Paul Gutierrez
Storylines? You need main Raiders storylines heading into coaching camp?
Sure, we are able to discuss (and kind) advert nauseam about No. 1 draft decide Fernando Mendoza, and when he is likely to be able to take over below middle (and in shotgun) because the Raiders’ franchise quarterback.
Or we are able to preach on Maxx Crosby’s return and what a brand new 3-4 base protection appears to be like like with him wreaking havoc from the skin.
There’s additionally the Raiders’ re-imagined offensive line, anchored by the crown jewel of the O-line free company class, middle Tyler Linderbaum. And the 2 new heat-seeking missiles at linebacker who aren’t solely within the primes of their careers however already know tips on how to win in Quay Walker and Nakobe Dean.
That’s to not point out returning and ascending stars like tight finish Brock Bowers and working again Ashton Jeanty, who ought to profit mightily from that new-look O-line.
No, these storylines are too simple to mine, too plentiful for this train.
Instead, let’s zoom in on particular groups, an oft-overlooked a part of the sport. A part of the sport that may and infrequently does tilt the steadiness between successful and dropping.
Here, then, are three under-the-radar storylines to look at in coaching campspecial groups type.
The Tokyo Toe vs. Matt Gay
For the primary time since 2018, there’s uncertainty at kicker for the Raiders, what with Daniel Carlson, who took over kicking duties in Week 8 of that season, not re-signed. Instead, seven-year veteran Matt Gay, who kicked for brand new particular groups coach Joe DeCamillis with the Rams in his 2021 Pro Bowl season and in 2022, ought to discover himself in a battle as entertaining as it’s intriguing after signing as a free agent.
Look, Raider Nation is as inclusive as it’s international and Kansei Matsuzawa, who taught himself tips on how to kick by watching YouTube movies after attending a Raiders recreation in Oakland in 2018, is as compelling a determine in camp as another.
You suppose these MENDOZA jerseys are widespread? Imagine jerseys with MATSUZAWA, or , on the again flying off cabinets in Hawaii, the place he was a consensus All-American, and in Japan, his house nation.
Thing is, Matsuzawa, signed as an undrafted rookie and dealing on one other nickname to go along with “The Tokyo Toe,” continues to be studying the sport.
“Matt’s really helped ‘Special K’ quite a bit,” DeCamillis stated. “He’s done a good job as far as getting him squared away with some of his technique and some of that, which is great for an older guy to be able to do, especially when you’re competing for the job. But the competition’s been good.
“Hopefully, we are able to get Matt again on the identical airplane that he was after I had him in LA, and I believe ‘Special Okay’ goes to be actually good too down the street. So, it ought to be a hell of a contest.”
Gay, though, has missed 20 of 101 field-goal attempts over the last three seasons combined, and was just 15-of-31 (48.4%) from 50 yards and longer in that same time frame (the NFL success average from 50-plus yards was 69.1% in that time frame, 70.0% without Gay’s stats).
Matsuzawa, meanwhile, made his first 25 field goals last season, en route to finishing 27-of-29, along with successfully converting all 40 point-after attempts, In fact, he was 72-72 in PATs in two years at Hawaii.
Still, the Tokyo Toe, er, Special K attempted just two field-goals of at least 50 yards in two seasons for the Rainbow Warriors, going 1-of-2.
And in the NFL today, attempting 50-yarders are near as commonplace as PATs. So it was, ahem, intriguing, then, to see Matsuzawa boom a pair of 60-yarders in mandatory minicampwith room to spare.
“It’s going to be a heck of a narrative,” DeCamillis said. “And, hopefully, he is in a position to compete with Matt and we decide the perfect man.”
See, intriguing.
What about the kick and punt returners?
The guy who ranked fourth in the NFL in kick return average (Raheem Mostert, who averaged 29.3 yards on 23 returns) is gone, even as his 40.4 yards average on five returns in Week 9 is the best single-game average since the new return rules were implemented in 2024. Same thing with the guy who led the Raiders in punt returns (Alex Bachman, who returned 22 punts and averaged 5.6 yards per return with nine fair catches).
And sure, Dylan Laube (a team-leading 33 kick returns for 855 yards and a solid 25.9 yards average) is back and so, too, is Tre Tucker (seven punt returns for 49 yards and four fair catches). But with Tucker essentially WR1 now, perhaps his special teams snap count should taper off, no?
Well
Yes, training camp will reveal all but with a new ST coach in DeCamillis on board, there will be an added emphasis in that phase of the game.
Look, the Raiders have not had a kickoff return for a touchdown since Jacoby Ford’s 101-yard tour de force against the Browns in Oakland on Oct. 15, 2011. And the last Raiders player to return a punt for a score was Dwayne Harris with his whimsical 99-yard oh, no-oh, yes number against the Broncos on Christmas Eve, 2018.
The Raiders need speed and daring at both returner spots so keep an eye on rookies Mike Washington, Jr., Malik Benson, Jermod McCoy, so long as his knee checks out, and Hezekiah Masses, as well as vets Dareke Young and Greedy Vance, in any combination.
Still, DeCamillis was impressed with Laube in minicamp.
“He’s one other one which’s actually, actually sharp, will get the sport, and he is aware of the way in which he’ll make [the team] is by the extra he can do, and he is accentuated that during [mini]camp,” DeCamillis said. “And I actually like him to this point. Obviously we’ve not put any pads on or any of that stuff, so you may discover out extra as we undergo it, however I actually like the child to this point, for positive, and I believe he’ll be a great participant for us.”
For what it’s worth, the Raiders ranked eighth in the NFL in kick return average last season (27.1) but just 31st in punt returns (6.0).
Whither AJ Cole?
The Raiders have long been known for cultivating acclaimed kicker-punter duos, from Chris Bahr and Ray Guy to Jeff Jaeger and Jeff Gossett to Sebastian Janikowski and Shane Lechler to Daniel Carlson and AJ Cole.
Cole now finds himself the lone man standing. He not only has to break in a new kicker, as explained earlier, but, for the second time in three seasons, a new long snapper in either Alex Ward or rookie Tyler Duzansky after Jacob Bobenmoyer was allowed to walk in free agency.
He also finds himself standing alone atop the Mt. Olympus of current punters.
Kinda.
Because while Baltimore’s Jordan Stout is the NFL’s reigning First-Team All-Pro punter, Cole is the league’s current all-time leader in yards per punt average at 48.5.
Cole is already a two-time First-Team All-Pro (2021 and 2023) and a three-time Pro Bowler (2021, 2022 and 2023) but last season’s 47.6 average was his lowest since 2020.
“The largest factor is I simply have a violent case of imposter syndrome,” Cole said. “I simply do not suppose I stack up. I kick with different guys within the offseason always, and I’m all the time solely remembering their good punts after which deleting their dangerous punts. And then, after I look again at my very own session, I solely keep in mind my dangerous punts, and I overlook all the nice ones.
“I think the reason that I’ve produced on the field the way I’ve produced is because of the work I’ve put in. It’s because of the processes I have in place, and it’s not like I have something different in my genetics that makes me predisposed to be better at punting so, I don’t think there’s anything special or unique about me. I think what’s special and unique is the work that I do, and so that’s what keeps me going.”
It’s true, change is the one fixed in sports activities so the storyline right here ishow does Cole, a mannequin of consistency all through his seven-year profession, react with a lot change round him, particularly because the holder on kicks?
“It’s just reps, I mean, it’s just doing the work,” Cole stated. “It’s just showing up here every single day, getting the work in, and then being really intentional about those reps and asking [the kickers], ‘Hey, how do you want this? How do you want that? How do you want this done?’
“It’s additionally the psychological facet of it, of like, I see myself not solely because the holder when I’m on the market, but additionally as their caddy. So like, ‘What would you like from me by way of communication? Do you need me to speak rather a lot? Do you need me to only shut up? Do you need me to only pay attention? Do you need me to ask questions?… Do you need recommendation? Do you need suggestions? What is it that you simply’re in search of?’… Daniel and I, we labored collectively for thus lengthy, we have been utterly talking the identical language.”