6/7/2022 | News, Notes, & Quotes from Raiders Coach McDaniels, QB Derek Carr, and TE Darren Waller
The Las Vegas Raiders beat writers were afforded the opportunity to meet with both coaches and players as mandatory minicamp began. On the podium schedule for the first day of minicamp:
HC Josh McDaniels
QB Derek Carr
TE Darren Waller
McDaniels spoke first and while he didn’t delve too much into the x’s and o’s, he did shed some light on the team’s progress up to this point. The POE (point of emphasis) during camp and OTAs include but not limited to:
Individual skills
Fundamentals
Technique
All those things embody the team’s cultural identity I spoke about when fostering the “Patriot Way” making its way to Raider Way in an earlier article (read below).
Coach McDaniels was also asked about his Pro Bowl tight end and his current contract situation--without going into specifics he instead talked about the player and what he embodies:
Coach McDaniels on Waller:
“Good player…We love having him here. It’s really a pleasure to coach the guy. Comes with a great mindset and attitude every day. Here early, stays late, does extra, takes care of his body…love having him here and looking forward to coaching him.”
Waller is definitely in line for a new deal. Something I talked about on our facebook page that generated plenty of positive feedback from Raider Nation (follow us below).
A beat writer then followed up with a question for Coach McDaniels regarding starting QB Derek Carr--as he wanted Coach’s insight on Carr’s most underrated part of his game that people might overlook.
Again, McDaniels deterred the question and instead enhanced the strengths of what Carr brings to the table…
Coach McDaniels on Carr:
“He’s been a good player for a long time…He’s smart. He works really hard at it. He understands the game of football. He’s got good arm strength and accuracy. He’s a good leader. Tough, he doesn’t miss a lot of games, he’s durable…been very impressed with him.”
OT camp battle
The team’s offensive line is by far the team’s weakest link especially on the right side. As of now, the front-runner is currently OT/OG Alex Leatherwood but that could change as it gets closer to the season opener—seeing his best fit could be on the interior.
That being said--another Alabama product named RT Lester Cotton has been seeing some PT at RT. My guy and Vegas Nation reporter Vinny Bonsignore asked McDaniels for his thoughts on Cotton’s play up to this point:
Coach McDaniels on OT Lester Cotton playing RT:
“Les shows up every day, works really hard, he’s having a great offseason…this time of the year for the linemen on both sides of the ball--you can only see half of what you need to see…Lester’s done a good job.”
QB Derek Carr
Next on the podium was Carr. A player who was rewarded this offseason with a 3-year, $121.5M in new money. What did the franchise quarterback have to say in regards to his new team, coaching staff, and management? Here’s the most important information I gathered from his presser:
Q: On why the team is further along this time of the year, as opposed to year’s past:
“I think it starts with Dave [Ziegler] & Josh [McDaniels]. Keeping the right people here and they’re signing the right new guys. The expectation is always that we’re going to be here and we’re going to work. The guys that they signed and the guys that they re-signed, that are here—there’s literally no other answer.”
Q: On being reunited with college teammate WR Davante Adams:
“It’s cool. It’s kinda surreal. It’s been really fun for us. A lot of inside jokes from college and things like that...it’s just been fun to have my friend back.”
Q: On his first impression of new teammate OLB Chandler Jones:
“Just hard worker and great guy to be around. I think that’s the one thing that sticks out about Chandler is he’s really fun to be around. But at the same time when the helmet comes on and he gets between the lines, he works extremely hard.
TE Darren Waller
The team’s Y was up next. I call him the Y because he plays tight end. A top-10 tight end, Waller has outplayed his current contract and was asked that very question, the moment he stepped up to the podium. Waller responded by saying the process will take care of itself:
“Whether I’m here 10 years or who knows how long, just being present here. And my agent’s job is to do that stuff and I just focus on the football part.
Because if I don’t focus on football and your mind’s elsewhere--you gotta be locked-in as a professional, I just try to be a professional every day.”
Waller is due for a new deal. The question remains--when will it get done?
Notes
All players present for mandatory minicamp
RB Josh Jacobs worked “inside" facility
Limited | ILB Divine Deablo (red jersey)