LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — The Las Vegas Raiders were back in the lab on Thursday for the team's fourth practice of offseason OTA workouts.
It offered another glimpse of Pete Carroll's new-look Raiders under Pete Carroll, which most notably features a new starting quarterback. Geno Smith has reunited with Carroll, his former head coach with the Seahawks.
WATCH | What the Las Vegas Raiders' OTAs are revealing about the new-look offense under Pete Carroll and Chip Kelly:
“Coach Carroll, Las Vegas, the Raiders, the Silver and Black — this is a historic franchise," Smith said after practice. "To be a part of that, to say I can wear this logo and this helmet, it’s special to me. A lot of great players on this team, and they’re heading in the right direction.”
Optimism is high around Raiders HQ as the team ventures into the Carroll era. First-year offensive coordinator, former Eagles and 49ers head coach Chip Kelly, is implementing his offense with a scheme dictated by personnel.
With new offensive weapons like running back Ashton Jeanty and wide receiver Jack Bech adding to tight end Brock Bowers and wide receiver Jakobi Meyers, Smith is excited about the possibilities.
“I’m loving it, man," Smith said. "They’re making my job tremendously easy. To be out here with these talented young players, I think we have a really good team, a really good array of weapons."
"It’s really easy for me," Smith continued. "I just have to go out there, be myself, get the ball into their hands, and let them be special.”
“I like Geno a lot," said Meyers, who racked up over 1,000 receiving yards last season with zero drops. "It’s been really fun seeing the way he spins it, seeing how he goes about his business. He beats me here every day. He knows all the play calls, so when I mess up, he can help me out.”
No. 6 overall pick, rookie rusher Ashton Jeanty, is adding juice to the backfield, joining a running back room with Raheem Mostert and Dylan Laube. The Heisman Trophy runner-up is already making a strong first impression.
“Ashton is as talented of a back as a young guy coming into the league that I’ve seen," Kelly said. "He’s really special. His ability to sustain runs after contact, his contact balance, is kind of a really rare quality. Low center of gravity. It’s tough to get him down.”
Carroll and Kelly have both voiced supreme confidence in Smith's ability to provide consistency to the Raiders quarterback room after what's been a revolving door of starters behind center.
“Part of the OTA process is getting to know your players’ strengths and playing to those strengths," Kelly said. "Geno’s been in a lot of systems now, and there’s a lot of things he can do. Whatever we fit into schematically offensively, I think Geno can handle all that.”
Earlier this week, Raiders punter AJ Cole signed a four-year contract extension that made him the highest-paid punter in the NFL.
One of four remaining Raiders who played in Oakland, Cole once thought he could be playing his last football when, in 2019, he tried out for the team at minicamp in Oakland as an unsigned free agent.
“I’m just on absolute borrowed time," Cole said. "I enjoy every single day. I don’t think anybody has more fun at work than I do. It’s such a blessing.”
The Raiders will be back on the field for their fifth of eight total OTA practices on Friday. Las Vegas begins three-day mandatory minicamp on June 10.
