The 2026 NFL training camps have kicked off around the league, and our team reporters are on the ground each day following all the action. The Las Vegas Raiders camp is taking place at Intermountain Health Performance Center in Henderson, Nevada, and Raiders reporter Ryan McFadden has the latest intel on standouts, highlights, position battles, depth chart movement, cut decisions and of course the quarterback room.
What follows is everything we are seeing and hearing at Raiders camp. We will update this file often. Who are the breakout players to watch, especially for fantasy football? And which players on the roster bubble could make the final 53?
Dive in to all the updates and be sure to check back for more information until the first full week of the preseason begins Aug. 13.
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Latest news from Raiders camp
Tuesday, Aug. 11
Under the bright lights at Allegiant Stadium on Tuesday, the connection between rookies Fernando Mendoza and Malik Benson continued to thrive.
In the team's final practice before the preseason opener against the Arizona Cardinals, Mendoza relied heavily on the sixth-round wide receiver. He connected with Benson on an out route while playing with the second-team offense. Later in practice, Mendoza zipped the ball through tight coverage to Benson on a slant route.
Benson said he and Mendoza began developing a strong bond when they first met at the scouting combine in February -- two months before they officially became teammates. The former Oregon pass catcher said after they were both drafted by the Raiders, he wanted to make sure he could be a player who Mendoza could rely on.
That has been the case since OTAs and mandatory minicamp.
"I know, when it comes to Sundays, when it comes to practice, he's going to rely on me to be in that spot, and I'm going to rely on him to place the ball where it needs to be placed," Benson said.
Overall, Mendoza was solid in what can be described as a light practice. The only blemish on his performance was a tipped pass and interception by linebacker Cody Lindenberg.
More observations:
Second-year wide receiver Dont'e Thornton Jr. missed his fourth straight practice. Rookie defensive end Keyron Crawford did not wear a red non-contact jersey and was a full participant during practice. He recorded a sack on Mendoza while playing with the second-team defense.
Quarterback Aidan O'Connell had the best throw of the evening --- a 55-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Brandon Johnson during the 7-on-7 period.
Monday, Aug. 10
Maybe coach Klint Kubiak's decision to hold Kirk Cousins from Saturday's practice due to his scuffle with Maxx Crosby sparked a fire within the veteran quarterback. Maybe it didn't. Either way, Cousins had his best performance of training camp.
Monday featured Cousins fitting the ball into tight windows and effectively conducting two-minute drives. He threw a touchdown pass to Brock Bowers in the corner of the end zone despite tight coverage from Taron Johnson. Both players later connected on a deep pass over the middle, positioning the offense near the goal line.
Cousins delivered a nice pass to wide receiver Tre Tucker on a crossing route with rookie cornerback Hezekiah Masses in coverage. He also connected with Malik Benson, who made a contested catch against cornerback Darien Porter.
During the two-minute period, Cousins completed four passes, including a touchdown throw to wide receiver Jalen Nailor.
Fernando Mendoza, on the other hand, went back to playing with the second-team offense. He didn't put together his best performance. He ran into running back Dare Ogunbowale during the handoff exchange.
He threw his third interception of camp. Mendoza attempted a pass to wide receiver Deven Thompkins on an out route. Greedy Vance was in front of Thompkins in man coverage, and Mendoza threw the ball directly into the second-year defensive back's hands.
His best throw -- a back-shoulder pass to Benson -- was called back because he was sacked on the play.
Other observations:
Defensive end Kwity Paye returned to practice, but did not participate in the team period. Rookie defensive end Keyron Crawford practiced, but wore a red non-contact jersey. Guard Caleb Rogers, tight end Carter Runyon and wide receiver Dont'e Thornton Jr. did not participate.
From a health standpoint, rookie cornerback Jermod McCoy said he feels closer to how he was in 2024. McCoy, who missed the entire 2025 college football season at Tennessee, said the Raiders' rehab plan has him feeling much better. "I'm still getting there. It's been a long time since I really played football.
McCoy mentioned that the biggest challenge was getting back into football shape and pre-snap stuff. McCoy felt rusty during the first day of camp, but was comfortable by Day 3.
Saturday, Aug. 8
With Kirk Cousins and Maxx Crosby not practicing for violating team rules, Fernando Mendoza played with the starters for the first time in camp.
Mendoza had his good and bad moments. He overthrew wide receiver Jack Bech a couple of times. And he had trouble securing the ball when snapped to him by Tyler Linderbaum and Jordan Meredith.
Mendoza, however, didn't get flustered. He had one of his best throws of camp during the red zone period. He threw a touchdown pass to Tre Tucker, in which he zipped the ball through tight coverage by cornerback Taron Johnson.
Mendoza also threw touchdowns to tight ends Brock Bowers and Michael Mayer.
The highlight of the day was Mendoza's efficiency during the two-minute period to close out practice. He completed five straight passes, including a throw to Tucker in tight coverage, to set up a field goal from kicker Matt Gay.
During Mendoza's reps with the first-team, quarterback coach Mike Sullivan said the biggest things he was evaluating were the rookie's command of the offense and not panicking in the pocket. Sullivan added that the team is pleased with Mendoza's development.
Mendoza's comfort and command of the operation have grown since the spring. Sullivan has also noticed improvement in Mendoza's play from under center.
Other observation:
Wide receiver Jalen Nailor and running back Dare Ogunbowale returned to practice after being sidelined Friday. Defensive ends Kwity Paye and Keyron Crawford, wide receiver Dont'e Thornton Jr. and tight end Carter Runyon did not participate.
Friday, Aug. 7
Friday was an eventful morning at Raiders HQ.
Las Vegas' eighth practice was highlighted by a scuffle between Maxx Crosby and Kirk Cousins. Other than that, both sides made plays throughout the team's third padded practice.
Cousins was picked off twice in the red zone. First, Crosby disrupted Cousins' pass attempt, causing the ball to be picked off by safety Jeremy Chinn. On the following play, rookie cornerback Hezekiah Masses intercepted Cousins in the back corner of the end zone.
Cousins responded well. He connected with tight ends Michael Mayer and Brock Bowers on a few big throws in the middle of the field. He was even efficient during the two-minute period near the end of practice, quickly moving the offense down the field into field-goal range.
Rookie running back Mike Washington Jr. had an explosive run, in which he ran over cornerback Jermod McCoy and continued to sprint down the field for a big gain.
Fernando Mendoza was sharp. His performance was highlighted by a touchdown pass to wide receiver Deven Thompkins during the red zone period. Mendoza zipped the ball through tight coverage
Other observations:
Wide receiver Jalen Nailor, defensive ends Kwity Paye and Keyron Crawford, tight end Carter Runyon and running back Dare Ogunbowale did not participate in practice. Second-year wide receiver Dont'e Thornton Jr. left practice early, but coach Klint Kubiak didn't sound concerned about the various absences. With Nailor out, rookie wide receiver Malik Benson took the majority of the first-team reps on the opposite side of Tre Tucker. "We had a few guys nicked up, and we're trying to be cautious," Kubiak said.
Jackson Powers-Johnson and Caleb Rogers alternated first-team reps at right guard. Kubiak said it's a part of the plan the team has in place to figure out the best starting offensive line combination. Right guard has been the only position on the first-team offensive line that has had changes.
Kubiak clarified that he didn't take the coaching staff to drinks after the Baltimore Ravens backed out of a trade agreement for Crosby. Making a guest appearance on the "Ball in the Family" podcast, hosted by NBA player Lonzo Ball, Crosby recalled Kubiak called him and said the coaching staff was going to celebrate after the announcement was made. "He is in big trouble for revealing that," Kubiak jokingly said. "We haven't gone out as much as a staff. We have been grinding. We probably need to do that more."
Thursday, Aug. 6
Tight end Brock Bowers keeps stacking up good practices.
On Thursday, Bowers was problematic for the defense and made one of the best plays since the start of camp. During 11-on-11, Bowers caught a deep touchdown pass from quarterback Kirk Cousins, in which he slipped behind the defense and was left completely wide open near the sideline. Bowers stopped running his route and waited until Cousins launched the ball across the field.
There were multiple occasions where Bowers beat out linebacker Quay Walker to make catches in the middle of the field.
Outside of Bowers, it wasn't the best morning for the offense. There were quite a few inaccurate throws and dropped passes. Fernando Mendoza recorded his second interception of camp after his pass slipped through Malik Benson's hands and cornerback Darien Porter dove to make a catch.
Aidan O'Connell also recorded two interceptions.
The offense didn't do much during the two-minute period. Cousins' pass to Tre Tucker was broken up by rookie cornerback Hezekiah Masses. Cornerback Eric Stokes broke up Cousins' throw to Benson. The offense was penalized twice during that period, as well.
Other observations:
Rookie cornerback Jermod McCoy had a rest day and didn't participate in Thursday's practice. Tight end Michael Mayer returned after missing Tuesday's practice with a nose injury.
Defensive end Keyron Crawford left practice early after colliding with edge rusher Malcolm Koonce during the team period. Assistant head coach Mike McCoy did not have an update on the rookie's status.
The Raiders mixed things up with their starting offensive line for the first time. They had Caleb Rogers and Jackson Powers-Johnson alternate reps at right guard.
Rookie safety Treydan Stukes had his first reps with the starting defense. He had a nice pass breakup while working with the second team during the two-minute period.
Tuesday, Aug. 4
Through six practices, rookie wide receiver Malik Benson has made a strong case for meaningful snaps this fall.
In a fairly thin wide receiver room, Benson has been a shining star, and that was the case on Tuesday. His and quarterback Fernando Mendoza's connection was on point. Mendoza repeatedly completed throws to Benson on crossing and comeback routes.
During the one-on-one period, Benson matched up with fellow rookie cornerback Jermod McCoy on a few reps, in which the former Oregon pass catcher showed off his footwork and separation ability to make catches.
Wide receivers Jalen Nailor and Tre Tucker are essentially options one and two in the room. Benson has emerged as WR3, outplaying Jack Bech and Dont'e Thornton Jr. thus far. For wide receiver coach Zach Azzanni, the biggest improvement he has seen from Benson has been route running.
"He's gotten a lot better at it," Azzanni said. "He's got a long way to go, but I'm pleased with where he's at because I knew he had the skill set to do it."
Other observations:
Tight end Michael Mayer did not practice after injuring his nose on Monday. Mayer, who was not in uniform, observed practice from the sideline. Tight end Carter Runyon was also absent for the fourth straight practice.
Offensive line coach Rick Dennison believes starting right tackle DJ Glaze, who struggled last season, still has untapped potential. "He does have great length, and he uses his arm length well, and he's working really hard at it. He's made some progress," Dennison said.
Starting inside linebacker Nakobe Dean said his body feels great after not participating during OTAs and mandatory minicamp. He added that his decision to come to Las Vegas over the Dallas Cowboys was because of a "gut feeling" that the Raiders would be a better situation.
Monday, Aug. 3
Fernando Mendoza had an up-and-down practice Monday, but coach Klint Kubiak understands the rookie will not be perfect all the time.
"There will never be a perfect game or practice," Kubiak said. "I think he is doing a good job. I don't expect him to be perfect right now."
The lowlights of Mendoza's performance included a few off-target throws during the team period and the one-on-one period between defensive backs and wide receivers. In 11-on-11, Mendoza's pass to Malik Benson in the middle of the field was slightly high and put the rookie wide receiver in a bad position to be nearly hit by safety Tristin McCollum.
On the next play, he threw an incomplete pass to wide receiver Phillip Dorsett II.
Mendoza also had snap issues, struggling to maintain control of the ball, but he managed to salvage the play. Kubiak said it's an issue he wants Mendoza to clean up.
"That's a part of playing the position," Kubiak said. "... That's why the quarterback has to be one of the best athletes on the field. He has to be able to grab a low snap and be able to jump on it when it's over his head."
Mendoza did bounce back toward the end of practice. His best throw was to Benson on a crossing route that led to a big gain. Later, he quickly threw the ball to wideout Shedrick Jackson on a slant.
Still, Kubiak said it's too early to determine how well Mendoza can handle adversity.
"There are 60-to-80 plays in a game. There are going to be ups and downs," Kubiak said. "What quarterback is gonna get the other 10 players playing at their best, that's what we're looking for."
Another observation:
Tight end Michael Mayer left practice early because of a busted nose, but Kubiak said Mayer should be fine.
Sunday, Aug. 2
Sunday featured quarterback Fernando Mendoza's worst performance of training camp, as the defense was overpowering throughout the morning.
During 11-on-11 work, Mendoza attempted a deep pass to rookie wide receiver Malik Benson. However, Mendoza's pass was underthrown, and cornerback Decamerion Richardson deflected the ball. When the Raiders were practicing two-minute situations, Mendoza and the second-team offense had pre-snap issues, prompting a timeout and the second team's replacement with the third team.
Mendoza also threw his first interception of camp. In the 7-on-7 period, defensive back Greedy Vance intercepted Mendoza's pass attempt to wide receiver Phillip Dorsett II. Vance perfectly read the pass and jumped in front of Dorsett to secure the ball.
The offense did make some plays. Kirk Cousins and Brock Bowers connected on a few big throws in the middle of the field. Undrafted rookie running back Roman Hemby had a nice run down the middle. And Aidan O'Connell had the play of the day, throwing a touchdown pass to wide receiver E.J. Williams Jr.
But for the most part, the defense had the upper hand. Linebacker Quay Walker and second-year defensive tackle JJ Pegues each recorded a sack. Defensive end Maxx Crosby was a force against the run. In the two-minute period, he quickly blew past right tackle DJ Glaze to stop running back Ashton Jeanty for a loss of yards. Rookie defensive end Keyron Crawford even had a nice run stop on Hemby while playing with the second team.
More observations from the day:
Edge rusher Kwity Paye returned after leaving Friday's practice early. Reserve tight end Carter Runyon was the only player absent from practice.
Darien Porter played the majority of the first-team reps at outside cornerback. Hezekiah Masses still had his fair share of reps with the starters, as the competition at that position picks up more steam.
Rookie Trey Zuhn III had some reps at right tackle sprinkled on his plate in Sunday's practice. The expectation is for him to contribute as an interior lineman, given that his size could create mismatches inside.
Raiders rookie cornerback Jermod McCoy's workload picked up, and he looked more comfortable on the field. He broke up O'Connell's pass to Williams early in practice. However, he was called for defensive pass interference while defending wide receiver Shedrick Jackson.
Friday, July 31
Edge rusher Kwity Paye, a projected starter, left Friday's practice early with an undisclosed injury. Coach Klint Kubiak, however, isn't worried and said Paye will be OK.
"We're trying to be smart this time. Guys get little [injuries]. We want to make sure we get them to those full padded days," Kubiak said.
Paye exited practice during the individual drill period. He was accompanied by a Raiders trainer on his walk inside the training facility. Edge rusher Malcolm Koonce replaced Paye on the first-team defense.
Koonce had a would-be-sack on quarterback Kirk Cousins near the end of practice. Undrafted rookie edge rusher Cian Slone played one snap with the first team.
Outside of Paye, the Raiders still had strong attendance. Backup tight end Carter Runyon and running back Chris Collier were the only ones not participating.
Other observations:
Friday's practice featured a heavy emphasis on the red zone. Cousins connected with tight end Brock Bowers for a pair of touchdowns. Fernando Mendoza made an impressive back-shoulder throw to rookie wideout Malik Benson in the corner of the end zone. Benson extended his arms for a two-handed catch, but he was ruled out of bounds.
During the 7-on-7 period, cornerback Darien Porter made a couple of nice plays on the ball. He tipped Cousins' pass to wide receiver Tre Tucker, and slot cornerback Taron Johnson intercepted it. Playing with the second team, Porter then broke up Mendoza's pass to Benson in the end zone.
Kubiak said 90% of the team has yet to establish a role on the roster, which isn't surprising given that it's the first week of camp.
Rookie cornerback Jermod McCoy's reps with the second and third team have been limited due to him coming back from a knee injury. The fact that he has practiced for three straight days is viewed as a good sign of progress, according to Kubiak. "He's been available for three days, which is a really positive start. So just keep stacking days [and] keep monitoring his mileage," Kubiak said.
Rookie offensive lineman Trey Zuhn III was the second-team center and third-team right guard throughout the morning. Zuhn did have one bad snap in which the ball soared over Mendoza's head.
The kicker battle picked up. Veteran Matt Gay was perfect on his field goal attempts, while undrafted rookie Kansei Matsuzawa had one miss from about 40 yards.
The Raiders' defense had the upper hand during the second-to-last team period. Maxx Crosby had a run stop on Ashton Jeanty, and Tonka Hemingway deflected Cousins' pass attempt. Mendoza watched the pocket collapse on him and would've been sacked by multiple defenders.
Las Vegas views Johnson, whom it acquired via trade with Buffalo, as another versatile player in the secondary. Johnson has played in the slot and at safety over the past three days. Johnson had 67 career snaps at safety in 113 career games with the Bills.
Thursday, July 30
Rookie Hezekiah Masses is trying to make a case for himself as the team's starting outside cornerback on the opposite side of veteran Eric Stokes.
For the second straight practice, Masses -- a fifth-round pick -- began the team period with the first-team defense. And throughout the morning, he alternated reps with second-year cornerback Darien Porter. The Raiders are expected to play a bit more man coverage under defensive coordinator Rob Leonard, and the coaching staff wants to improve at making plays on the ball.
Masses' skill set matches that vision. Last season at Cal, he totaled five interceptions and 14 pass breakups -- tied for the most by an FBS defender. Leonard said Masses has "good balance," but the position battle is still in the early stages.
While Masses and Porter have received the majority of the first-team reps, fourth-round pick Jermod McCoy is still easing back after spending the offseason program rehabbing from a knee injury. He has played strictly with the second and third team, as the coaching staff wants to see how his knee responds.
Other observations:
Defensive lineman Tonka Hemingway ended his rookie season on a high note, collecting four sacks in five games. He is pushing to have an even larger role in Year 2. Hemingway has been heavily involved with the first-team defense over the last two days. He made a few plays against the run during practice. The Raiders will most likely have a rotation on the defensive line, and Hemingway is trying to be at the forefront of it.
Defensive end Maxx Crosby had a strong practice. Crosby felt like he was hesitant in Wednesday's practice, his first time on the field since last December. That wasn't the case Thursday. He was effective at containing the run and using his explosiveness to get into the backfield.
Rookie offensive lineman Trey Zuhn III and Jordan Meredith moved around quite a bit. Both players had reps at guard and center with the second team. The first-team offensive line, on the other hand, has remained the same since the spring with Kolton Miller, Spencer Burford, Tyler Linderbaum, Jackson Powers-Johnson and DJ Glaze.
Quarterbacks Fernando Mendoza and Kirk Cousins played well. Each player made a couple of big throws during practice. Cousins and tight end Brock Bowers' connection has looked strong.
The wide receiver room has been fairly quiet. Jalen Nailor and Brandon Johnson arguably had the best plays out of the group. Nailor made a contested two-handed catch despite Stokes applying tight coverage and Cousins' throw being slightly high. Later, Mendoza rolled to the right before hitting Johnson, who made an impressive kneeling catch near the sideline. But for the most part, plays have been hard to come by for the wide receivers so far. The majority of Cousins' throws have been to Bowers or checkdowns.
Wednesday, July 29
For offensive coordinator Andrew Janocko, the biggest growth he has seen from quarterback Fernando Mendoza since he arrived in the spring has been his command of the offense.
That was noticeable during the Raiders' first training camp practice on Wednesday. Mendoza ran with the second team throughout the morning, looking more comfortable under center, and his accuracy was on point.
His best throw came during the 11-on-11 period when he maintained his composure in the pocket despite heavy pressure and completed a pass in the middle of the field to tight end Ian Thomas.
Still, Kirk Cousins is the captain of the offense, at least for now. Coach Klint Kubiak named Cousins the starter to begin training camp, but the four-time Pro Bowl selection is not getting ahead of himself. He wants to take things one day at a time.
"You're only as good as your last throw [and] your last practice," Cousins said. "You try to every day go out and earn that opportunity, and never take anything for granted."
More observations from the day:
The Raiders had perfect attendance in practice. Edge rusher Maxx Crosby, inside linebacker Nakobe Dean and rookie cornerback Jermod McCoy played without any restrictions after not participating in OTAs and mandatory minicamp.
Rookie Malik Benson had a solid first day after performing well during the offseason program. Playing with the third team, Benson made a contested catch with cornerback Chigozie Anusiem in coverage. A few plays later, quarterback Aidan O'Connell rolled right before throwing a deep pass to Benson near the sideline.
Las Vegas rotated cornerbacks quite a bit during the team period. Rookie Hezekiah Masses and Darien Porter each had first-team reps at outside cornerback. Meanwhile, McCoy played with the second and third team.
The play of the day came from tight end Michael Mayer. During 7-on-7, Mayer made a diving catch off a pass from Cousins in the middle of the field. Slot cornerback Taron Johnson was flagged for defensive pass interference while attempting to cover Mayer.
Tuesday, July 28
Raiders coach Klint Kubiak said defensive end Maxx Crosby is ready to go for the start of training camp after spending the past six months recovering from offseason knee surgery.
Kubiak added that Crosby will play in all first-team reps and will not be limited, as he was during the offseason program, when the All-Pro edge rusher only stretched with his teammates before going inside the facility.
Crosby underwent surgery to repair a torn meniscus on Jan. 7. He played through the left knee injury since Week 7 of last season before the team placed him on injured reserve on Dec. 27.
Earlier this month, Crosby said he felt amazing and extremely excited to return to practice. He has mentioned on multiple occasions that this has been the best rehab process he has undergone and that he was ahead of schedule.