Raiders Training Camp Report 11: Biggest Winners As Tempers Flare

HENDERSON, Nev.—The Las Vegas completed their eighth practice of training camp (third in pads) moments ago.

The thermometer didn’t hit 100 degrees yet (it will end up at about 116), but with close to 30 percent humidity, a rarity in Henderson, the temperature was hot.

But not as hot as on the field.

Tempers flared on more than one occasion as the Silver and Black are tired of hitting each other and are ready to inflict some pain on someone else.

We will talk about all those moments later, but before we break into individual players, we will discuss some teaching and coaching highlights.

Las Vegas Raiders GM John Spytek, and minority owner Tom Brady | Darrell Craig Harris, On SI

The Team

It was fascinating to watch the intensity of the practice rise, along with the thoroughness of coaching. Klint Kubiak’s staff has been better than I expected, not because I had a low bar, but because with so many in new roles, I thought it would take time. It hasn’t.

1. "We not me" is the new look Raiders in 2026. John Spytek and Klint Kubiak have completely shifted the trend and direction of this franchise in a remarkable way since the epic collapse of the 2020 season. Something DE Malcolm Koonce appreciates.

"The ‘We’ thing, that's our way to win. It's like we know it's going to take everybody. It'll take everybody from the last man on the roster to guys like Maxx [Crosby] and Kirk [Cousins]. It’s going to take everybody and the only way to win is with all of us. So, that's the mentality everybody has."

2. For the second day in a row, I have to give shoutouts to John Spytek and his amazing staff. Brian Stark, Brandon Hunt, and Brandon Yeargan, and their respective staffs, have done an outstanding job of accumulating new, young, hungry talent on this roster. I said before the season that I anticipated as few as eight rookies and as many as 12 would make this roster.

I still stand by that, but when you look at the number of juniors, sophomores, and rookies that will make this team, you see why it is a rebuild and, more importantly, why the future is so bright.

Kubiak bragged on the job of Spy and his staff.

"I think just making a decision to come here and being familiar with Spy and our scouting staff, that's no surprise. Those guys are very professional and they're turning over every rock to try to make the bottom of our roster better at all times. And it's a collaborative effort, we work together. Really blessed to work with him.”

3. The fire and emotion indicative of it mattering to the Raiders. I am going to get into it in more detail later in this article, but as we saw, there was more than one skirmish today, and that fire shows a franchise that this matters to and is ready to get the bitter taste of failure out of their mouth. Kubiak talked about handling training camp skirmishes.

“Yeah, that's training camp. Those are two leaders of our team going at it, so that is part of camp. Obviously, if you fight in the game, you throw a punch in the game especially, you're out of the game. So, we got to be smart and treat it like a game.”

Klint Kubiak | Darrell Craig Harris, On SI

The Veterans

DE Maxx Crosby vs. QB Kirk Cousins

KIRK COUSINS ANDMAXX CROSBY | DarrellCraig Harris, OnSI

The unstoppable Maxx Crosby has come into this camp with not just his usual chip on the shoulder; he has the complete chipper machine, carrying a California Redwood. That should excite people.

In this camp, stopping him has been impossible other than by moving the pocket away from him or holding him. The issue is that Maxx isn’t going to lower his standards because you won’t raise yours.

The great ones don’t.

I told the story of two young players on a knee yesterday in practice, and Maxx told them, “Get up, we’re all tired. Gotta work.”

Today, at the end of practice, QB Kirk Cousins went after Maxx Crosby. It wasn’t a fight, but the QB stood up to Crosby. Now, let me put this in context.

Maxx loves fire and people who care. If you think for one second this will drive a wedge between the two men I have known for many years, you are mistaken.

For years, Maxx has been the fire on this team. People have been passive. It has to be tiring to be an elite player in an organization that accepts mediocrity. There has been a surrender mentality on offense, and that is no longer here.

Las Vegas Raiders DE Maxx Crosby | Darrell Craig Harris, On SI

Cousins standing up doesn’t change the fact that no one can block Maxx, but it instills in the offense the sense that you can’t keep getting beat and saying, “Thank you, can I have more please.” You have to take pride in your game.

I can tell you that, as a man who knows, cares for, and respects Crosby, I believe that exchange with Cousins excited him. Perhaps the offensive side of the ball will stop acting like the wimps on the playground, and acting like Raiders…bullies.

Las Vegas Raiders Superstar DE Maxx Crosby | Darrell Craig Harris, On SI

What people don’t know about Crosby is that all he lives for outside of his family is being great. Why does he love Patrick Mahomes? Because he is great. He has the Lombardis that Crosby not only wants, but craves and needs.

Cousins standing up today doesn’t alter the reality that no one can block “The Condor.” But hopefully, it instilled a fight in his offense that can spark them. Cousins is a competitor, so is Crosby. For both of them to get what they want out of this season, they need each other.

I would bet the biggest fan of what Kirk did was Maxx, and I would also tell you the happiest man on planet earth to have Maxx is Kirk.

The fire was real, but perhaps rather than everyone cowering now, they will get tired of being bullied and start acting like Raiders.

It hasn’t happened in my first six seasons here, but it appears it is now.

Las Vegas Raiders DE Maxx Crosby from Training Camp — Las Vegas Raiders DE Maxx Crosby | Darrell Craig Harris, Sports Illustrated

Crosby wants his teammates to care as much as he does. He wants everyone to care as much as he does. Today won’t anger Crosby or Cousins; it will inspire them both, and hopefully their teammates.

When your quarterback and best player on the team have the same mentality, perhaps there is no bigger sign that your franchise is actually getting better.

Las Vegas Raiders QB Kirk Cousins | Darrell Craig Harris, On SI

Kubiak spoke frankly about Cousins and his leadership.

“Quarterback has to be the leader of the team, and I see him leading out there. That's why we brought him here, to lead and play really good football. So, I've been pleased with him and he knows he can get better.”

G Caleb Rogers. vs. Jackson Powers-Johnson

Caleb Rogers continues to battle Jackson Powers-Johnson (JPJ) for the starting RG job. Rogers had a terrific day, and while that doesn’t mean JPJ had a bad day, it means the sophomore showed off his physicality and toughness in a definitive way. Rogers attacks when he plays. He is a physical, old-school type Raider player who plays to the echo of the whistle.

Today, on one particular play, DT Jonah Laulu wasn’t terribly pleased with Rogers’ physicality, and there was a mild exchange before it was broken up. It was terrific to see from both. This team respects Rogers’ quiet demeanor and rugged toughness. He’s making a point in this rugged battle.

Assistant head coach Mike McCoy said of the position battle of JPJ and Rogers, "Well like I mentioned earlier, with everything Coach [Kubiak] has put a plan in place and moving guys around, see who can do what, give guys opportunities to show what they can do with different groups, obviously offense and defense there's different personnel groupings and how we're rotating players, so that's going to be a constant change all throughout camp."

CB Decamerion Richardson

The third-year man continues to show up and make plays. The start to his money year has been impressive as he is making plays on defense and special teams. There is a reason why year three in the NFL is called “The Money Year,” and Richardson is showing everyone he came to play.

TE Michael Mayer

Entering his fourth season, Mayer, who was considered the best TE of his draft class, is finally looking like the player the Raiders thought they stole in the second round when they took him out of South Bend.

He is comfortable in the system and is finally coming off comfortable and having fun.

I asked him after practice about seeing the Mayer from his day in South Bend back on the field, and his smile told the story before his words.

Las Vegas Raiders Michael Mayer | | Darrell Craig Harris, On SI

"I believe so. I really love this offense, I really love Klint [Kubiak]. I really love Luke Steckel, the tight ends coach, it's year three for him here. When I heard he was coming back, I was very delighted. I love that man to death, and he knows how to coach."

"He's one hell of a coach, and it's just about being comfortable, being the type of player that I can be, and going out there and showing people. But Steck [Luke Steckel] gets me right. Klint's done a fantastic job, and really, it's about me putting the best version of myself out there and doing anything I can."

TE Brock Bowers

The pride of the Georgia Bulldogs dominated today, which isn’t new. But what stood out to me today was watching him talk to the defensive backs and coach them.

Brock is one of the most wonderful human beings you will meet, but the normally reserved superstar - and make no mistake, having not even played three years, he is already a superstar - today was lending wisdom to his young teammates, and who better to teach the young pups on defending the passing game than the big dog, who does it better than anyone.

Ronell Williams, the Raiders LB coach, discussed the impact Bowers can have on his young teammates.

“With the type of competitors we have in this organization, especially speaking for the linebackers, to be able to cover a generational talent like Brock on a day-in and day-out only makes you better, which it goes into the conversation of the urgency to attack the technique and the fundamentals to figure out how we need to refine it and not being casual with that approach.”

Love for the Bergs

I have affectionately nicknamed LBs Cody Lindenberg and Tommy Eichenberg, “The Bergs.”

Both young men have had multiple good days in a row, including today.

Ronell Williams is pleased with the Bergs and their performance in camp.

Tommy Eichenberg | Darrell Craig Harris, On SI

“I can't speak high enough about those guys because it's not like first unit or second unit, it’s just who's on the field right now. And as a coach, to have that type of trust in whatever unit is on the field with instinct, speed and playmaking ability, I think that's rare. I think it's rare to have this type of depth.”

The Rookies

RB Mike Washington Jr. (MWJ)

The punishing runner is a train wreck looking for a defender to blow up. His combination of speed and power is unique, and while I am not implying, nor is there any position battle with Ashton Jeanty, he is having a terrific camp. What impresses me more every single day is that he shows up on special teams and is incredibly smart.

You want your running back to be stronger in the fourth quarter than in the first. What is impressive is that he gets better every day. That is why, after practice, I asked the normally stoic Kubiak for his thoughts, and he didn’t hold back on MWJ.

“Yeah, we have a lot of young guys that are pushing guys for spots. Mike's a guy that's come in and has grown a lot since OTAs. Extremely coachable young man. Football is important to him. And that was a big part of John's [Spytek] criteria for bringing guys in."

"The games got to be important for them to get better because they have to be self-motivated. So, I see a self-motivated young man that knows there's a lot of big football ahead of him and has a long way to go, but a man that's willing to put in the work.”

CB Hezekiah Masses

On special teams and defense, Masses makes plays. He had an impressive interception of Cousins today (with the ones) and showed up big on defense, showing the grit that separates guys who earn their teammates' respect. Every time he makes plays, he earns the praise of the veterans who appreciate his work ethic.

Kubiak was open about his pleasure with the rookie, “I see a young man that continues to compete. He's the same guy that he was in the spring. I see a competitive guy. I like where he's heading. He's putting a lot of pressure on that first group of corners.”

WR Malik Benson

He and Masses are two rookies making the aforementioned John Spytek and his staff look incredibly gifted, as Masses shows toughness on his side of the ball (defense), and Benson does it on his side. Today, he looked like a seasoned pro blocking downfield, and he has a grit that stands out. He isn’t the biggest human being on the earth, but remember the old adage, “It isn’t the size of the dog in the fight, it is the size of the fight in the dog.” He’s a pup, but make no mistake, he has dog in him.

Kubiak was honest about what the young man is showing. “I think he's just a young man that's coming here ready to compete for a job, and when a guy can make plays on offense and then be a four core teams player, that says a lot to his teammates about what he's made out of. So, any one of these young guys, they know how important special teams is and how it's going to relate to them making the team and being a successful part of our operation.”

DB Treydan Stukes

For the second day in a row, the Raiders' rookie defensive back made plays, and smart ones. Today, he moved flawlessly around a blocker, showing speed that surprised his own teammate, but then showed toughness by putting his body into a play. That toughness had more than one teammate shouting their approval, and it is what will earn his new DC, Rob Leonard, his trust.

Kubiak is fond of his new defensive weapon and said as much. “I like how hard he plays special teams. He's a guy that's going to challenge guys for spots in many places on defense and on teams. But I like that he's a team-first guy and it shows up in the way that he plays teams."

QB Fernando Mendoza

Every day, Mendoza does something different to remind people why NFL executives love him. Today was the same. When he got the ball, the play had already broken down under an overwhelming, ferocious attack; Mendoza felt the pressure and got rid of the ball, even though there was no way he could have physically seen the pressure coming.

That is an instinct that not many veterans have, let alone rookies. His maturation is coming along nicely, and he is being expertly developed by Kubiak, who spoke about him after practice.

“He's just continuing to get better. He's improving. Every day brings a new challenge crowd noise today. So, there's new things that he's learning every day. Again, he's working hard. He's like every other rookie. They are introduced to a whole new level of football and there's going to be days of failure and days of success. As long as they keep getting better, that's what we're looking for.”

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