The Raiders are in their final week of organized team activities (OTAs) before minicamp, which is required, begins the next week. Malcolm Koonce claims that during the past three weeks, many new and familiar personalities have demonstrated their talents, and “an amazing vibe” has taken over the facility.
As always, the major objective is for the locker room to build a strong base of practice as the offseason progresses. The Raiders’ final open practice of OTAs is summarized in the following statements and notes.
All in all, Tuesday was the offense’s moment to shine. Aidan O’Connell and Gardner Minshew II both stepped up to make some impressive passes to a range of receivers. The two main performers of the day were DJ Turner and Jakobi Meyers.
During red zone 7-on-7 drills, the receiving pair both caught two touchdowns, with Turner catching a highlight reel toe drag in the back of the end zone. Tre Tucker was another receiver that caught my attention.
Entering Year 2, he appears even more agile, which is noteworthy given that NFL Next Gen Stats ranked him as the second-most athletic wide receiver at the 2023 NFL Combine. The tight ends were the position group that performed exceptionally well all day.
The tight ends were the day. Red zone exercises featured two touchdown receptions by Michael Mayer in the middle of the end zone, along with some impressive catches by Cole Fotheringham. Brock Bowers, a first-round selection, kept making plays in the open field—a skill he was known for at Georgia.
Christian Wilkins lived up to the hype when it came to ball defense. It’s impressive how well he gets off the line of scrimmage, and he clearly helps the edge rushers next to him. Wilkins’s speed is evident in every play, as Gardner Minshew II observed.
“You’ll see him shortly, wherever the ball is. He appears. Being around a man who works so tirelessly is quite inspiring.” Jakorian Bennett was a young cornerback who saw a lot of playing time.
With the potential to improve in his sophomore season, the 2023 fourth-round selection started four games in the previous year. Coach Ricky Manning of the cornerbacks said, “He has a way higher understanding of the defense, of Coach [Patrick] Graham and how he calls it, and of the game.”
Now that things have slowed down for him a little, he can focus entirely on that growth. He can truly improve in the areas that require attention, and he is doing so. He is still working.”
