HENDERSON, Nev. - The Raiders’ first training camp practice of 2026 brought the usual heat, the usual cameras and a roster full of new faces trying to figure each other out.
That was the big takeaway Wednesday morning: this team is still in the early stages of learning how all the pieces fit together, especially on offense. Center Tyler Linderbaum is right in the middle of that process, and he’s already spending plenty of his time with veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins while also building a relationship with rookie Fernando Mendoza.
Linderbaum, who signed a three-year, $81 million contract in March after four seasons in Baltimore, said the early wake-up calls are nothing new.
“I think my time back in Iowa, we were certainly [practicing] early in the morning,” Linderbaum told Sports Illustrated. “I don’t know if it was quite 7:30, but it’s better just to get out here and get it done.”
For now, Linderbaum is working mostly with Cousins, who is expected to open the season as the Week 1 starter even though the Raiders used the first pick in April’s draft on Mendoza. But the center has also made a point of getting to know the rookie away from the field.
“You’re going to get your reps, but you also want to get to know him as a person,” Linderbaum said about the rookie QB. “I’ve been out to dinner with Fernando.
He’s a guy who wants to be great and I’m excited for his opportunities in the future. But the more you can build those relationships with the younger guys, I think the better off your team is going to be.”
The two may not be headed to the movies together anytime soon. Linderbaum said he doesn’t share Mendoza’s interest in The Odyssey, which has been the No. 1 movie in the country the past few weeks.
“I don’t know that you’ll catch me at a movie theater with Fernando, but you never know,” Linderbaum said.
Linderbaum also has a familiar face back in the building in edge rusher Maxx Crosby, who nearly wound up in Baltimore before the Ravens backed out of a trade in March and Crosby returned to Las Vegas. Linderbaum is relieved not to have to line up against him anymore after Crosby had two sacks the last time the Raiders played the Ravens in 2024.
Still, Linderbaum knows Crosby’s edge doesn’t disappear just because practice has started.
“He’s a guy who can really motivate you just by watching him practice and work,” Linderbaum said. “The more guys that you have on your team that are similar to that, that just spew off greatness and want to be great and want to be better each and every day and want to learn, the better your team is going to be.”
Mendoza opened camp as the No. 2 quarterback behind Cousins and ahead of Aidan O’Connell, and that alone says something about how quickly the Raiders are willing to trust him. The team may still be developing him, but Wednesday’s practice suggested they’re not treating him like a long-term project only.
That was clear when coaches had Mendoza work uptempo with the No. 2 offense at times during the session. It was only Day 1, but the Raiders were already asking plenty of their first-round pick.
The other major names on offense were easy to spot, too. Tight end Brock Bowers looked healthy and did not wear a knee brace in practice. That matters after he was slowed by a knee injury in the season opener against the Patriots last season, when his production dropped from a rookie line of 112 catches, 1,194 yards and 5 TDs to 64 catches for 680 yards and 7 TDs.
Running back Ashton Jeanty also drew attention, and for good reason. Last season’s No. 6 pick had a tough time finding room as a rookie in 2025, but the setup around him looks different now with Linderbaum and Klint Kubiak’s offense. Jeanty finished with 975 rushing yards, five touchdowns and a 3.7-yard average per carry.
And before any of that football could happen, there was the kind of desert morning that reminds you exactly where camp is being held. It was already 90 degrees at 7 a.m., and the heat was still climbing.
Even the airport routine in Las Vegas comes with its own challenge, since liquids have to be dumped before security. By the time the day got rolling, the temperature and the football both felt like they were moving fast.
In Other News...
Raiders Fans Just Got A Telling AFC West Camp Reality Check
Training camp across the AFC West is already offering a reminder that the Raiders are not just building their own roster, they are trying to close the gap on a division that never stands still. Denver has a new training facility, Kansas City is juggling staff and personnel questions, and the Chargers are leaning hard into continuity as they get ready for another run, which means Las Vegas has to track more than its own depth chart this summer.
For the Raiders, the early division picture is useful because it shows where the pressure points may be. The Broncos still have some long-term questions up front, the Chiefs are sorting through uncertainty at several spots on both sides of the ball, and the Chargers are banking on healthy key pieces returning to form. None of that settles the AFC West race, but it does give Las Vegas a clearer sense of where the openings might be if it wants to make a move. [Read more 🡒]
These Raiders UDFAs Have A Real Shot To Survive Camp
Training camp has a way of sorting out the long shots from the real contenders, and the Raiders have a few undrafted free agents who already look like they belong in the conversation. Las Vegas brought in 17 UDFAs this offseason, and the early read is that Kansei Matsuzawa, Roman Hemby and Cian Slone each have a plausible route to sticking around if they keep showing up in camp and preseason action.
Matsuzawa may have the cleanest opening because of what he already brings as a kicker, while Hemby and Slone fit the kind of depth-chasing the Raiders need as the roster takes shape. None of those paths are guaranteed, of course, and that is the point of this part of camp: every rep matters, every preseason snap matters, and for a few undrafted players, the next few weeks could decide whether they are still in the building when the final cuts arrive. [Read more 🡒]
Raiders Still Have Two Starting Jobs That Could Change Everything
The Raiders spent most of the offseason settling their depth chart, leaving far fewer questions than they had a few months ago. On offense and defense, the starting picture is largely in place, but the interior of the offensive line is still unsettled enough to matter. Both guard spots remain open heading into training camp, and that makes the next few weeks a real test for a unit that can shape how steady the whole offense looks.
Kevin Kubiak has made it clear the decision will not come down to one flashy practice or a single strong rep. Consistency, versatility, pass protection, run blocking and how well each player fits with the rest of the line all figure into the mix, which is exactly why this battle could linger for a while. The Raiders also have to wait before the physical part of camp really ramps up, so this is the kind of competition that should reveal itself gradually rather than all at once. [Read more 🡒]