Training Camp Notebook 7/31: Michael Mayer, Brock Bowers continue to excel together

Jul 31, 2025 at 02:26 PM

Levi Edwards

Digital Team Reporter

After a day off, the Las Vegas Raiders stepped back on the practice field. It was another competitive day as the team ramps up for their mock game Saturday at Allegiant Stadium.

Here are the notes, quotes and observations from the seventh training camp practice.

Notes and Observations from Day 7 of practice

Offense

Michael Mayer caught touchdowns on back-to-back plays during red zone period. The first was impressive as he caught a jump ball over safety Lonnie Johnson Jr. in the left corner of the end zone. The second was on the other side of the field near the right side pylon. Mayer has enjoyed one of the better offseasons of any player on the roster.
"I think this is the best I felt in my two and a half, three years in the NFL, no doubt about it," Mayer said last week. "And I think that that comes with mentally and emotionally being where you want to be, because your body's not going to be where you want to be if your mental is not where you want it to be. And my mental and my emotional is the best it's been also. So, it's a connection of all three and the physical also."
Along with Mayer, receivers Dont'e Thornton Jr. and Shedrick Jackson caught touchdown passes during red zone period. Thornton continues to build on his momentum, seeing a high volume of first-team reps.
Jordan Meredith and Jackson Powers-Johnson has gone back and forth since the start of training camp for first-team reps at center. Thursday morning, Meredith lined up at center while JPJ was next to him at right guard.
"You can see the steps he's been taking," offensive tackle Kolton Miller said of Meredith. "He's been in the league for awhile now, I think now he's really showing up. He showed up last year, that's for sure. He got his chance and he stepped up and seeing him progress has been really cool."
Due to a successful day from the defensive line, the mobility of Geno Smith and rookie Cam Miller stood out. There were multiple occasions the quarterbacks rushed out the pocket for gains to avoid would've been sacks.
Smith was lights out in the last team period of practice, marching down the field seamlessly. His targets included Brock Bowers, Jakobi Meyers and Tre Tucker.

Defense

Thursday morning was arguably the best day of practice from the defensive line in my eyes, hence Smith and Miller flushing out of pocket regularly. The unit had the upper hand for the majority of practice, with Maxx Crosby collapsing the pocket on nearly every rep. Adam Butler and Jonah Laulu also found success stopping the run and making life difficult on the entire running back room.
"[W]e are a very skilled group, and I would say that we are also a tough group," Butler said recently. "We are not pushovers. We're not going to roll over for anybody. So you throw that on top of work ethic, on top of skill, toughness, that whole package will be a force to be reckoned with."
Rookie Darien Porter continues to make the most of his opportunities. He secured an interception at the tail end of one-on-one drills.
"The only way to get better is to keep practicing," Porter said. "It was a bit intimidating at first, but now I embrace it every single day."
Stop me if you've heard this before, but the likes of JT Woods and UDFA Greedy Vance continued to shine in coverage. Woods has worked his way into a handful of first-team reps at safety while Vance, the undrafted rookie from USC, nearly had an interception during red zone drills and one-on-one drills.
"Greedy Vance, he did a nice job too," Pete Carroll said Tuesday. "He's a young kid coming out of nowhere, not USC nowhere, but being a free agent and all that, a little guy. He's played like crazy yesterday and again today."

Quote of the day

I'm so glad to be a Raider and like I said, I want to be a Raider for life. So, I'm living it and I'm happy to get back to work. Kolton Miller on signing contract extension

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Las Vegas Raiders tight end Justin Shorter (88) on the field for practice at 2025 Training Camp at Intermountain Health Performance Center.