HENDERSON, Nev. -- The Las Vegas Raiders' training camp is in full swing. We've seen Kirk Cousins and Brock Bowers' connection be on point. The good and bad from top pick Fernando Mendoza. Maxx Crosby being the game wrecker that he normally is, despite undergoing offseason knee surgery. And a pair of Day 3 draft picks showing the potential of having meaningful roles in the fall.
But let's not jump to conclusions just yet. Coach Klint Kubiak said 90% of the roster has yet to solidify a role. And when offensive line coach Rick Dennison spoke to reporters last Tuesday, he said the team was still in the midst of its install phase.
At the same time, there have been plenty of notable performances, intriguing lineup combinations and position battles through two weeks of playing in the blazing Nevada heat. Here are nine takeaways from nine training camp practices:
Cousins remains in the driver's seat for QB1.
There hadn't been any new developments in the starting quarterback race between Cousins and Mendoza until Saturday. Mendoza played with the starters for the first time in camp due to Cousins not participating during the 11-on-11 period after violating team rules after scuffling with Crosby.
Despite Mendoza having an overall solid day with the first team, Cousins still has a strong edge in the race to be QB1. He has played solely with the starters, as expected, and has looked better than Mendoza and Aidan O'Connell. Cousins has been efficient and has rarely put the ball in harm's way. On top of that, the players have brought Cousins in as one of the leaders on the team.
"I really appreciate my time working with him. [He's] making me better," wide receiver Tre Tucker said of the 15-year veteran. "Very bright IQ. That was a great addition for us to add him because it's going to make us all better."
Mendoza has been what the Raiders expected him to be. Compared to OTAs and mandatory minicamp, Mendoza has better command of the offense and more confidence in his knowledge of the system. His accuracy has been solid, and he has done a good job of getting the ball out of his hands quickly. The coaching staff has praised his improvement in playing under center.
He has had his fair share of struggles, though. There have been moments when Mendoza was off-target on his throws, had difficulty getting his teammates aligned and controlling the ball when snapped to him. As Kubiak said, not every game or practice will be perfect, especially for a rookie like Mendoza, who is growing through his first training camp.
Nonetheless, Las Vegas has been pleased with his development, especially how he bounces back from mistakes.
"We've got three NFL-ready quarterbacks," said Kubiak, who has noticed improvement each day from Mendoza. "He's like every other rookie. They are introduced to a whole new level of football, and there's going to be days of failure and days of success."
Tonka Hemingway could become a major contributor on the defensive line.
The second-year defensive tackle has frequently played with the first-team defense since the beginning of camp. The Raiders have alternated reps with Benito Jones, Jonah Laulu, Adam Butler and Thomas Booker IV. When it comes to Hemingway, he has been a consistent presence up front and has made the most of the opportunity.
Hemingway has been effective in the run and pass game, showing off the traits of a potential impact player as a 3-technique. Teammates have raved about Hemingway. Left guard Spencer Burford said Hemingway has been flying around the ball. Edge rusher Kwity Paye said he has played "great."
"Tonka, he put in a lot of work this offseason. He got an award for the defense for the guys putting in the most work in the weight room," Paye said. "...You can just see it in camp, like he's been popping up on the field everywhere."
Bowers remains dominant.
The chemistry between Cousins and Bowers has grown each practice. Whether it's 7-on-7 or 11-on-11, Bowers has figured out a way to make plays. Cousins has consistently found Bowers in the middle of the field on those crossing routes.
Bowers has matched up against multiple defenders and consistently gotten open. That was the case during Thursday's practice when Bowers slipped by the defense before catching a deep pass from Cousins for a touchdown. The third-year tight end is playing at full strength after dealing with a knee injury for a good chunk of last season.
The way Cousins has relied heavily on Bowers in practice indicates that the All-Pro pass catcher is in line for a big season, and the passing game will go as far as he takes it.
"He's a special player [and] super consistent," O'Connell said. "He knows [how to be in the] right place at the right time, and when you add his skill set, it adds to how special he is."
There are a ton of moving parts on defense.
Linebacker Nakobe Dean described the defense as a group that can do multiple things. Las Vegas has moved players all over the field during camp. Quay Walker has lined up next to Dean as an inside linebacker and has had snaps on edge in the Raiders' nickel packages.
Paye mentioned that he has played as a strongside linebacker, defensive end and 3-technique. As for defensive back Taron Johnson, the Raiders have rotated him between safety and nickel. Even during individual drills, Johnson has been seen working with the defensive backs and linebackers.
Last season, there wasn't too much movement outside of safety Jeremy Chinn, who has made a career of lining up in the back end, at linebacker or nickel. It appears that versatility will be the identity of the Raiders' defense under coordinator Rob Leonard.
"The offense [will] not [be] able to know what type of packages we're going to be in, what type of coverage [or] blitz packages," safeties coach Matt Robinson said. "The more guys and the more pieces that are versatile, it allows us to be multiple."
Ashton Jeanty and Mike Washington Jr. are looking like a formidable RB duo.
Mendoza said early in camp that Kubiak's offense will be built on the run game. The Raiders, however, have struggled in the past with putting together a stable rushing attack, ranking last in yards per game (78.6) since 2024.
The team's fortune could change in the fall. Jeanty has looked extremely comfortable in this outside zone scheme. He has had multiple explosive runs down the sidelines during practice. And another reason to be optimistic that the Raiders will produce better rushing numbers is rookie Washington.
Kubiak wants Jeanty to be a bell-cow running back. But Washington has shown that he could be a major factor, as well. Washington has split reps with the first and second team. There have been moments when he has used his 6-foot-2, 228-pound size and speed to create big plays.
During Friday's practice, Washington rushed outside, running over cornerback Jermod McCoy, and continued to sprint down the field for a big gain.
It's hard to evaluate running backs, especially on days when the team is not in pads. But there have been plays from Jeanty and Washington that show they have the potential to be a formidable duo.
The emergence of Hezekiah Masses
The fifth-round cornerback has played a significant amount of time with the starting defense, frequently alternating reps with Darien Porter on the outside. Playing on the opposite side of Eric Stokes, Masses has made the most of his opportunities in practice.
"He can cover," defensive backs coach/pass game coordinator Joe Woods said. "There are some guys in [my] past that he reminds me of in terms of quickness, like Denzel Ward had that extreme lateral quickness where he can get on the body. [Masses has] that same type of trait. Not saying he's Denzel; he's got a long way to go. But there are some really good things that he's doing."
On Thursday, the Raiders were doing two-minute situations when Masses blanketed Tucker before breaking up Cousins' pass in the middle of the field. During the red zone period on Friday, Masses picked off Cousins in the back corner of the end zone.
There has been strong competition within Las Vegas' fairly young cornerback room. Masses, Porter, McCoy and Decamerion Richardson each have had first-team reps. Kubiak said Masses, in particular, has put a lot of pressure on the rest of the group.
"Zeke came in making plays," Chinn said. "Even in OTAs, just seeing him step up. I feel like he just had an understanding. Even just technique-wise, he's true to his technique. He's always been true to his technique ever since he stepped in here, and it hasn't been a drop-off, so it's cool to see."
Malik Benson has played well, but the entire wide receiver room still has questions.
Benson, a sixth-round pick, has increased his stock. At the moment, he has been the team's third-best wide receiver during training camp outside of Tucker and Jalen Nailor.
He has been a reliable presence for Mendoza when playing together with the second-team offense. And Benson's performance has allowed him to get more playing time with the first team. He has proved to be a threat in the middle of the field, using his speed to make plays after the catch.
"He's got great hands, he's quick, and he's moving up [the depth chart]," tight end Michael Mayer said. "...That's somebody when I look outside, and I'm in the three-point stance, I trust."
Benson's success during training camp could have been two things. Even though Benson very well could play himself into having significant playing time during the regular season, questions regarding the depth at wide receiver continue to grow.
Benson has outplayed second-year wideouts Dont'e Thornton Jr. and Jack Bech. Thornton has struggled so far, with a fair number of his reps coming with the second and third teams. He has been nonexistent whenever on the field and has had a hard time creating separation from defenders.
Around this time last year, Thornton was the star of training camp. But lately, his performance is reflective of his rookie season when he caught 10 passes for 135 yards. As for Bech, he has made a few plays, but overall, he has also been underwhelming.
The wide receiver room could still use reinforcements, whether through free agency or trade. If the Raiders' wide receiver depth remains the same when they face the Miami Dolphins in Week 1, expect them to rely heavily on Bowers and Mayer in 12-personnel while utilizing the run game more often than not.
The starting offensive line has remained in place until recently.
The Raiders didn't make changes to their first-team offensive line until Thursday and Friday. Jackson Powers-Johnson and Caleb Rogers alternated reps at right guard.
"It's been the plan all along to get those guys competing and get guys mixed in there to see who our best five are. So, it's part of the plan," Kubiak said.
It remains to be seen if any additional movement will happen along the line. The Raiders entered camp with both guard spots and right tackle as the positions that could see serious competition. However, Burford has played in every first-team rep at left guard. Meanwhile, DJ Glaze has maintained his role as the team's starting right tackle.
Overall, Glaze has played well, especially in run blocking. Offensive line coach Rick Dennison even believes Glaze still has untapped potential as he enters his third season with the organization.
"I really think DJ is really working hard," Dennison said. "He uses his arm length really well, and he's working really hard at it. He's made some progress, but just like the rest of them, there are things we've got to get better at."
Second-year offensive tackle Charles Grant and rookie lineman Trey Zuhn III present the most competition for Glaze. Zuhn has had extended reps at right tackle with the second team in recent days. Grant, however, has played solely on the left side.
Glaze entered training camp with the upper hand. In the offseason, Kubiak said he liked the continuity at both tackle spots, despite Glaze struggling last season. With that said, the Raiders could very well solidify their starting offensive line sooner rather than later, especially with preseason games on the horizon.
Treydan Stukes is beginning to pick up the pace.
Stukes, the team's second-round pick, has come alive as of late. The safety has been getting more snaps with the first team and has begun to make more plays on the field.
Stukes had a pass breakup during the red zone period on Friday. The day before, he broke up Mendoza's pass in the middle of the field during the two-minute period. He had a quiet start to camp, mostly due to gaining more comfort with the system.
The Raiders will ask Stukes to do a lot in this scheme. With that said, they have been taking things slowly with him.
"As a rookie, with handling the amount of install that we have and putting it into a new defense, it can be a lot," Robinson said. "But he's a smart kid, and he's taken to it. He's picked it up well. For him moving forward, it's just about trusting his keys, trusting his eyes, and now going out and making plays and letting his talent shine."