With Pete Carroll at the helm, the Las Vegas Raiders are officially kicking off their training camp, and there’s an air of excitement buzzing around the Intermountain Health Performance Center. The fans turned out in droves to witness the revamped Raiders roster as they gear up for the 2025 season. While there’s still a way to go before the preseason kicks off, it was clear from the first practice that the team is making productive strides in their preparation.
Offensive Highlights
One standout from the day was rookie running back Ashton Jeanty, who looks poised to take on a major role in the offense. Continuing his trend from OTAs and minicamp, Jeanty was prominently featured during first-team reps. However, his impact wasn’t just as a rusher; he showcased his skills as a receiver out of the backfield, turning multiple screen passes into impressive gains. It’s clear the strategy here is to leverage his speed and agility to create mismatches in open space.
“Ashton is a smooth running back out of the backfield,” said quarterback Geno Smith. “We’ve seen what he can do against contact and breaking tackles. The thing that really impresses me is his ability to catch out of the backfield. He’s a real natural in that aspect.”
Smith also connected with tight end Ian Thomas for a touchdown during 7-on-7 drills, highlighting the offensive versatility that the Raiders have been working on. Mixing in 12 and 13 personnel packages, featuring tight ends Thomas, Brock Bowers, and Michael Mayer, illustrates the emphasis on utilizing tight end talent to create mismatches across the field.
“The tight end group has been really impressive,” Pete Carroll noted before camp began. “We know what Brock can do. Michael Mayer had a great offseason with us, and Ian had a terrific offseason with us.”
It’s worth mentioning that Smith was close to connecting with rookie Dont’e Thornton Jr. on a deep pass during team drills but just narrowly missed. It’s optimistic, though, that Smith is consistently looking for Thornton, who has become a target for him throughout the offseason.
“Repetition is always going to be the thing for me,” Smith explained. “The more we can get in the classroom together and I can talk to these guys and help them see what I’m seeing … and then just getting out on the field. We’re going through it out on the field, getting all the reps that we can.”
Defensive Developments
On the defensive side, the unit appears to be building a strong rapport as they ramp up their speed and effectiveness. Linebackers Devin White and Elandon Roberts were a constant presence, effectively communicating from their respective positions to ensure everyone was on the same page.
One of the standout moments came from cornerback Sam Webb, who nearly secured an interception with an impressive read. Although he ended up dropping the ball, it was enough to earn celebratory reactions from his teammates, demonstrating the camaraderie and high spirits among the defense.
The Raiders are trying an intriguing combination in their secondary, with Jakorian Bennett taking one cornerback position as expected given his performance in 2024. The second spot featured rookie Darien Porter, who continues to earn valuable first-team reps. Carroll has expressed confidence in Porter, citing his speed and innate playmaking abilities.
“He met expectations for what we had hoped we would see,” Carroll previously remarked about Porter. “He’s got tremendous speed. He’s got a natural sense about him as an athlete. He was a receiver, and you could see that he’s got receiving skills. So, he’ll have his opportunity to show. He’s going to get a lot of work and we’re going to try to wear him out so that he gains as much as he can as fast.”
In a significant move, the Raiders also added former Pro Bowler Jamal Adams to their safety mix, which already includes Jeremy Chinn, Isaiah Pola-Mao, and Lonnie Johnson Jr. Chinn spoke highly of Adams, noting his ability to impact the game in various ways.
“He’s one of Pete’s guys, so just his ability to affect the game in different ways from close to the line of scrimmage to really just flying all around the ball,” Chinn explained.
As the Raiders embark on this new chapter under Carroll, defensive end Maxx Crosby captured the mindset that each player needs to have for the upcoming season.
“We’ve got to be delusional enough to believe in what we can truly do. That’s the only way you can go out there and win.”
With a balanced mix of offensive innovation and defensive fortification, the Raiders are certainly laying the groundwork for what they hope will be a successful 2025 season. As training camp continues, fans and analysts alike will be keen to see how these early narratives unfold.
