Skip to main content
Raiders
Advertising

Gutierrez: The first day of pads cultivates not only a competitive spirit, but new mindset

There is something, well, romantic, about the first day of pads in training camp.

Hear me out here…it's when football becomes real, so to speak, with the popping and hitting and offensive linemen finally, mercifully, able to defend themselves against the onslaught of pass rushers who have been dominating in the shorts-and-helmets version of the game they've been playing thus far. As well as open up holes for the likes of rookie running back Ashton Jeanty, who made quick and quality work of his opportunities to pick up chunks of yardage on Monday.

"That's a big statement," Raiders coach Pete Carroll said of practicing in pads, "because the game is at the line of scrimmage on both sides of the football. And until we start knocking each other around and battling to make each other better, you really don't know where you are."

And yet…

The first day of pads rarely, if ever, lives up to the media- and fan-fueled hype.

There are no teeth-rattling collisions. No breathtaking blows. No highlight-reel hits worthy of the old school NFL Crunch Course VHS tape we watched before our Barstow High School games in (checks calendar) 1987 to get in a certain mood. Of course that was a Raider - safety Mike Davis - blitzing to blast Joe Theismann in the opening scene.

And that's just fine for now.

Putting on the pads and hitting in today's training camp era is meant to prepare teams for the rigors of a regular season. Not to blow up a teammate.

"We can only evaluate what we can, and at this point, we're in great shape with understanding our players," Carroll added. "But this is the next step. And so, there's not that many padded days before we're playing. So, we'll take advantage of every one of them and expect our guys to get after each other.

"They realize that it's the guy across from them that makes them [better], and so, that understanding is to bring out the best in everybody. So hopefully it'll be really fun to watch."

25_TC_Website_Header_2560x600_Open-Practice_Open-to-Public (1)

Join us for Open Practice

You're invited to Open Practice at Allegiant Stadium on Saturday, August 2!

Aside from Jeanty bounding about - "When he gets to the hole, he goes," right tackle DJ Glaze said. "It's just been exciting to go out there and try to create space for him." – there was fellow rookie Dont'e Thornton not being slowed down by pads while the receiver blew down the left sideline for a long touchdown catch in 11-on-11s from Geno Smith.

And there was second-year cornerback Decamerion Richardson picking Smith off in the end zone in a red-zone drill, before Richardson recovered to tackle, yes, tackle tight end Brock Bowers on a perfectly-placed ball from Smith for a decent gain.

Then there was rookie receiver Jack Bech getting physical to wrestle a ball away from a defensive back in the end zone for a TD.

"When the pads come on, it's kind of a test for the rookies," offered veteran left tackle Kolton Miller. "Like, 'What do you got?'"

Indeed, physical play in pads to get in some important football work while taking care of teammates. All in a day's work, yes?

Yes…with a caveat.

Cornerback Eric Stokes, who signed a free-agent deal with the Raiders in March after four years with the Packers, had more than an inkling the first day in pads would be ramped up, and guts would be checked.

Especially with more than 1,400 fans watching practice and oohing and aahing every collision, no matter how big or small.

"Everybody's bringing their energy, everybody's bringing their juice," Stokes said. "But I always like to say, 'Anybody can be a dog on the first day of pads.'

"It's like the second, that third day. Let's see what you're really made of."

Stokes started getting more animated, almost as if the pads put him in a different head space.

"Anybody can come out there and bang for a day and think they got it," he said, before rhythmically tapping the lectern on beat as he sounded off the numbers.

"But, nah, I want to see you [on] Day 2. Day 3. Day 4. Day 5. Because that's when the real thing comes on. Because anybody can just, like, fall off and just do it one day. I want to see consistency. That's the biggest thing for me."

See, isn't it romantic?

The Las Vegas Raiders hit the field for a 2025 Training Camp practice at Intermountain Health Performance Center.

Related Content

Latest Content

Advertising