Raiders Players Are Eager to Put the Pads on and Get to Work

The Las Vegas Raiders have kicked off training camp but cannot practice with pads on for a week. Coach Antonio Pierce says the players are more than ready to fully suit up and get to work.

Las Vegas Raiders Offensive Tackle Delmar (DJ) Glaze / Darrell Craig Harris, Sports Illustrated

Training camp has begun for the Las Vegas Raiders, and they are more than excited to turn the page from what was a rocky and disappointing 2023-24 season. There are multiple noteworthy aspects to look forward to in this year’s Raiders training camp, mainly the competition between quarterbacks Aidan O’Connell and Gardner Minshew for the team’s starting quarterback position.

Earlier this offseason, General Manager Tom Telesco did a respectable job of adding much-needed depth and talent to the Raiders roster, especially on the offensive side of the ball. The Raiders also added new Offensive Coordinator Luke Getsy, who has been tasked with improving the playcalling for the Raiders’ offense. This will make for a much better quarterback competition, as that is arguably the most significant question mark on the Raiders roster entering training camp.

The Raiders' defense finished last season as one of the best defenses in the league. Telesco then added one of the best defensive tackles in the league, Christian Wilkins, to play with veterans Maxx Crosby, Malcolm Koonce, and Adam Butler. The Raiders defense has the potential to be a top-ten defense this season. 

All eyes will be on the Raiders’ quarterback competition as it will take place against the talented defense during training camp. However, the first few days of camp are had without the players fully dressed in pads. Coach Antonio Pierce, who is entering his first training camp as a coach in the National Football League, says that while the excitement surrounding the quarterback competition and the defense is noticeable, no one is more excited than the players themselves to fully suit up and begin going full contact on the field.

However, the team will have to wait until next week. 

“I just think it’s time,” Pierce said. “Our guys are eager. There’s a lot of burn and desire in our players that want to just get out there and play. We’ve got a couple of days here where we can’t do it. So, we’ve got to slow them down a little bit, but come next Tuesday, it’s full throttle. We’ll scrimmage, we’ll go live, we’ll tackle, we’ll do all the good stuff to really get some competition and get a good feel for our team.

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