Following the Oakland Raiders first practice since returning from Napa, quarterback Derek Carr spoke to the media outside the team's new performance center.
Here are the takeaways from his time behind the microphone.
Carr is excited about the team's new, state-of-the-art facility and can't wait to get to work in it.
"It's so awesome in there. Obviously you can hear the sound system, which is awesome. It's really cool and I'm so thankful that [Owner] Mr. [Mark] Davis and his family want to do this for us. It just shows the commitment to excellence. This place has to be the best around. It's really awesome to have and we're very thankful."
He then spoke about his initial thoughts when he entered the performance center for the first time.
"When I walked in, I was just in awe. It was even more than I expected. I can't find more good things to say about it, but we're very thankful for it, I can tell you that."
Carr also echoed Head Coach Jack Del Rio in his praise of rookie wide receiver Amari Cooper.
"[I'm] very thankful for him too, that's for sure. I think that he's getting so much better every day. He's a hard worker, as everyone knows, and you guys know I don't use that term loosely. He works hard, and it means something to him, and like I said before, I think he has a special future."
**He then spoke about how even though it's the preseason, the team has to play better against the Arizona Cardinals Sunday night.
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"We've just got to be better. We've got to continue to show that in some way, some phase, some form of the game we're growing. You don't ever want to look stagnant or the same. Is that going to happen someday? Yeah, probably, maybe. We don't plan on it. You want to make sure when you turn the film on, you say, 'We did good in this area and we got better there.' That's what you look for." Carr also spoke about the competitive tone that surrounds the team this year and how it comes squarely from Head Coach Jack Del Rio.
"Coach Del Rio is all about competing. He's going to be brutally honest. He's going to force you to compete and that's what I love. Without comparing the two, just speaking on what Coach Del Rio has brought, he's just so competitive. You see the commitment, like we've said, with everything going on around here. The kind of meals we're eating, the way we travel, the way we do everything, you can just see the commitment he has in us. He treats us like grown men. He expects a lot out of us."
He also made sure to praise his offensive line, and once again said he believes they are the top unit in the NFL.
"They're doing a great job, they are. I think I'm always biased, but I think we have the best line, I do. I'll always think that no matter what because I love those guys. I think they've been doing a great job. They're going to tell you that they have a lot of things to get better at and they can point those things out to you. To me, I think they're doing a great job and they work hard at it."
