Monday, at Intermountain Health Performance Center, brought a game-week rhythm ahead of the team’s first preseason game. Thursday, the Raiders will play their first game at Allegiant Stadium under head coach Klint Kubiak when they face the Arizona Cardinals.
Both Kirk Cousins and Jermod McCoy were making heads turn as the Raiders get dialed in for their first action 0f 2026
Let’s dive into Monday’s training camp practice.
Monday, Cousins was back with the first team. He had been held out of team periods Saturday after a Friday scuffle with Maxx Crosby. Cousins made up for the missed time. He threw touchdowns to Brock Bowers and Jalen Nailor, connected with Malik Benson on a big play and turned in his best day of camp.
On the other side of the ball, cornerback Greedy Vance picked off Fernando Mendoza during the two-minute period. That is the second time in camp Vance has picked off the rookie quarterback.
Two players were not on the field. Offensive lineman Caleb Rogers and wide receiver Dont’e Thornton Jr. did not practice Monday. Rogers left Saturday’s practice with a trainer but said afterward that he felt fine.
May 28, 2026; Henderson, NV, USA; Las Vegas Raiders cornerback Jermod McCoy (28) runs a drill during organized team activities at Intermountain Health Performance Center. Mandatory Credit: Candice Ward-Imagn ImagesCredit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Cornerback Jermod McCoy went from a projected first-round pick to a fourth-round selection on draft day. Although the injury concerns were present, General Manager John Spytek trusted the team’s trainers and bet on the former Tennessee Volunteer being a draft day steal. More and more, McCoy has delivered. He has been a regular presence in the secondary while still building back.
“From the day I came in to now, the way I feel is so much better,” McCoy said to reporters Monday. “First day out there, I was a little tired but I could see myself progressing more and more daily with my stamina and getting back into football shape.”
Jermod McCoy is now being held back on reps as a precautionary measure. That is a sign of how much he has progressed since being drafted and how far he has come from his limited work in OTAs.
During camp, McCoy is lining up against sixth-rounder Malik Benson, who continues to push for his own role. With Thornton out Monday, Benson took on more work with the offense, which meant more of those matchups for McCoy.
“Every time I am up against Malik, I love because they love throwing the ball to Malik,” the cornerback said. “So, against Malik, the ball is probably coming there so I am going to try to make a play.”
McCoy isn’t taking a slow approach. His goals are lofty and he isn’t shy about sharing what his aim is.
“I definitely want to make All-Rookie, All-Pro,” McCoy said. “I want to have three to four picks.”
May 20, 2026; Henderson, NV, USA; Las Vegas Raiders safety Jeremy Chinn (11) warms up during organized team activities at Intermountain Health Performance Center. Mandatory Credit: Candice Ward-Imagn ImagesCredit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
McCoy is one of three rookie cornerbacks, each of whom brings a different skill set to Rob Leonard‘s defense.
Another rookie who has impressed throughout camp is Hezekiah Masses, the Raiders’ sixth-round pick, who has already seen action with the starters.
“Being with the 1s is truly a blessing,” Masses said. “I want to thank my teammates pushing me every day and the coaches for trusting me.”
Masses has backed up that trust. He picked off Cousins during Friday’s practice and has put together multiple days with multiple pass breakups during camp. Secondary coach Joe Woods compared the rookie’s lateral quickness to Denzel Ward, while making clear that Masses has a long way to go.
All three of the rookie cornerbacks, including Masses, have relied on the veterans, especially in the defensive backs room.
“Stokes is a big brother to me. He’s showing me the ropes,” Masses said. “You’ve got Decamerion (Richardson), Darien (Porter) and Chigozie (Anusiem). They are a great group of guys and they’re checking on me a lot.
“Jeremy Chinn has been in the league for a long time, so he knows the ins and outs. He gets on me every day, making sure I’m doing the right thing as a pro.”
Depth at Tight End Gets Deeper
Jun 9, 2026; Henderson, NV, USA; Las Vegas Raiders tight end Ian Thomas (80) and defensive end Clan Sloane (48) during minicamp at Intermountain Health Performance Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn ImagesCredit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
There is more to the Raiders tight end room than Brock Bowers and Michael Mayer, as the former caught a touchdown from Cousins on Monday.
Having that depth at the tight end position will go a long way toward building that part of the offense. Kubiak has leaned on the tight ends since the first week of camp, with a heavy dose of 12 personnel.
“For us, it’s getting better every single day,” tight ends coach Luke Steckel said. “It’s mastering this scheme. We still have a long way to go before our first regular season game and we’re exploring every role of this versatility in this offense. Whether we ask the tight ends to catch 20 balls a game or catch zero and block their tails off in the run game, that’s what we’re going to do. We’ve got a team-first approach and whatever the game plan tells us to do that week, that’s what we’re going to do.”
Besides the two picks drafted in consecutive years, building out that depth is vital for this team, especially in three-tight-end sets.
That depth for the Raiders includes veterans Ian Thomas and Albert Okwuegbunam Jr., who have a combined 14 years of NFL experience and are both blocking-first tight ends.
However, both have been relied on to catch passes, building versatility among the tight ends.
“Ian’s a guy that we’re going to count on this year. We need him to do everything,” Steckel said. “He’s kind of been labeled as a blocking tight end but he has a proficient skillset as a pass catcher. When the ball goes his way, we plan on him catching it and making plays with it.”
The Raiders move to Allegiant Stadium for a practice open to fans on Tuesday. Tickets for the event are just $5.
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