Las Vegas Raiders OT Thayer Munford from OTAs

The Las Vegas Raiders offensive tackle Thayer Munford spoke from the Silver and Black NFL OTAs, and we have it all for you.

Las Vegas' Thayer Munford prepares for the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game against Jacksonville at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton on Thursday, August 4, 2022. Raiders Vs Jags 8188 / The Repository / Scott Heckel / USA

HENDERSON, Nev.—Under the influential leadership of Coach Antonio Pierce, the Las Vegas Raiders are riding a wave of optimism, firmly positioned in the heart of NFL OTAs.

Offensive tackle Thayer Munford spoke after a recent OTA practice, and we have it for you.

You can watch the entire press conference below, or if you prefer, you can listen by clicking right here.

Tackle Thayer Munford

Q: Would you talk about the differences between left and right tackle? Is it schematically or physically anything different? Munford: "It's more mental than anything. Left side was always my best side back in college, but since I got to the NFL I've always been playing right. But it's a good challenge for me, and I can show people I can actually play right and left, so it's a versatility thing. I'm happy about it."

Q: You've moved around a lot throughout your career, jumbo tackle, playing both the left and right side. Do you think you benefit from focusing a little bit more on the right side? Munford: "A little bit, but there is a new system that we have, and I've been in my mindset mostly on the right, but also have my mindset on the left too just in case something does happen to like Kolton [Miller] or [Andrus] Peat of course. But I'm always going to be ready for the left no matter what."

Q: How quickly have you felt like you picked up this new system that you're working in now? Munford: "It actually picked up pretty well because it's the same system that I'm used to back in Ohio State, because we were more like spread back at Ohio State. It's pretty good."

Q: Throughout the draft process and the offseason, there was a lot of people outside the building saying the Raiders need a right tackle, and a lot of people in the building were saying we have a right tackle. Did you get motivated by that? Did you follow it? Did you pay attention to it at all? Munford: "I read into them a little bit but also at the same time, they're not here. But I don't really care what they say. I know what I can do, and the team knows what I can do, so they trust in me right now and I'm not going to let anybody down."

Q: How hard or how easy is that to compartmentalize that and use that as fuel going forward rather than to marinate in it? Munford: "I just keep receipts. Everybody knows that one person. I don't really care for them at all, so it's all good, though. It's all love outside of this, but I'm going to keep doing me, keep getting better, keep going against Maxx [Crosby], do what I can do." Q: You've been outspoken about your support of Zamir White and obviously this is his chance to now be the dog. What is it about him that you bought in so early? Munford: "The reason why I bought in so early was because when I was at Ohio State, they always taught us to actually go get it. And ever since I got here, I will always went to go get it and I got to picked late, and I always what to prove people wrong. I've been proving people wrong all my life and I'm going to keep doing that."

Q: I guess how much more confident do you feel coming into this year? Munford: "Night and day difference. Night and day difference from my first year, my second year, to now. Now, I'm like, 'Alright, I know I can play, I know I can go against one of the best, especially with Maxx [Crosby] and anybody else that we're going to play this year.' And I know what I can do, so all I have to do now is actually meet my potential and actually do it and help everybody else out on the team as well."

Q: You've practiced a lot against Malcolm Koonce and he's really come into his own. What is it about Malcolm that's helped him make that next step? Munford: "Malcolm, he's quiet. He doesn't really say too much. He comes into work every day, does what he does, and he works hard. He doesn't blink twice on anything. Yeah, he'll get mad over a couple reps, but at the same time, he has that mentality of a dog. He doesn't really care what you think or what anybody else thinks for real. So, it's just like, 'Alright, just keep it going.' That's how everybody is on the team."

Q: What about Tyree Wilson, does he have the same mindset? Munford: "He does have that same mindset. He has definitely grown up a lot from his first year here to now. He's grown up a lot mentally, too."

Q: It looks like you guys are reimagining the offensive line a little bit with you out there on the right side, Dylan Parham there next to you on that side too, and then drafting guys on the line. I mean, how exciting is that to be part of something that's kind of having that trust but also being reinvented a little bit? Munford: "It's great. But me and Dylan [Parham] were like, 'They're going to keep replacing us of course, but at the same time, we have to keep going.' We can't just really think about what they did. All we have to do is think about what can we do to get better and for the team as well."

Q: Dylan Parham's played a lot on the left side with you on the right a little bit more. How well are you guys working together? Munford: "We're working pretty well. You could say for us, we had a little rookie moment a little bit, but me and him have been great friends. I treat him like my brother, and I always will. We talk every day about how can we get better and how can we help each other out on the right side so we can actually make that connection."

Q: You guys play a Black Friday game, what do you think of that and what do you think about the NFL playing the Wednesday Christmas and all that stuff? Munford: "They've got to see us first. I don't really care about that, it's time to go play."

Ensure you follow on X (Twitter) @HondoCarpenter and IG @HondoSr and never miss another breaking news story again.

Please let us know your thoughts when you like our Facebook page WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE.