Las Vegas Raiders Insider Podcast Talks Rookies, RB Room, and Who Is the Most Improved in the AFC West

The latest episode of the Las Vegas Raiders Insider Podcast discusses Silver and Black rookies, the running back room, and who is the most improved team in the AFC West.

Las Vegas Raiders RB Zamir White / Darrell Craig Harris, Sports Illustrated

HENDERSON, Nev.—The Las Vegas Raiders have officially completed their first OTA and Mandatory Mini-camps of the 2024 season, and all attention is turning to the NFL Training Camp to be held in Costa Mesa, California.

Under the guidance of head coach Antonio Pierce, the Silver and Black have united as a team, from the coaching staff to the players. Their collective optimism and confidence are soaring, and the bar for their performance, if possible, has increased.

The latest episode of the Las Vegas Raiders Insider Podcast discusses Silver and Black rookies, the running back room, and who is the most improved team in the AFC West.

You can watch the entire podcast below:

Coach Antonio Pierce addressed the media after the mandatory mini-camp, and here is a brief transcript of his comments.

Q: What is your assessment of where the offense is right now in terms of the install? And it seems like there's a little ways to go obviously. Coach Pierce: "Yeah, I mean there is because we've still got training camp. So that's the good part. This is what I would say, and I know it might come up in the other question. I don't think the offense is behind. I think the offense is where every team that has a new offensive coordinator and head coach, is at right now. I don't think I've ever heard a team say, 'Man the offense is way ahead of the defense right now,' in June. It's going to be the opposite. It's always the defense is ahead of the offense. Where I think our guys are doing a good job is Luke Getsy and that offensive staff, they've thrown everything at the guys. They got the playbook. Just asked them today, 'Hey guys, is everything in? Luke is everything in?' And he shook his head, 'Yes, it is AP.' Okay cool. So now that's what we'll use the next five weeks. We'll get together as a staff when we get back in training camp, okay less is more. I live in that world less is more. And who are we? What is our true identity? We'll figure that out more in pads, but I think when you give the volume anywhere, I don't care what offense you're with, it's going to be some ups and down days. It's the learning curve. Do you remember three years ago with us with Patrick Graham? It wasn't pretty. Look where we are at today. So, one of our pillars is process. And I told our guys, 'Don't get frustrated, just trust the process.' And I know it's repetitive, it's a cliche deal, but it's true. Just trust the process. And again, it's on us as coaches to take out the things that we just can't get right. But it's also up to you as players to get it right. To study your playbook, right? To come back July 23 more dialed in and more focused, more of an understanding of what to expect, what the calls are, the vocabulary. That's your job, you're a pro football player. You come prepared come July 23rd. I think you'll see growth as we go to through training camp."

Q: De'Andre Pierce spoke about respect for your career, but the fact that the way you fathered him was what he was proud of. Father's Day coming and your family is so valuable. What does that mean to you? Coach Pierce: "It's cool. I'm fortunate to be an only child. I'm also fortunate I had a lot of children. And when I played, I had De'Andre [Pierce] at 18 years old. So, sophomore year of college, you've got a son, I'm chasing my career goal and there's a lot of things I missed. There's a lot of graduations, performances, practices I couldn't take him too. And I didn't want a chance that when I got older and I finished playing that I missed those again. De'Andre has done a good job throughout his life of high school, playing college football, tried the pros, got into coaching. Listen, the opportunity came up, you put him on the staff, you put him at the bottom of the list, make him do the simple things, the hard things, things he's not comfortable with. He's over there coaching the O-line getting the hell beat out of him by Jackson [Powers[1]Johnson], getting thrown out the club. But the cool part about it and Father's Day coming up and for all our coaches and all the fathers out there, there's nothing like that relationship. As fathers we get beat up a lot. I wasn't a deadbeat dad. I was always there for my son, and I'm proud of where he is. I'm proud of all my children. And I'm just proud of the really the men that we have in this building, because I think we've got some excellent men in his building and Happy Father's Day to everybody going forward."

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