Raiders GM Ziegler, AGM Kelly Ahead of Roster Cuts

HENDERSON, Nev.--The Las Vegas Raiders are in their fifth week of training camp, with one preseason game left this weekend, and roster cuts to the 53-man limit soon after.

General Manager Dave Ziegler and Assistant General Manager Champ Kelly spoke from here after training camp practice moments ago, and we have it all for you. You can watch the entire press conference and read the transcript below:

General Manager Dave Ziegler and Assistant General Manager Champ Kelly

Q: As you're putting together your 53-man roster, how much is thinking only about 2023, and how much is: 'OK, this guy may be better in 2023, but I think this guy if we cut him, we're not going to be able to sign him, but his long term is there.' How much goes into all of that?

Ziegler: "Yeah, it's definitely a part of the conversation. It's probably one of the more difficult parts of this decision-making process is weighing the immediate versus the future. And at the same time, we prescribe to a philosophy that it doesn't matter where you come from, doesn't matter who you are, what it is, like you earn a spot on the team based on your performance on the field. And so, you've got to be mindful of that too and what message that sends. And so, it's a part of the discussion. At the end of the day, the performance is going to be the biggest part that we put into making a decision on the roster."

Q: We're at the end of training camp today. Any progress with Josh Jacobs? We're kind of getting to that nitty gritty area. Is there a reason for hope that he'll be out there against the Broncos?

Ziegler: "Yeah, nothing new to add right now on that, so we'll just keep pushing forward."

Q: Is worst case scenario kind of like what's going on in Indianapolis with Jonathan Taylor, or is that an option you're just trying to avoid altogether? Or could a trade even be an option at some point if this continues?

Ziegler: "I don't know the exact details of what's happened in Indianapolis. We're focused on what's happening here. So, any trade speculation, all that stuff, I mean organizationally that's nothing that we would ever address on any player. There's no advantage to doing that. So like I said, we're just going to keep pushing forward, we're focused on our situation here putting the roster together the best way we can to field a competitive team, and that's where we're at."

Q: This offseason you said multiple times your long-term vision is building the homegrown talent up. What would you say is the short-term measure for this season in terms of what you would call this season a success in terms of the team as a whole?

Ziegler: "I mean, I think we're all measured on wins and losses. And so, I think that's definitely a part of it, and I think another part of it in that is, I would love to see our young players who we've invested in continue to grow, continue to improve throughout the season where you're getting to the end of the season and you have a lot of guys who have contributed to a winning season. That's really what we're focused on and how we're going to gauge it."

Q: Along those lines, you've been able to assess your rookie class up to this point. Now some games are going to be getting on their ledger. How excited are you about where they are right now and what the possibilities are for the rookie class this year?

Kelly: "We are excited about what these guys have done over the last few months. But also, no different than we are excited about the veteran guys that are here as well. I think we've worked on building a roster where there's competition at every position, at every level, and I think we're seeing that kind of come to fruition now. So, just exciting for the time being."

Q: For the two of you, you know you did your job when good players are going to get cut, when your job is difficult. Do you feel that way? It appears from my perspective that the roster was greatly enhanced.

Ziegler: "Yeah, I think we're coming down to the wire here and starting to really look into those individual position battles and those individual slots. I think we both feel that this year it's going to be a little bit more difficult. And again, like you said, that's by design. You hope to have built competition where it's not always clear cut, and I'd say we have some tougher decisions to make this year than we did last year based on the level of competition and how the players have performed up to this point."

Q: In terms of dealing with this rookie class, not only what they've been able to do on the field, but just with how they're dealing with player engagement, with other coaches, the development of these guys from the time you gotten them in to now.

Kelly: "I think first of all, our college staff did a great job of going out and identifying guys with high character, with high passion for football who are great teammates. And so, we had a really good experience with them here acclimating to our system, learning our culture, learning from the coaches and also the veteran players that are here. And so, just excited to see them continue to grow into the player that we envisioned them to be when we drafted them."

Ziegler: "And I think we're really excited with some of the strides we've made just with player development in general here. We've invested a lot of resources and a lot of time in building up our player development department, having clear objectives really focused on growing the player on the field, but growing the person too, because there are a lot of things that you handle when you come into the league that are outside of just being out on the practice field. That's something that I know is important to Champ and I and important to the organization. And we're really excited about where that department is going and how it's impacting the team."

Q: Since bringing Jimmy Garoppolo into the program, in what ways is he near the values that you guys want to construct this franchise around? What's unique to the way he approaches the position and everything that comes with it?

Ziegler: "I'd say an even-keeled-ness, an ability to stay calm and poised and just be a steady influence on the offense. And Jimmy [Garoppolo] has a mental toughness that we look for in all players that that we want to bring in. We talk about being smart, tough, dependable, being able to perform at a high level in pressure situations, and we think Jimmy embodies a lot of that, he's embodied that through his career. We've seen that as we've continued to grow together since we've signed him. And so, we feel like he's a good leader for what we value at the position and what we value in terms of team building too."

Q: I know it's way earlier in Aidan's O'Connell's process, but some of those traits that you just talked about it feels like he possesses as well. What's your assessment of where he is right now in his process?

Kelly: "Still developing like most of the young guys who we have on our football team now. I think he's done a good job of learning the system and gaining some trust with our coaching staff and with his teammates. And as a young player, that's all you want to do and during this time. And so, he creates a quiet poise in the huddle prior to every snap, and I think our players appreciate that about him."

Q: What are your observations so far about the guys competing at linebacker so far this past month?

Ziegler: "It's a competitive group. We like the group that we have at linebacker. They all have a little bit of a different skill set. Robert [Spillane] has come in from Pittsburgh and been a guy that has been as advertised. In a lot of ways, I think he's exceeded some expectations just in terms of his ability to run the defense, his ability in pass coverage, his athleticism, some of the things that you don't always know on film until you see him on the grass and you feel it and see him moving around. So, he's done a good job. Divine [Deablo] has taken another step that we're excited about. And then we have Luke [Masterson], who's again another guy that's grown. Amari [Burney] has showed up a little bit in pass coverage and things like that. Curtis Bolton was a guy who developed as a disruptive kicking game player for us a year ago and really led those units, and he's taken another step. And Drake Thomas was all over the field the other night in the Rams game, racking up tackles and things of that nature. And [Kana'i] Mauga, who we brought back, and he goes out he shows up in the kicking game. And so it's a young, energetic, highenergy group that we feel like their skill sets play off each other, and they fill some different roles. And so it's a group we're excited to continue to work with."

Kelly: "I think also, they kind of embody the personality of their of their position coach. AP [Antonio Pierce] has done a tremendous job working with those guys and empowering them to be leaders of that defense."

Q: I think some of those descriptors you guys used people would apply to the full defense, it seems like it's a new look, it's been eye opening throughout training camp and against some of the other teams. What's excited you guys most about seeing this new look defense up close over the last month?

Ziegler: "I think a big emphasis that we put on the defense was making plays on the football. And we've seen that so far here in training camp, it showed up at the joint practices, it showed up in the games, and obviously it doesn't really mean anything until we carry it out on the field, but at the same time, that was an emphasis that we wanted to focus on in training camp, and it showed up. So you have to be you have to be excited about that, and you have to feel good about it."

Kelly: "I think there's a collective trust that you see amongst that unit that's growing. And to watch those guys celebrate after big plays is exciting. It tells you a little bit about their brotherhood. The older guys are pouring into the younger guys, the younger guys are eager to learn. I think that's what you're seeing kind of manifest itself on the football field."

Q: You're talking about development, and we sometimes forget that Nate Hobbs and Tre'von Moehrig are young players in their own right. You kind of put some veterans around them with Marcus Epps and Marcus Peters. Do you feel like they're on track to be what this organization felt like where they were going to be when they got drafted?

Ziegler: "Yeah, we hope so. They've definitely made strides in terms of their consistency in their performance, and I think the two guys that you mentioned, Marcus Epps and Marcus Peters, those guys have a certain standard that that they take pride in how their room performs on a day-to-day basis in practice, and that's contagious to the other guys in the room. And so, it's been an important part, I think, for the whole unit's development to have guys like that in the room that demand a certain standard and have a certain expectation, and that's been exciting to see."

Q: Last year you guys were trying to set the standard, and you had Maxx Crosby, you had Kolton Miller, but you didn't have a lot of leaders. This year that's what the players are talking about. They're mad, they're ticked off. How much better is this football team because the players are setting the standard, it isn't the GMs and the coaches?

Kelly: "Yeah, I would say that anytime that your players are empowered, they become the voice because they are the ones that are executing things on the football field. When they hold each other to a higher standard, I think that's where success lies. And kind of to be a little bit contradictory to what you said, I think those leaders were already here. And so now we're engaging them and pulling them out, and they're stepping into their purpose and now they're controlling their communication to their group, and they're taking ownership in their responsibility and their task on the football field. And that's important for any team to win."

Q: What have you guys seen from Zamir White, he's gotten a large opportunity since Josh Jacobs hasn't been practicing obviously. What have you seen in his development since you drafted him?

Ziegler: "Definitely a lot of growth and maturity. I think if I was going to pinpoint a specific area where we've seen a lot of growth in him is in the passing game as a route runner, in pass protection, his ability to catch the ball out of the backfield. And that's because he puts a lot of extra work in. His position coach KP [Kennedy Polamalu] demands a lot from those guys, and you'll see Zamir [White] after practice, he's on the JUGS Machine or KP is throwing him balls. He's put a lot of extra time in, and I think that's one thing with young players that maybe is the biggest hurdle for a lot of guys to figure out is what does it take for me personally. What do I have to do extra? How much time do I have to spend individually to show growth in the areas that I want to improve in? And that might be different than the guy next to him. And finding your own style, what it takes for you. And I think is Zamir has done that both on the field and then when it comes to the playbook and things like that. He's poured into it, and he's starting to see the results. And that's the fun part of football is when you see young players grow in those areas. I mean you guys have talked to him, he's a great young man, very humble, very hard working. And so, we've been excited to see that growth from him."

Q: We talked to Josh McDaniels yesterday about the third quarterback rule and how that could be employed. Does it weigh into your decision making at all in terms of roster building? And I guess, how could that be used going forward?

Ziegler: "I mean, we have three quarterbacks on the roster, so obviously it's something -- well four counting [Chase] Garbers. In terms of deciding whether we're going to keep three and that rule, I think it's more about the construction of your room and what you have in that room and how those different pieces play off of each other more than just saying we're going to use that rule to our advantage or some strategic element to it. I think it's more just about the construction of the room. So, we'll see how this pans out over the next week, and if it ends up with three, then we'll have three."

Kelly: "It's more so like the spirit of that rule, I think is for the right for the right reason. How it's deployed across the league this season, we'll see that as it comes. So, we're excited about our entire group and watching them compete and watching them work together and watching them be an extension of Josh [McDaniels] has really been exciting."

Q: What have you guys seen from Hunter Renfrow this camp?

Ziegler: "I've seen a lot of good stuff. And I think he's feeling good. I think he was battling a lot of things last year just in terms of feeling good on a daily basis, and he's felt good this year. And I think what we've seen is a player that -- I know that when we watched before we took this job and you're studying the roster and things like that - a player that is very hard to cover can produce in the red zone, is a really good player on third down. And again, it wasn't for a lack of him wanting to do it, he just physically didn't always feel the best last year. So, it's been great to see him feel great, play great, and we're ecstatic to see that development see that growth. He's a hard worker, he's a great kid. He embodies a lot of things that we that we value as a team, and so we're ready to see him rip this year and have a great year."

Q: After having a full year with the Raiders and also having your full draft allotment, how much better is that compared to last year when you just stepped in the door in January and now being able to try to take that step forward in 2023?

Ziegler: "Yeah, a lot more continuity and a lot more comfort with really every process and with knowing the team and having a better understanding of each individual player and areas that we need to improve, areas that we feel good about. I mean, I just think there's a higher confidence throughout the building, there's a higher confidence within the team, there's a higher confidence with the coaching staff because expectations are understood, standards are understood, the way that we do things and how we prepare, people understand why we do those things. So, a big part of the growth is for people understanding the why. And that's whether it's people in the scouting department understanding that, players understanding that, coaches understanding that, the whole building understanding the why and being unified in that way, and I feel like that's a big step that we've taken and we're excited to see how it pays off here this year.

Q: First, how close do you guys feel you are to being ready for Tuesday? And how much can things change? But I guess the bigger picture question would be, how much does versatility matter in terms of: ‘Hey, this guy might be a better player, but this guy's more versatile and can help us out.’ How much does that weigh into the decisions?

Ziegler: "Yeah, well, we're doing a lot of work upstairs right now from the scouting standpoint. Our pro department, Dwayne Joseph, our pro scouts, Jordon Hein, Ben Chester, our scouting assistants, Champ [Kelly]. Really, it's all hands-on deck right now, evaluating all 31 other rosters, having an understanding of what players are on the bubble, what players could be available in trades, what veterans can be cut. And so, there's a lot of film being watched, there's a lot of evaluations taking place. There's a lot of conversations about our roster compared to other players that may be available. That's the nature of the business, that's the competitive aspect of it. And so, there's a lot of that work going on that we feel good about. We feel like we're in a good spot where there's a lot of conversations about so many different things from a strategic standpoint, whether it's who's on the 53, to who's on the practice squad, whether there's an area we may want to improve. So, a lot of those conversations. I'll let you speak to the versatility piece…

Kelly: "Well, I'll just say it is never an easy time, right. Like, there's 1,200 guys across the league who are going to probably get waived come Tuesday. And so, it's not easy because these people have been invested in our football team and the success of our team, and some of these people won't be with us. And that's the reality of it. And we hope that they have opportunities elsewhere. There will be some tough decisions that we ultimately have to make. But Dave and Josh are going to always make the right decisions for the Raiders. And ultimately, that's what we'll accomplish on Tuesday.”

Ziegler: "I think the versatility piece, it increases your value. If you can fill in for two spots, whether it's on the offensive line, or you can play inside and outside at corner, a linebacker that has value on all three downs. Any versatility, the more you can do, you increase your value, you increase your chances to make the team and so that's definitely something that we look at because you only get 53. And so, the more people that you have on the team that can fill multiple roles throughout a season where there's going to be injuries and things like that is something that we talk a lot about when we’re working through the decision-making process.”

Q: What have you guys seen from Tyree Wilson in the past week that he's been out there?

Ziegler: "Well, one, it's been good to see to get them out there. And he worked really hard in the rehab process. Our athletic training staff led by Chris Cortez has done a really good job of kind of laying out for us, here’s how the process is going to go, here's why it's going to go this way and taking some baby steps or incremental steps here along the way to be patient and make sure when he got out in the field, he was ready to go. Three practices into playing in the NFL, and he's practicing against a bunch of guys who have had a bunch of practices under their belt. And so, there's going to be that learning curve. But he's long, he's explosive, he's fast. Now, he just needs to learn how to play from a technique standpoint at the NFL level and understand he's still learning the scheme and what the calls mean. There's a hurdle that he went over to get on the field, and now there's 1,2,3,4 more hurdles in terms of learning how to play the run, learning how to play certain pass defenses, the line game stunts, twists, all that stuff. So, he's got a lot to do. He's got a lot of work to do here in front of them, but we're obviously excited to have him out on the field.”

Kelly: “I would say he's determined."

The Silver and Black return to preseason action when they play the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on Saturday, Aug. 26, at 8 p.m. EDT/5 p.m. PDT.

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