HENDERSON, Nev. — Early morning practice in the Vegas suburbs for my 11th camp stop with the Raiders, scheduled that way, of course, to avoid 105-degree highs expected for the afternoon. (The team’s done it this way since moving here.) And here’s what I took from it …
• Geno Smith seemed like he was in a really good place on Friday—he threw a dart for a touchdown to Jakobi Meyers to wrap up team drills, and after practice he looked to me like a guy reinvigorated by the commitment Pete Carroll and the Raiders have made to him. He also appeared to be incredibly excited about Chip Kelly’s offense, which he said is less complex on players, allowing them to play free and fast while giving them answers for anything the defense throws at them. Smith was actually recruited as a high schooler to Oregon by Kelly—Kelly eventually wound up bolting for the NFL and Smith ended up at West Virginia—and became reacquainted with the scheme watching his cousin Jeremiah Smith play in it at Ohio State last year. Now, there are still holes to fill personnel-wise in Year 1 for Carroll and GM John Spytek. But it was cool seeing Smith, who Carroll’s lauded for his leadership as a torchbearer for the program, so comfortable in his new home.
• Ashton Jeanty’s come as advertised. His contact balance is rare, he can pull away from defenders, and his low-to-the-ground build makes him difficult for defenders to locate before he’s past them. And the Raiders knew they were getting all that when they drafted him eighth. What the coaches were less aware of was how quickly Jeanty would be ready to roll in the passing game. Like most college backs, he wasn’t asked to do much in the way of pass protection at Boise State—and that’s something that can keep young guys at that position off the field early in their careers. Jeanty has quickly shown that won’t be a problem, and he’s looked really natural catching the ball too, which has created a lot of optimism that he’ll be a three-down player right out of the gate for the Raiders. I’d be surprised if he doesn’t have a massive rookie year.
• Linebacker is an area that’s been a pleasant surprise for Pete Carroll and his staff. DC Patrick Graham returns from the Josh McDaniels and Antonio Pierce staffs with a new nerve center of his defense in Elandon Roberts. And Roberts has impressed Carroll early on. But otherwise, the position’s been completely turned over. Germaine Pratt, coming from Cincinnati, has shown the sort of heady, physical, fast-playing linebacker he can be. Devin White, who was with Spytek in Tampa, looks like he’s got new life, and motivation, to pull his career from a ditch. And Jamal Adams, who was with Carroll in Seattle, has given the team an intriguing veteran option with his full-time move to the position. The Raiders have a lot of work to do on the roster, but this is one spot that looks like it’s in good shape.
• As for that work, receiver is a position with a lot of moving parts. Meyers is the mainstay, and looks like someone Smith will be able to rely on right away. But past the team’s trusty slot, there are a lot of questions. How quickly will rookie Jack Bech get up to speed? Can Smith’s arm strength finally unlock Tre Tucker’s downfield ability? I’d say it’s a fair bet that you’ll see tight ends Brock Bowers, the skill group’s biggest star, and veteran Michael Mayer on the field together a lot to mitigate the problem. And defensive tackle is another spot where things will need to sort themselves out in the coming weeks, with Christian Wilkins now gone, and guys like Adam Butler and Leki Fotu likely to be in prominent roles. The edge spots, with Maxx Crosby and Malcolm Koonce, look taken care of, and Tyree Wilson will help on the inside on passing downs.
• Finally, Carroll’s program looks like it’s in a good place already. You can see it in the breakneck pace of practice, even in the Vegas heat—and even on a day that most here thought was kind of sloppy. Having a few guys aboard who played for him in Seattle certainly helps, but the soon-to-be 74-year old’s energy for the job (which is amazing) is just as big a part of it. That doesn’t mean the Raiders are suddenly a contender in the rugged AFC West. The roster, like I said, needs another offseason or two of work to get there. But this looks like a team that could become a really tough out for contenders as the season wears on.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Raiders Camp Takeaways: Pete Carroll, Geno Smith Look Comfortable in Las Vegas.