture
Linebackers coach Mike Caldwell detailed the culture being built in Las Vegas under head coach Antonio Pierce. Caldwell states that the players have bought in and both the players and coaches are excited for the upcoming 2024 campaign.
Mike Caldwell does a great job describing the culture being built inside the building#Raiders pic.twitter.com/q801rlGNAo
— Levi Edwards (@theleviedwards) June 4, 2024
Vegas will be looking to build off a strong finish from last year, which saw the team finish 5-4 once Antonio Pierce took over as head coach.
