The building might have a fresh set of paint, and there are some more televisions hanging on the walls at 1220 Harbor Bay Parkway than in 2015, but Benson Mayowa felt a sense of familiarity when he walked back into the Oakland Raiders facility Tuesday morning.
The former Idaho Vandal played two seasons (2014-15) with the Silver and Black before eventually signing with the Dallas Cowboys, and then most recently the Arizona Cardinals, but throughout his NFL travels, he kept an affinity for his stop in Northern California.
"Last year I was a free agent, and Oakland was one of the teams that was looking at me, and then when I saw that I was kind of happy because this is where I really played," said Mayowa. "I spent a year in Seattle but I didn't play. I had the most fun playing here. I wanted to come back last year, it didn't work, but it worked out this time and I'm happy to be back."
There were myriad reasons for Mayowa's return to the Raiders, but rather unsurprisingly towards the top of that list was the presence of defensive coordinator Paul Guenther.
"I think he [Guenther] is a straight-up guy," Mayowa said. "I think he's just a straight-up guy. That was my first impression."
That first impression came recently, when Mayowa received a call from the Raiders defensive coordinator, one where Guenther succinctly, and honestly expressed his desire for the rangy defensive end to re-join the Silver and Black for a second go round.
"I feel like when somebody wants you like that – he didn't have to tell me that," Mayowa said. "He could have beat around the bush a little bit, but he was straight ahead, and that's how I feel like I am."
During his career – which now enters Year 7 – Mayowa has tallied just 13 sacks, but coming off a season last year in Arizona where his four sacks would have been tied for the team-high with the Raiders, the Inglewood, Calif., native believes he can not only produce on Sundays, but help along the young defensive ends already on the roster, albeit it in his own way.
"I'm not a ra-ra guy; one thing I can say I do well is lead by example," Mayowa explained. "I'm going to want to beat them. They're young, I'm going to want to beat them… Last year in Arizona, I was on the field more than I've been in my career, but I was still sharing time, that's what you have to do sometimes. Here, I feel like it'll be a better opportunity for me to be out there and add to the sack total, help this defense get to the quarterback more, and with that, I feel like that will make the younger guys hungry. When you see one guy eating, you're going to want to eat. It's just natural. That's just being a football player and being competitive. That's how I'll probably help them and help the team."
Mayowa will turn 28 during training camp this year, and now entering his seventh NFL campaign, not only is he a different player than he was during his first tour as a Raider, he's a different person.
"I'm just more mature," he said. "The game slowed down, a lot. When you're young, playing NFL football, it's much, much faster. It's much, more mental. You can be the fastest, you can jump the highest, but if you don't know where the plays are going, if you don't know your positioning, or how to react to certain things, then that kind of makes you. I feel like me maturing in the game, and me studying the game, and being a student, and just putting in years… [I'm] definitely more mature."
While Mayowa is looking forward to learning from Paul Guenther and leading by example on the field, off the field, he's also admittedly excited about another aspect about his return to the Silver and Black.
Once again, having the support of Raider Nation.
"Even when I was here, I wasn't making crazy plays, crazy sacks, but they know you," Mayowa said when discussing the team's fan base. "They know who's on the team, and this is one of the teams where they know…. You don't have to be the biggest player, but it's just real. Real love out here in the Black Hole."
Head out to Raiders HQ in Alameda, Calif. for the team's first offseason workout of the 2019 season.
Free weights at a workout during phase one of the offseason program at the Raiders Practice Facility in Alameda, Calif.
Raiders defensive end Alex Barrett at a workout during phase one of the offseason program at the Raiders Practice Facility in Alameda, Calif.
Raiders linebacker Brandon Marshall at a workout during phase one of the offseason program at the Raiders Practice Facility in Alameda, Calif.
Raiders safety Curtis Riley at a workout during phase one of the offseason program at the Raiders Practice Facility in Alameda, Calif.
Raiders punter Johnny Townsend at a workout during phase one of the offseason program at the Raiders Practice Facility in Alameda, Calif.
Raiders long snapper Andrew DePaola at a workout during phase one of the offseason program at the Raiders Practice Facility in Alameda, Calif.
Raiders cornerback Nick Nelson at a workout during phase one of the offseason program at the Raiders Practice Facility in Alameda, Calif.
Raiders safety Jordan Richards at a workout during phase one of the offseason program at the Raiders Practice Facility in Alameda, Calif.
Raiders strength and conditioning assistant Rick Slate and defensive tackle Justin Ellis at a workout during phase one of the offseason program at the Raiders Practice Facility in Alameda, Calif.
Raiders kicker Daniel Carlson at a workout during phase one of the offseason program at the Raiders Practice Facility in Alameda, Calif.
Raiders punter Drew Kaser at a workout during phase one of the offseason program at the Raiders Practice Facility in Alameda, Calif.
Raiders linebacker Marquel Lee at a workout during phase one of the offseason program at the Raiders Practice Facility in Alameda, Calif.
Raiders linebacker/defensive end James Cowser at a workout during phase one of the offseason program at the Raiders Practice Facility in Alameda, Calif.
Raiders defensive tackle P.J. Hall at a workout during phase one of the offseason program at the Raiders Practice Facility in Alameda, Calif.
Raiders cornerback Daryl Worley, safety Dallin Leavitt, safety Jordan Richards, and linebacker Vontaze Burfict at a workout during phase one of the offseason program at the Raiders Practice Facility in Alameda, Calif.
Raiders linebacker Vontaze Burfict at a workout during phase one of the offseason program at the Raiders Practice Facility in Alameda, Calif.
Raiders linebacker Cayson Collins, linebacker Kyle Wilber, linebacker Jason Cabinda at a workout during phase one of the offseason program at the Raiders Practice Facility in Alameda, Calif.
Raiders safety Erik Harris at a workout during phase one of the offseason program at the Raiders Practice Facility in Alameda, Calif.
Raiders defensive end Josh Mauro and defensive tackle P.J. Hall at a workout during phase one of the offseason program at the Raiders Practice Facility in Alameda, Calif.
Raiders defensive tackle Eddie Vanderdoes and defensive tackle Johnathan Hankins at a workout during phase one of the offseason program at the Raiders Practice Facility in Alameda, Calif.
Raiders players and coaches at a workout during phase one of the offseason program at the Raiders Practice Facility in Alameda, Calif.
Raiders defensive tackle Johnathan Hankins at a workout during phase one of the offseason program at the Raiders Practice Facility in Alameda, Calif.
Raiders cornerback Gareon Conley at a workout during phase one of the offseason program at the Raiders Practice Facility in Alameda, Calif.
Raiders quarterback Derek Carr and quarterback Landry Jones at a workout during phase one of the offseason program at the Raiders Practice Facility in Alameda, Calif.
Raiders wide receiver Tyrell Williams, quarterback Derek Carr, and wide receiver Antonio Brown at a workout during phase one of the offseason program at the Raiders Practice Facility in Alameda, Calif.
Raiders players and coaches at a workout during phase one of the offseason program at the Raiders Practice Facility in Alameda, Calif.
Raiders players and coaches at a workout during phase one of the offseason program at the Raiders Practice Facility in Alameda, Calif.
Raiders tight end Darren Waller at a workout during phase one of the offseason program at the Raiders Practice Facility in Alameda, Calif.
Raiders guard/tackle Denver Kirkland at a workout during phase one of the offseason program at the Raiders Practice Facility in Alameda, Calif.
Raiders tight end Luke Willson at a workout during phase one of the offseason program at the Raiders Practice Facility in Alameda, Calif.
Raiders running back Chris Warren III at a workout during phase one of the offseason program at the Raiders Practice Facility in Alameda, Calif.
Raiders wide receiver De'Mornay Pierson-El at a workout during phase one of the offseason program at the Raiders Practice Facility in Alameda, Calif.
Raiders running back Isaiah Crowell at a workout during phase one of the offseason program at the Raiders Practice Facility in Alameda, Calif.
Raiders wide receiver Rashard Davis at a workout during phase one of the offseason program at the Raiders Practice Facility in Alameda, Calif.
Raiders quarterback Derek Carr at a workout during phase one of the offseason program at the Raiders Practice Facility in Alameda, Calif.
Raiders quarterback Mike Glennon at a workout during phase one of the offseason program at the Raiders Practice Facility in Alameda, Calif.
Raiders wide receiver Tyrell Williams at a workout during phase one of the offseason program at the Raiders Practice Facility in Alameda, Calif.
Raiders center Rodney Hudson at a workout during phase one of the offseason program at the Raiders Practice Facility in Alameda, Calif.
Raiders tackle David Sharpe at a workout during phase one of the offseason program at the Raiders Practice Facility in Alameda, Calif.
Raiders tackle Denzelle Good at a workout during phase one of the offseason program at the Raiders Practice Facility in Alameda, Calif.
Raiders fullback Keith Smith at a workout during phase one of the offseason program at the Raiders Practice Facility in Alameda, Calif.
Raiders tight end Derek Carrier at a workout during phase one of the offseason program at the Raiders Practice Facility in Alameda, Calif.
Raiders wide receiver Saeed Blacknall at a workout during phase one of the offseason program at the Raiders Practice Facility in Alameda, Calif.
Raiders tackle Trent Brown at a workout during phase one of the offseason program at the Raiders Practice Facility in Alameda, Calif.
Raiders wide receiver Antonio Brown and strength and conditioning coach A.J. Neibel at a workout during phase one of the offseason program at the Raiders Practice Facility in Alameda, Calif.
Raiders running back Isaiah Crowell, and quarterback Landry Jones at a workout during phase one of the offseason program at the Raiders Practice Facility in Alameda, Calif.
Raiders players and coaches at a workout during phase one of the offseason program at the Raiders Practice Facility in Alameda, Calif.
Raiders wide receiver Antonio Brown, wide receiver Tyrell Williams, and wide receiver J.J. Nelson at a workout during phase one of the offseason program at the Raiders Practice Facility in Alameda, Calif.
Raiders tight end Paul Butler at a workout during phase one of the offseason program at the Raiders Practice Facility in Alameda, Calif.
