Silver And Black Pride

Raiders rookie RB receiving targets from Mendoza in practice; featured on quick outlet routes out of the backfield during team sessions; part of second- and third-team offensive units getting reps with backup quarterbacks.

37-year-old veteran (turns 38 on Aug. 19) serving as QB1 and bridge quarterback to Mendoza; familiarity with head coach Klint Kubiak, offensive coordinator Andrew Janocko, and offensive line coach Rick Dennison helps expedite learning curve; early returns are promising; takes over 90 percent of practice reps due to QB1 tax under new CBA; expected to push both backup quarterbacks and serve as learning resource for Mendoza and O'Connell.

Fourth-year veteran backup QB with 21 games and 17 starts of NFL experience; may be first man up if Cousins injured; getting game-ready is vital for Raiders contingency planning; came back 'a little bigger, a little stronger' and 'thrown the ball really well' per GM John Spytek; learning Kubiak's complex offense from scratch with zero prior experience in the system; benefits from prior experience assimilating to Josh McDaniels' complex scheme as 2023 rookie; competing with Mendoza and pushing Cousins per Kubiak's expectations.

No. 1 overall pick in 2026 NFL Draft from Indiana; viewed as long-term heir apparent at Raiders QB position; getting first-team reps is vital for development despite practice rep limitations under new CBA; had sharp outing as de facto QB1 when Cousins held out during Saturday practice; transitioning from pro-style offense to Kubiak's under-center operation focused on play-action; head coach Kubiak expects him to push starter Kirk Cousins and emphasizes he is 'very coachable' and 'locked in on the process.'

Runyon is expected to step up into a depth tight end role in 2026 and see a fair share of 30-50 targets or more under new TE coach Luke Steckel, who emphasizes blocking and development.

Thomas is expected to step up into a depth tight end role in 2026 and see a fair share of 30-50 targets or more under new TE coach Luke Steckel, who emphasizes blocking and development.

Mayer is expected to step up into a depth tight end role in 2026 and see a fair share of 30-50 targets or more under new TE coach Luke Steckel, who emphasizes blocking and development.

In 2026, Bowers will transition from working primarily as a tight end to functioning more as a joker position on offense; TE coach Luke Steckel has seen Bowers improve each season and will oversee this role expansion.

Cousins is the current starter for the Raiders, but his Week 1 starting role is no longer a certainty. If Fernando Mendoza continues his strong performance trajectory in training camp, the assumption of Cousins being the starter in Week 1 could change, putting his depth chart position at risk.

The Las Vegas Raiders drafted Mendoza #1 overall in April 2026 and he is expected to take the reins at some point during the 2026 season. QB coach Mike Sullivan praised his work ethic and meticulous approach, noting he is "a very diligent, tireless worker" who reviews every pass play, evaluates progressions and footwork, and critiques his own performance. Mendoza got reps with the ones during Saturday's practice and impressed the coaching staff by executing the offense. If he continues this trajectory, he could challenge Kirk Cousins for the Week 1 starting role.

Selected as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft by the Las Vegas Raiders, establishing him as the franchise quarterback under new head coach Klint Kubiak and general manager John Spytek.

Kj Bolden notes AJ Harris from Indiana was a former first-round potential prospect who had a bad 2025 season and is looking for a rebound, indicating a prospect in need of recovery after a disappointing year.

Kj Bolden projects Xavier Scott as a top-20 pick in April 2027 if he rebounds from a 2025 injury with a season similar to his 2024 production (50 tackles, 4 INT, 11 PBU). The 5'11/190 senior from Illinois is a safety/nickel hybrid who plays similarly to Devon Witherspoon despite being undersized. Scott shows elite hip flexibility, smooth snappy hips, exceptional footspeed, and elite mirroring ability. He has good strength to take on blocks, above-average length to disrupt catch points, and fluid athleticism with good long speed. Bolden notes the NFL is valuing the nickel position heavily and Scott should thrive in that role.

Kirk Cousins is the franchise quarterback anchoring the Raiders' 2026 roster improvement. The source notes that free agency and draft results have fans hyped about the future, especially with Cousins on the roster as a franchise-level signal-caller. This context positions Cousins as central to the team's turnaround narrative, with 78% of Raiders fans confident the team can exceed the 6.5 win total after a 3-14 season.

Part of an effective 1-2 RB punch with Mike Washington in the running back rotation, indicating a committee approach to the backfield.

Part of an effective 1-2 RB punch with Ashton Jeanty. Showed plenty of explosive runs and is hard to take down at the second level, demonstrating elusiveness and playmaking ability in the running back rotation.

Earned first-team reps during the 2-minute drill over Nailor, who had a drop earlier in practice. This suggests Benson is competing favorably for a receiving role in critical situations.

Received first-team QB reps throughout the morning due to Cousins being held out. Had his best day of camp: sharp in the red zone with three touchdowns, including his best throw to Tre Tucker with great anticipation. Completed five passes in a row during the two-minute drill, leading the team to a field goal before time expired. Mendoza is creeping up on the starting QB position for Week 1 and could give Cousins a bigger push for the starting job.

Held out of team sessions (11-on-11) and drills due to an incident on Friday; directly impacts starting QB position and Week 1 availability. The absence allowed Fernando Mendoza to get first-team reps and creep up on the starting QB position.

Tucker is one of the main contenders in an open return game competition alongside Malik Benson, Jermod McCoy, and Dylan Laube per special teams coach Joe DeCamillis.

Benson is one of the main contenders in an open return game competition alongside Jermod McCoy, Tre Tucker, and Dylan Laube per special teams coach Joe DeCamillis.

Despite negative draft chatter and low returns on Spytek's day-two picks including Bech, the young receiver wasn't getting much love early in camp but has been making plays and popping up in recent reports; source cautions against overreacting to early training camp reports given last year's coaching staff was infamously stubborn about playing rookies.

Laube is factoring into the return game competition mix alongside Malik Benson, Jermod McCoy, and Tre Tucker as main contenders per special teams coach Joe DeCamillis.

Young returned a handful of kickoffs last year but has no punt returns during his career; he faces open competition for return duties with Malik Benson, Jermod McCoy, Tre Tucker, and Dylan Laube as main contenders per special teams coach Joe DeCamillis.

Young returned a handful of kickoffs last year but has no punt returns during his career. The source indicates there is competition for punt return duties, with special teams coach Joe DeCamillis evaluating multiple candidates including Malik Benson, Jermod McCoy, and Tre Tuck for return assignments.

Benson, a day three wide receiver pick, has been a standout during training camp and appears to be pushing for a starting spot. The source reports positive feedback from Benson in every practice so far, making him one of the top two pleasant surprises of camp. Additionally, special teams coach Joe DeCamillis has been evaluating Benson for special teams return duties.

If Cousins starts all 17 games and the Raiders compete for a playoff spot in week 17, the source projects season stats similar to his 2020 Vikings season under Klint Kubiak: approximately 346 completions on 516 attempts (67.6%), 4,265 yards, 35 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. However, the source notes the 35 TD figure is Cousins' career high and he hasn't thrown 500+ passes since 2022, so realistic expectations are closer to 25-30 touchdowns and under 4,000 yards for a fringe playoff team.

Mendoza is one of the main stars of the quarterback room alongside Kirk Cousins. The source theorizes Mendoza could be the emergency game day quarterback rather than the backup, allowing him to prepare all week as the starter if Cousins is out for multiple games, creating a more controlled environment for his first regular-season appearance rather than coming off the bench cold.

O'Connell isn't standing out during training camp with minimal information or reports on him so far, though this could be due to more attention on Kirk Cousins and Fernando Mendoza. The source theorizes O'Connell could begin the year as the backup/second-stringer with Mendoza as the emergency game day quarterback, positioning O'Connell to enter if Cousins gets injured rather than throwing the rookie into a chaotic situation.

Rookie receiver Malik Benson was targeted by Kirk Cousins on a crossing route during the final team period on Friday, though the pass was tipped by Maxx Crosby and fell short of the intended target.

Tight end Michael Mayer characterized the training camp altercations as energy and part of padded practice, while endorsing Kirk Cousins' willingness to defend his teammates and maintain an edge, noting that Cousins has shown this leadership quality since joining the team.

Wide receiver Jack Bech, who has been a hot topic of discussion during early training camp, recorded a pair of touchdowns during 1-on-1 drills on Friday, demonstrating early offensive production.

Cousins threw two interceptions before bouncing back with a good two-minute drill period during Friday's practice; he engaged in an altercation with Maxx Crosby late in the session after Crosby tipped a pass intended for rookie Malik Benson, with Cousins apparently defending his teammates from Crosby's physical play.

Continues to shine during training camp practice, demonstrating consistent performance and development.

Had a big day in training camp practice, catching a back shoulder pass from Kirk Cousins in the red zone and shaking off defensive back Eric Stokes for a touchdown. Tucker is positioned to silence critics with his performance.

Established as the starting tight end after being drafted in 2024 and reducing Michael Mayer's role. His relationship with Mayer has grown, and the two will be featured together on plenty of offensive looks. Bowers and Mayer are expected to form one of the best tight end tandems in the NFL if the Raiders execute on offense.

Featured prominently during training camp practice with a long touchdown during team session and a big catch over the middle where he used his size to hold off defensive back Taron Johnson, demonstrating his ability to contribute in the red zone and as a receiving threat.

Expected to have a bigger role in 2026 offense under new head coach Klint Kubiak after struggling when Brock Bowers was drafted in 2024 and reduced his role. Mayer bounced back in 2025 and will form a two-tight-end tandem with Bowers, with both expected to be on the field together on plenty of looks. Mayer believes the pairing can grow into one of the best tight end duos in the NFL.

Mayer has always been mentioned as a breakout candidate, and there's a great shot that he will see a career high in snaps this season as the inline TE with Brock Bowers split into an H-Back or slot role. Increased snaps should improve his total receiving line, and he should also figure to be a big player in the red zone. Mayer is a top run blocker, and that alone will get him paid well this off-season, but improving his receiving film could go a long way as well. Klint Kubiak's offense has lived heavily out of 12 personnel, and a large part of that offense can be implemented with Bowers and Mayer.

Tucker is coming off his best season in 2025 with 57 receptions, 696 yards, and five touchdowns. He should see his chance to play in an offense that will allow him to work with the ball in his hands, work intermediate threat, and be the true top off the defense option. Tucker needs to improve on his drops, but he's shown the speed, improved route running, and contested catch ability that can make him a capable WR2 in the NFL. Heading into a career year and a new offense (the fourth of his career), Tucker will also have the best QB play he's had in his NFL tenure.