COSTA MESA, Calif. — Raiders owner Mark Davis watched his team scrimmage on Saturday night with the first live tackling of training camp.
“One day closer,” he said, smiling.
We’re definitely closer to a quarterback decision, as there finally was some separation. Gardner Minshew overcame an early sack by Maxx Crosby and another hard hit by Christian Wilkins to throw the night’s only two touchdown passes, to tight end Harrison Bryant and wide receiver D.J. Turner. The first one was a 20-yard strike to a crouching Bryant at the goal-line and the second was a sideline pass that Turner turned the corner on.
Minshew also had an interception, a high pass under pressure that went through Tre Tucker’s hands and into the diving arms of Jack Jones.
Offensive coordinator Luke Getsy on #Raiders’ QB competition. For full episode of Just Win: ⤵️
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Aidan O’Connell seemed to be pressing and threw two interceptions, on passes basically up for grabs in the endzone. Safety Isaiah Pola-Mao had the first pick, while rookie cornerback M.J. Devonshire came down with the second one.
Rather than make a big splash at quarterback, general manager Tom Telesco signed Minshew to a two-year, $25 million contract to compete with incumbent starter O’Connell. While Minshew’s salary is far from exorbitant for an NFL quarterback, it’s still a significant investment you only make if you believe that player can provide an upgrade. Through offseason team activities and training camp, however, both Minshew and O’Connell have been mediocre.
Head coach Antonio Pierce and offensive coordinator Luke Getsy have rotated Minshew and O’Connell with the starters on a practice-by-practice basis, but neither player has found consistent success. Before Saturday, they’ve been inaccurate, have put the ball into harm’s way too frequently, haven’t navigated pressure well in the pocket and have been unable to push the ball downfield. It can’t be a surprise that the offense collectively had a rough start to camp.
“It’s been a great battle between the two of them, and it’s gotta be tough back there with Maxx always in your face,” Pola-Mao said after Saturday’s scrimmage.
Pola-Mao had a great night, with another pass break-up and a tackle for a loss on a pitch to running back Alexander Mattison.
Mattison: It was a good day. pic.twitter.com/WqN5Qubbd9
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Receiver Davante Adams was away from the team for a second straight day, awaiting the birth of his third child.
Six other takeaways from the first week of camp:
2. The defensive line will put offenses in a bind
As usual, defensive end Crosby has been a terror in training camp. The difference now is that there’s a harsher punishment to endure for sending additional blockers his way. Wilkins warrants extra attention on the interior of the defensive line, but it’ll be difficult to do that with both him and Crosby running rampant. The duo has been even better than advertised, Pierce said, and one of them should have a one-on-one matchup on most plays. That’s something the Raiders view as a free meal.
Elsewhere on the defensive line, players have benefitted from the attention drawn by Crosby and Wilkins. Defensive end Malcolm Koonce has been a handful in his own right. While starting defensive tackle John Jenkins was out last week due to injury, Adam Butler has come on strong and has consistently found his way into the backfield. Fellow defensive tackle Byron Young played sparingly as a rookie last year, but he has lost some weight, matured and begun to come into his own.
The defensive line has been disruptive throughout training camp and has created a dynamic where the secondary and D-line are feeding off each other.
3. Tight ends are the other stars of camp
There are six tight ends on the Raiders roster, and it feels like 60. They are everywhere, with the team usually lining up in heavy sets, and they all seem to be making catches. The Raiders will have first-round pick Brock Bowers and second-year man Michael Mayer on the field together during the season, and they both have stood out with their catches and blocking. Getsy said they know the new offense so well already that they often tell receivers where to line up.
Safety Tre’von Moehrig said they’re a handful.
“They’re both big, physical guys who have really great route-running ability,” Moehrig said. “Michael has really stepped it up in Year 2 — how he catches the ball and how he runs his routes. … And Brock, he’s had that ability all along, so hopefully he can continue to do the things he’s been doing.”
Bowers was drafted with the 13th pick because of his explosiveness, while Mayer credits yoga for his improved flexibility and speed. And No. 3 tight end Bryant, signed away from the Cleveland Browns before the Raiders nabbed Bowers, had a pretty, diving touchdown catch this week and is also a strong blocker.
GO DEEPER
Q&A: Raiders offensive coordinator Luke Getsy dishes on QB battle, Brock Bowers & more
4. The secondary is surging
While the quarterbacks have been bad, the secondary has been excellent in pass coverage. A starting unit has emerged of Jack Jones and Jakorian Bennett at cornerback, Nate Hobbs at nickelback, Moehrig at free safety and Marcus Epps at strong safety. They’re unafraid to take risks and have made plenty of pass breakups and interceptions, and the number of explosive plays they’ve allowed can be counted on one hand. That combination of playmaking and consistency gives the group a lot of potential.
Pierce credited the tandem of Moehrig and Epps for improving their communication to the point where the group moves as one.
“They’ve really set the tone,” Pierce said. “The continuity of that group is really what you want. When I first got here three years ago, the DB group, that room was a little shaky. It wasn’t a tight-knit group. Everybody was independent contractors. Now, you don’t see that. You see a group playing together and really enjoying each other’s success. And when the opportunity is there for them to make a play, they’re making those plays.”
5. Trash talk has been productive
The Raiders pride themselves on being a tight team, but you wouldn’t know it to hear them on the practice field. The defense had been roasting the offense with Crosby, Wilkins, Butler and Jones yelling before and after plays, especially as the defense dominated the first week of camp. Things started to pick up for the offense when the pads went on Tuesday, and the offensive linemen, quarterbacks and receivers started chirping back. Pierce was loving it.
“It’s that competitive spirit that we’re looking for,” Pierce said. “And we’ll do that out here on the grass and then, when we get on the bus and go back to the hotel, we’re teammates and we’re Raiders. I think these guys are doing a really good job of buying into what I’m asking them to do. I just want us to compete. And to me, if we can compete against each other like that — fight, sweat and go about it, and damn near get blood out there on the field — we’ll be a really good group and unit and team come Sundays.”
6. The offensive line deserves some grace
Starting left tackle Kolton Miller (shoulder) and starting left guard Jackson Powers-Johnson (concussion) are both still on the active/physically unable to perform list and have missed all of training camp. Left tackle Andrus Peat and left guard Cody Whitehair are solid depth options, but the dropoff has been significant. Plus, starting right tackle Thayer Munford is now dealing with an injury to his left hand. Until the O-line is closer to full strength, it’ll be tough to fully evaluate the unit.
7. Tyree Wilson may not make an impact
Wilson was the seventh pick in the 2023 draft, and the defensive end may have a hard time getting on the field this season. (You notice he wasn’t mentioned when we discussed the nasty defensive line.) He still has trouble getting off the ball at practice and though he is happier and healthier, according to Pierce, the bar has been lowered quite a bit.
“He’s taking baby steps, he really is,” Butler said. “With him, I think it would be best if he just focused on one thing at a time. That’s what I had to do as a young player as well. Because I had so many things that I had to improve on, and he’s no different than anybody else that once came into the league. I think he is putting in the effort to do that, and I have seen him grow as well.”
The one difference is that Butler was undrafted in 2017, while Wilson was the third defensive player taken last year.
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(Photo: Ric Tapia / Getty Images)
