HENDERSON, Nev. — Las Vegas Raiders training camp lacked a bit of energy on Thursday. Maybe it was the day off before, or that the team wasn’t in pads, or the scorching southern Nevada sun sapped their vigor. But it didn’t feel like the fervor that carried through the team’s first six practices under new head coach Klint Kubiak was there. The same could not be said about Friday.
Star edge Maxx Crosby and starting quarterback Kirk Cousins got into an altercation as practice neared its conclusion. No punches were thrown, but Cousins got in Crosby’s face, and the pass rusher met the quarterback’s challenge. The two were separated quickly, and the first big quarrel of camp was quelled without any damage done.
“That’s training camp,” Kubiak said. “Those are those two leaders of our team going at it. So that is part of camp. Obviously, you fight in the game, you throw a punch, you’re out of the game. So we’ve got to be smart, treat it like a game.”
Raiders players trending up, down
Sam Warren
The altercation came as the Raiders lined up for a final team period. Crosby, who’d been dominant all day, burst off the line to beat Cousins’ protection. Cousins saw Crosby coming and attempted to get the ball out to rookie receiver Malik Benson on a crossing route. But Crosby got his hand up at Cousins’ release point, tipped it and forced the ball to fall short of the intended target.
Crosby stayed off Cousins’ body, complying with team rules against contacting the quarterback, although he did appear to hit the quarterback’s hand. Crosby had been physical with offensive players earlier in the day and during past practices Cousins apparently saw this as an opportunity to stick up for his teammates.
Cousins jawed at Crosby before grabbing his collar. A shouting match ensued before coaches and teammates came in to break things up. Cousins and Crosby continued to throw verbal jabs at each other even as they went their separate ways.
Tight end Michael Mayer concurred with his head coach that they don’t want to see teammates throwing punches at each other, especially a star player and their quarterback. But he said he liked the attitude it took for Cousins to stand up to Crosby.
“That’s our starting quarterback right now and you want him to defend your team,” Mayer said. “You want him to have some edge to him, which he does. He’s always had that, since the first day I met him when he came in here. I don’t want him getting thrown out. I don’t want him getting a flag or anything like that. But you’ve got to be able to defend yourself.”
Cousins’ edge was on full display after the scuffle. He’d had one of his poorer practices to that point — he threw two interceptions during team periods, one that Crosby tipped at the line (safety Jeremy Chinn caught it on the back end) and one he floated into the end zone for rookie cornerback Hezekiah Masses to pick off. But Cousins locked in for the two-minute drill. With Crosby relegated to the sidelines, Cousins found tight ends Michael Mayer and Brock Bowers for big gains over the middle. He then connected with Benson on a short crossing route before finding Bowers again near the sidelines. The drive set up a field goal for the offense — a success given the drill’s situation.
Cousins’ energy and passion has been palpable since he arrived in Las Vegas. He’s constantly celebrating after making big plays and encouraging teammates when failures occur. That’s what Kubiak wanted Cousins to be.
“Quarterback has to be the leader of the team, and I see him leading out there,” Kubiak said. “That’s what we brought him here for: to lead and play really good football. I’ve been pleased with him, and he knows he can get better.”
Mendoza making strides
Like Cousins, rookie quarterback Fernando Mendoza got better as practice went on. The No. 1 pick had some misses during goal-line one-on-ones, underthrowing receiver Tre Tucker on a fade in the end zone and throwing a crosser behind tight end Ian Thomas. But, as the coaching staff wants to see, Mendoza didn’t make mistakes twice, hitting Bowers and receiver Phillip Dorsett II for touchdowns in the period.
Mendoza carried momentum into team drills. He had nice connections with receivers Brandon Johnson, Deven Thompkins and Dareke Young in the first period, and then found Thompkins on a diving slant in the end zone during their red zone period. Mendoza did slip up in the final team session, nearly throwing an interception to nickel Greedy Vance, but overall looked precise and decisive operating the offense.
“He’s just continuing to get better,” Kubiak said. “Every day brings a new challenge — crowd noise today. So there’s new things that he’s learning every day. He’s working hard. He’s like every other rookie. They’re introduced to a whole new level of football, and there’s gonna be days of failure and days of success. As long as they can keep getting better, that’s what we’re looking for.”
So far, Mendoza has taken all the second-team reps behind Cousins, who Kubiak named the starter for training camp. The coach said he is not “married to” Cousins being the starter to open the year, his approach at every position.
“We’re a new staff here, we’re trying to establish something,” Kubiak said. “And there’s got to be competition everywhere. We’ll just sit here and let the tape reveal itself.”
Stukes’ status
After spending the first six practices solely as a backup, second-round rookie defensive back Treydan Stukes received opportunities with the first team on Thursday and Friday. He subbed in for Isaiah Pola-Mao at safety and looked solid in coverage, breaking up a pass on Thursday. He also had some solid reps in the one-on-one period on Friday.
The No. 38 pick of April’s NFL Draft said he “definitely” feels like he’s “coming along” and gaining confidence with defensive coordinator Rob Leonard’s scheme.
“I’m building trust with my teammates and the coaching staff,” Stukes said. “It’s getting more exciting. The defense is starting to click a little bit more as we keep going. I’m super excited.”
When asked about what he’s seen from Stukes, Kubiak went outside the defensive reps.
“I like how hard he plays on special teams,” Kubiak said. “He’s a guy that’s gonna challenge for spots in many places on defense and on teams. But I like that he’s a team-first guy and that shows up in the way he plays teams.”
Stukes is inching closer to competing with Pola-Mao for a starting role in the secondary. But he’s also shown skills on special teams. That might be where the Raiders see his value early this year.
Notable absences
Kubiak heralded the training staff before camp started for the job they did in preparing the roster for the grind ahead. But as practices roll on, bumps begin to accumulate, and the team has seen some effect this week.
Receiver Jalen Nailor, edges Kwity Paye and Keyron Crawford, running back Dare Ogunbowale and tight end Carter Runyon all did not participate in Friday’s practice. Receiver Dont’e Thornton Jr. drilled with the team to begin practice, but also left early. Kubiak specifically stated that Nailor and Thornton are “OK,” and didn’t insinuate that any of the absences were cause for concern.
“We had a few guys nicked up and we’re trying to be conscious of it,” Kubiak said.
Crawford left practice on Thursday after colliding with Malcolm Koonce in the backfield while rushing the passer. Assistant head coach Mike McCoy didn’t have an update on his status afterwards. The third-round rookie came out to practice in workout clothes later in the session, but just to observe.
Rookie cornerback Jermod McCoy did return to practice on Friday after a “rest day” on Thursday. The team continues to manage his knee, appearing to limit his competitive reps in the session. But McCoy did look good in his opportunities, specifically during the one-on-one period.
