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By Alan Snel, LVSportsBiz.com Publisher-Writer
It had a first-day-of-school feel, this debut summer camp practice of the Las Vegas Raiders at their suburban Henderson HQ and training center Wednesday.
Sure, it was hot. But Raiders fans and season ticket holders — the ones invited by the team for today’s toasty morning practice — still came out to sit in the tent-covered bleachers while players with numbers from 1 (Marcus Epps, a 27-year-old safety) to 99 (Jordan Willis, a 28-year-old defensive end) dug their cleats into the green sod at the Silver & Black’s headquarters near St. Rose Parkway about three miles east of I-15 in the south Vegas Valley.
Besides the Raiders’ two superstars, receiver Davante Adams and edge rusher Maxx Crosby, the other Raiders player who drew the gaze of eyeballs wore the red quarterback jersey, Jimmy Garoppolo. The former Patriots and 49ers quarterback who knows Raiders coach Josh McDaniels from their New England days was cleared to practice after (secret) foot surgery.
The Raiders are coming off a disappointing 6-11 record in 2022 after making the playoffs in 2021 as the top-seeded wild card team in the American Football Conference.
Former quarterback Derek Carr is gone, off to the New Orleans Saints. Though his old number — 4 — has been inherited by rookie QB Aidan O’Connell, a 24-year-old rookie from Purdue.
Despite the Raiders’ losing ways, the franchise is valued at $5.1 billion by a business magazine and continues to generate the league’s top ticket revenues while piling up cash from an amenity-rich, publicly-subsidized stadium that routinely sells out its 62,500 seats.
On this first day of training camp, all the records are 0-0 and every one of the NFL’s 32 teams is hopeful of dethroning the Kansas City Chiefs as league champion. It should be noted, since we’re on the topic of NFL champs, that the 2024 Super Bowl is scheduled to be played at the Raiders’ stadium, Allegiant Stadium.
Adams met the media, mentioning that Garoppolo has been eager to learn the playbook. He also said he’s been in touch with Raiders runner Josh Jacobs, the NFL’s top rusher. Adams said in the end it’s up to Jacobs to make his decision about playing and getting paid.
Garoppolo said he’s off to a good start with working with Adams.
“He’s a grown man and he needs to do what makes sense for him and his family. I’m here to support him,” Crosby said Jacobs. “Josh is one of the best players in the league.”
“Jimmy is cool. Even before practice, he’s talking shit,” Crosby said. “He’s a dog.”