A new starting linebacker, a few D-line interceptions, and.. a giant inflatable ball? There truly is nothing like the Las Vegas Raiders’ three-day minicamp.
To the average fan, mandatory minicamp doesn’t mean a whole lot. The team gets back together to grind away offseason rust, playing football as a cohesive unit for the first time in months–for some, the first time playing football with their new teammates in general.
And, in truth, mandatory minicamp is just that.
Heck, the players aren’t even in pads yet. Nothing too noteworthy happens during this time period.
If ever a team was to prove that above statement wrong, it was the Las Vegas Raiders of this year. Under Pete Carroll and John Spytek, there was always something happening during the three days of mandatory minicamp.
At times, that something was player-induced. Take Maxx Crosby and Tonka Hemingway for example, both who managed to secure interceptions on drills this week.
Well.. sort of. Crosby’s is up for debate, being he wasn’t even a defensive player on the play. Okay–Crosby’s wasn’t at all an interception, but it was fun to watch.
Is that a pick? I’ll let you decide.#Raiders pic.twitter.com/cAbF5bVAqe
— Levi Edwards (@theleviedwards) June 11, 2025
That was before Crosby’s pick-six on a broken-up screen pass which indeed was an interception. Score one for the multi-time All-Pro.
Other times, the something in question was a result of Carroll’s coaching. If the 73-year-old wasn’t pinning players during warmups, he was releasing the kraken.
Except, in this case, the kraken was a giant inflatable bubble. And it wasn’t exactly Carroll’s idea, either, as he’d later explain.
Even Spytek, Las Vegas’ general manager, contributed to the madness during the team’s mandatory minicamp. Linebacker Germaine Pratt was officially released from the Cincinnati Bengals on Tuesday, and became a member of the Silver and Black on Wednesday.
Talk about moving quickly.
And that’s not even close to all that happened during these past three days. Hard to believe, right?
Las Vegas Raiders wrap up mandatory minicamp: Everything that happened
Pete Carroll
The energy Pete Carroll has brought to the Raiders throughout the team’s offseason program is like none other. More than that, it’s contagious.
That’s something players coached by Carroll in years past are plenty familiar with. Take Marshawn Lynch, for example, who couldn’t be more excited that Carroll is coaching his childhood team. Or future Hall-of-Fame linebacker Bobby Wagner, who expressed his delight for Carroll’s return to the coaching world earlier in the year on social media.
Or, Geno Smith, who still can’t get enough of his head coach.
And now, players who wear the NFL’s iconic silver and black uniforms are experiencing that first hand.
“He really starts it with energy,” Raiders newcomer Alex Cappa said of Pete Carroll’s approach to each day during the team’s final minicamp press conference on Thursday.
“He demands energy from his coaching staff, he brings it every day and then it’s contagious throughout the building. Yeah, that was an interesting one today with the big bubble, but every day we start practice with high energy. And it’s an everyday thing; it’s not an act with him, he really brings it every single day.”
Safety Isaiah Pola-Mao had a few words himself about Carroll’s electricity.
“I’ve never had a head coach really hands on with the DBs so it’s different for me,” Pola-Mao explained.
“But I love it. And Pete’s legendary.”
Of course, most of the team has felt Pete’s impact well prior to mandatory minicamp. Same goes for rookie Ashton Jeanty who, more than anything, showed incredible promise as a pass-catcher throughout this period.
Jeanty did, after all, haul in 38 receptions during his ’23 campaign; the sixth-most among all running backs across the FBS.
And Jeanty, like Carroll, is another member of the Raiders organization who was showered in praise throughout the team’s string of minicamp press conferences.
Ashton Jeanty
It likely comes as little surprise that Jeanty, the sixth-overall selection in the 2025 NFL Draft, has impressed his Raiders coaches and teammates consistently through the offseason. That includes this week during minicamp.
“Ashton had an excellent camp,” Carroll concluded on Thursday.
“Ashton looks every bit what we hoped he would look like. He caught the ball really well, he understood stuff, took everything really seriously, gave terrific effort throughout.”
But even as impressed as Carroll is with his rookie, it seems to pale in comparison to how fired up Jeanty’s teammates are about him.
Nearly everyone who spoke with the media during mandatory minicamp had a glowing review of the 21-year-old.
“He’s such a strong and dynamic back,” cornerstone left tackle Kolton Miller noted of his first-year running back. “He can’t show his full abilities right now during OTAs, but off the field he’s very mature.”
Fellow running back Raheem Mostert is nothing short of an Ashton Jeanty fan, viewing the Heisman runner-up as, in his own words, a “Generational talent.”
“He’s coming in and he’s doing everything we ask him,” Mostert said of the Boise State alum.
“If you look at his stature.. everything that he does.. He’s not that big, in regards to being tall, but he’s a little wider. And he can put himself in position to maneuver runs and slip out of things.”
Even Daniel Carlson, who struck a deal with Jeanty for No. 2 this offseason, had his own stamp of approval for the rookie.
“I’m no expert, but he looks the part for sure,” the All-Pro kicker noted.
But don’t think Jeanty was the only player receiving his fair-share of compliments and overall recognition these past three days. That’s far from the case–a multitude of Raiders players earned gold stars throughout minicamp in the eyes of their peers.
More rookies, more praise
Ashton wasn’t even the only rookie to be given a glowing endorsement for that matter. Jack Bech, Darien Porter, and Dont’e Thornton, to name a few, each had nods of approval thrown their way this week.
“Dont’e and Jack, they did their stuff,” coach Carroll made sure to note on Thursday.
Jakorian Bennett has grown into a fan of Thornton himself. “He’s nice. Like 6-5, 4-3 speed. He got it,” the third-year Raider cornerback explained.
It isn’t only Thornton who’s caught Bennett’s attention from this year’s rookie class, either. “Lanky. Fast. He’s going to be good for us,” a smiling Bennett said of his position-mate Darien Porter.
Special teams coordinator Tom McMahon had his own thoughts on Porter.
“[Porter]’s a big player that plays really, really fast. He’s detailed. And he’s got a lot of.. we can’t teach what he can do.”
Kolton Miller couldn’t help but give both of the team’s rookie offensive linemen their flowers as well.
“They come in with a sense of maturity. They’re listening, they’re looking for ways to improve every day. Charles [Grant] and Caleb [Rodgers], they’re great examples. They’re taking a step each day and you can see the focus, and the work after practice. They’re doing it the right way.”
On top of adding two offensive line players, Sin City welcomed two defensive linemen by way of April’s draft. Veteran defensive tackle Adam Butler has been pleasantly pleased with his unit’s rookies throughout minicamp, too.
“I think they work hard,” said Butler. “Some guys come in and you can tell if it really matters to them or not. It really matters to these guys.. Kind of too much sometimes.
“I’m pleased with them and the way that they’ve come to work.”
Geno Smith – QB1 of the Las Vegas Raiders
Among the more impressive players throughout both minicamp and the offseason at large is quarterback Geno Smith.
The reviews on Smith from his coaches and teammates are in, and they’re excellent–hard to beat, even. Those who stepped up to the podium throughout the week shared their thoughts on the man under center in Las Vegas.
“I was thrilled how he embraced the leadership opportunity,” Carroll said of one of his “All-time favorite guys.”
The love from Carroll is perhaps expected when it comes to Smith. After all, the two have a long, rich history with one another. The majority of Geno’s new teammates, on the other hand, have zero history with the 34-year-old signal caller.
And yet, the admiration was all the same.
“He’s a real pro’s pro,” Kolton Miller said of his quarterback. “He comes in with the right attitude each day, and, as far as accountability, he’s doing all the right things every day.”
Alex Cappa joined in on the praising of Smith’s leadership.
“He’s a great leader for us,” the first-year Raiders guard noted. “Really operates everything really well and gets everybody on the same page.”
Others are downright in awe at Smith’s arm talent. Take Adam Butler, for example.
“Oo, impressive, man. Impressive,” the former teammate of Tom Brady emphasized.
“The guy really is about his craft. Every day he’s got some amazing pass where I’m like, ‘Sh-t.’ It’s crazy.”
But Smith is just one part of the offense, as integral as he may be to the team. Many more offensive players earned stamps of approval throughout mandatory minicamp from their peers.
Running backs and offensive linemen
The Raiders’ running back room isn’t made up of Ashton Jeanty alone–Pete Carroll doesn’t want anybody to forget that. Neither does veteran runner Raheem Mostert, who Carroll gave well-deserved love to on Thursday.
“Raheem, I love having him,” said Sin City’s head coach. “He’s an experienced guy who’s been a great speedster for years. We’ve defended him for years; he’s been a real nightmare for us.”
And still, it isn’t only Jeanty and Mostert that make up the running back room in Las Vegas. Zamir White has made sure that’s remembered throughout the offseason.
“Zamir had a really, really good camp, too,” Carroll added. “He’s made a statement, being the bigger of the guys. He’s really fast and he’s the biggest guy that we have.”
Then, there’s the guys up front. The ones who help make magic happen on the ground. With an entire decade of NFL experience under his belt, Mostert understands the importance of blockers all too well.
And this particular group of blockers has truly caught Mostert’s attention.
“Cappa’s been a good fit. Dylan’s been excellent. I mean obviously Kolton, he’s played in the league for quite some time. And JPJ, setting the standard. To be able to have those guys upfront is definitely paramount in trying to build this thing and trying to make it go,” the 33-year-old concluded.
It isn’t only Mostert who has a raving review for the team’s offensive linemen. From Kolton Miller to D.J. Glaze and everyone in between, there’s been nothing but positives to note upfront.
That’s especially true when it comes to second-year Raider Jackson Powers-Johnson.
“He put in the work this offseason. He’s a prime example of how to do it,” Miller noted of the team’s center.
“It’s been great, man. He’s obviously a really talented player. Really strong, really athletic. So it’s been great to work with him,” Cappa added in regards to Powers-Johnson.
Right tackle D.J. Glaze earned his fair-share of endorsements as well.
“I thought he had a really, really good offseason with us. He looks like he’s ready to go,” Carroll noted.
“First day of training camp, I noticed a level of maturity he brought,” said Miller.
Even newcomer Alex Cappa was a recipient of well-deserved praise.
“Me and him communicate daily. It’s been huge, and it’s helped me out a lot,” said Glaze. “He drops knowledge every day and I’m just trying to soak it up, be a sponge.”
The Las Vegas Raiders’ defense
There’s no shortage of Raiders defenders who were recognized for their hard work throughout mandatory minicamp. Particularly, members of the front-seven–well beyond Maxx Crosby, too.
Adam Butler was one player who Cappa took note of throughout the week.
“Adam Butler obviously is a high level player that people don’t talk about enough,” Cappa replied when asked about who stood out the most defensively.
“Jonah [Laulu] has been really good,” the 30-year-old continued.
Laulu is someone who also caught the attention of Butler throughout the offseason. “Just me looking from the time that he came into the building to now, I would definitely say he holds his head up higher than he did as a rookie,” said Butler.
“I don’t sense any nervousness. I sense somebody that’s confident that they can play.”
It may come as a surprise to fans, but the team’s linebackers were among the most complimented units across the roster. Between Devin White, Elandon Roberts and Amari Gainer, there was no shortage of high-praise handed out this week.
Oh–and don’t forget newly signed linebacker Germaine Pratt.
“He’s a really hard-nosed kid,” Carroll noted of Pratt. “Tough kid, played a lot of football, been really healthy. Has played all the positions to give us a flexibility that will really help us.”
But the signing of Pratt doesn’t take away from what Roberts, White and Gainer have done throughout the offseason.
“We’ve been really pleased with Elandon,” Carroll continued. “He did a great job of taking over the leadership position and calling everything.”
Devin White caught the attention of Isaiah Pola-Mao in particular.
“He just brings leadership right away,” said Pola-Mao. “Having him on the field is almost like a second coach.”
As for Devin White, Amari Gainer had his attention. “Man, that guy works extremely hard.. and he talks a lot. But he will help this team with his energy and dog mentality.”
What we learned from Las Vegas Raiders mandatory minicamp
And finally, it’s time for the wrap up; what we learned about the Raiders through this week of madness.
The first thing is, the bond between the members of this team is undeniable. It’s as clear as day and as strong as steel. Left tackle Kolton Miller affirmed that with his statements on Wednesday.
“This is probably one of the most productive OTAs I’ve been a part of,” the former first-rounder explained. Part of that is likely due to the entire team being bought in; a sentiment numerous players have backed.
More than that, the proof is in the pudding. Each one of the team’s offensive linemen were present during the entirety of the offseason when healthy, making it possible to build such a strong connection with one another.
Light was also shed on tight end Michael Mayer and his situation. A figure without much clarity this offseason who at one point was reportedly on the trading block, Pete Carroll broke down Mayer’s progress.
“I thought Mike had a great offseason with us,” said Carroll.
“We started out going heart-to-heart and him understanding what we’re all about, and he embraced it and took it as well as anybody could take the challenge of bringing it day in and day out. He had a great camp.”
Earlier in the offseason program, offensive coordinator Chip Kelly sang praises of Mayer’s on-field ability in addition to the type of things offenses are able to do with two outstanding tight ends.
Mayer seems to be shaping up to be an important part of Las Vegas Raiders’ offense.
And finally, the spotlight is on 348-pound now-former rugby player Laki Tasi, who’s put in work on both the offensive and defensive line this offseason.
“My favorite guy out there to watch is Laki Tasi,” said Carroll, who noted the 21-year-old’s tremendous progress.
“And he’s enormous. He’s the biggest guy you ever saw. We gotta keep an eye on him.”
With that, the offseason program in Sin City has now concluded. Next stop, pads.
*Top Photo: Candace Ward/Imagn Images
Ashton Jeanty, And The Las Vegas Raiders Offensive Line: A Deep Dive