Las Vegas Raiders assistant HC Mike McCoy addresses the confusing situation at Mandatory Minicamp that has fans scratching their heads
The Las Vegas Raiders started Mandatory Minicamp this week, and there seems to be an issue, or nothing at all.
It’s the offseason, and there’s not much going on. That means it’s time for fans to overreact. That’s not a bad thing; it’s what fans are supposed to do, and the latest example is what’s going on with new linebacker Nakobe Dean.
He’s not been at OTAs at all, which is fine; once again, they’re voluntary. However, that spooks fans. He’s not holding out or anything like that, because he just got a contract from the Raiders. So, the immediate thought among fans is that he’s just a bad leader, or something along those lines. That’s not the case at all. On Tuesday, he wasn’t seen at Mandatory Minicamp, but reports say he’s in the building. The situation was addressed after practice on Tuesday.
“He’s a pro, this is the offseason,” assistant head coach Mike McCoy told reporters on Tuesday when asked about the situation. “We’re taking it one day at a time. The key thing is to have everybody as fresh as possible, ready to go for the opener.”
It sounds like Dean might be dealing with an injury. You don’t want to jump to conclusions, but that’s certainly a possibility. In four seasons, Dean has played 47 of 68 possible games. He’s dealt with some injuries, for sure. Hopefully, if he is again, it’s nothing serious.
Nakobe Dean’s injury history
Since 2022, Dean has had four injuries. In 2022, he dealt with a pectoral injury. Then, in 2023, he had two foot injuries on the same foot, with one of them being a Lisfranc sprain. In January, 2025, Dean tore a ligament in his knee. Other than that, nothing serious has been disclosed.
Maybe this is the Raiders really just wanting to make sure they get the most out of Dean. The only other player not seen at Mandatory minicamp at practice was Jermod McCoy. He was the fourth-round CB they took a flier on with major injury red flags. Those two could be getting separate work in.
But being at Mandatory Minicamp is important, especially for Dean. He’s yet to learn the system and the installation. So, he needs to be out there as much as possible.