Training Camp Notebook 7/30: Defensive line starts applying pressure

Jul 30, 2026 at 12:19 PM

Digital Team Reporter

The Las Vegas Raiders conducted their second training camp practice Thursday. Here are a few observations on the the offensive and defensive side of the ball.

Dominant day from No. 98

While Maxx Crosby may have felt he "hesitated slightly" on Day 1, his first practice back from injury, he flipped the script Thursday.

Crosby was flying around the field and wreaking havoc (as much as he could without pads) on the offensive line. He could be occasionally be found in the backfield, getting a few near sacks on Kirk Cousins.

"I don't think you can really tell he really went through what he went through last year honestly," linebacker Quay Walker said. "Me and Nakobe [Dean] talked about that on the sideline probably like period five, period six. After the first team period, we were like, 'Man, Maxx flying!'

"I'm not really surprised though. All the great players, the elite players, that's pretty much how it goes."

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Collective effort up front

Alongside Crosby, the rest of the defensive line looked the part.

The unit had a productive day stopping the run, with Adam Butler, Jonah Laulu and Tonka Hemingway standing out. They also weren't too shabby in the pass rush, creating consistent pressure throughout the day.

"Maturity, consistency," defensive coordinator Rob Leonard said when asked about Hemingway, who had four sacks his rookie season. "He is quiet ... but he has done everything right that he controls from the offseason. Learned a lot of his routine from Maxx. It's been fun to watch him develop as a man, as a player and now he's got to carry it over to pads."

The interior line will be a development throughout camp, with multiple players competing to crack the rotation. Thomas Booker IV, Benito Jones and JJ Pegues are also in contention for elevated roles in the trenches.

Good day to be Raiders quarterback

Both Kirk Cousins and Fernando Mendoza enjoyed efficient days of practice, making the right reads and looking sharp on their throws.

Cousins continued forming a healthy connection with Brock Bowers and Michael Mayer for a second consecutive practice. There was one particular play where Crosby nearly got to Cousins, forcing the quarterback to step up in the pocket and throw a dart to Bowers.

As Fernando Mendoza took control over the second unit, he seemed more in command with his decision-making, scanning the field for big gains. His main target was Brandon Johnson, who caught a few big catches from the No. 1 pick.

"When you're able to read the defense and know the plays like the back of your hand," Mendoza said, "you're able to be more calm, comfortable, know where your hot routes are. ... Creating a larger and better understanding of the schematics has helped me calm down, know where my outs [routes] are and just be more confident in general."

Hit the ground running

There looks to be a few moving parts in the ground game for the Silver and Black.

Ashton Jeanty played the part of the lead back in practice, with rookie Mike Washington Jr. and Dylan Laube sprinkled in. Along with the running backs, there's a growing presence with the fullback position on the field. Connor Heyward is getting an handful of reps either blocking for the running back or getting involved in the passing game.

Behind Heyward, rookie tight end Patrick Gurd took some reps at fullback. The H-back position should be a integral part of Klint Kubiak's offense as the Seattle Seahawks lined up in 21 and 22 personnel the fifth most of any offense in the league in 2025, per NFL Next Gen Stats.

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Las Vegas Raiders center Tyler Linderbaum (65) before practice at 2026 Training Camp at Intermountain Health Performance Center.