Entering into his fourth season with the Las Vegas Raiders, defensive coordinator Patrick Graham "couldn't be happier" to have this opportunity.

He's been an assistant coach under several successful coaches, personally citing Bill Belichick, Brian Flores and Steve Spagnuolo. And he's now under the learning tree with Pete Carroll as one of seven coaches the new head coach brought back.

"Just in terms of being able to bounce ideas off of him, hear different ways of doing things – it's been real beneficial for my growth if I'm being selfish, which is something really good and positive for me," Graham said. "With the track record, I mean why wouldn't you listen? You gotta listen. It's been great."

Along with adjusting to a new coaching staff, his defense will look a little different as well. He'll be working with a revamped linebacking corps consisting of free agent signings Elandon Roberts and Devin White. There have also been several additions made to the secondary in safety Jeremy Chinn and fourth-round draft pick Darien Porter.

"Each season is so different," Graham said. "Every season it's 32 teams that have great optimism about the season. So, the thing I can say about the '25 Raiders, we're having fun out there, we're learning how to practice at a high level in the vision of how Pete wants it. So again, there's no certain feeling or anything, because the seasons are always different. But I just know that this group of men right here, they're forming a bond. They're understanding how it's based on relationships here.

"And the biggest thing that we have to focus on right now, it's not real, true football, but we've got to play with great effort. Great effort, communication, get our fundamentals down."

In response to Graham's sentiment, Chinn and Roberts have added effort, versatility and leadership to the Raiders defense. Roberts, entering his 10th NFL season, is fully embracing the role of being a heartbeat of the unit alongside Maxx Crosby. He's also excited to be coached by Graham, having played for a variety of coaches that overlapped with the Raiders coordinator at the New England Patriots and Miami Dolphins.

"[J]ust knowing how PG came about and his pedigree and his philosophy behind the game, I just know like, it's never moment I can't text him or pull up on him or just ask him, 'Man, let's talk ball,' because I know, man," Roberts said of his new defensive coordinator. "I'm telling you, PG is the type of guy he wakes up in the morning, he thinks about football."

He, along with White and former Patriots teammate Adam Butler, are the only three players on the defense that've hoisted a Lombardi Trophy.

"It's a lot of culture, the standard is there. But it can't just be talked about, we have to come in every day and you have to win the day," Roberts said. "You can't just come in and try to be one foot in, one foot out and I think Pete is doing a very good job of instilling that in us every day."

"I'm just trying to do my job," he added. "When I look at myself in the mirror, I definitely see a leader. ... I think I add value to the younger guys and even myself because if I'm always thinking about being an example, and not being a person that you're looking at using for an example, I'll always be where I need to be."

Chinn also brings a winning culture with him from the Washington Commanders, as the team made an NFC Championship Game appearance in his lone season there. With the veteran leadership he brings, along with pointing out Crosby and Roberts as other examples, he believes the sky is the limit.

"He's helped our defense so far a whole lot," Chinn said of Roberts. "His confidence in the huddle and his leadership, what he's expecting of certain guys in certain times, situations in practice."

"I've seen what it takes to be able to have that immediate turnaround and I think it starts with the guys in the locker room," he added. "And I truly believe we have the right people in that locker room."

While the right people are filing the the locker room, Patrick Graham knows his defense has "a long way to go" before they're ready for Week 1.

"That's the benefit of OTAs and minicamps, you get to get out here," Graham said. "Football in June. ... It's a great experience and the situational football we're going through, that's been positive and we're learning from it."