Las Vegas Raiders position coach reveals how one new addition can completely change the culture once he gets to Mandatory Minicamp
The Las Vegas Raiders have brought in a ton of different pieces throughout the offseason.
The Las Vegas Raiders have been at OTAs, and are set to start Mandatory Minicamp on June 9. OTAs aren’t mandatory; you don’t have to be there. And, we have seen a few players not show up, which is fine. Mandatory Minicamp is exactly the opposite.
So far, two noticeable players have missed OTAs. Taron Johnson, the nickel they traded for from Buffalo, didn’t show up until the third week. Linebacker Nakobe Dean, whom they signed in free agency this offseason, has not attended any sessions. Regardless, this coaching staff believes he can be an elite culture-changer.
“When you talk about culture building and really trying to turn the tide to get things going, you need those staple pieces,” Raiders LBs coach Ronell Williams, who comes from the Eagles, said earlier in the week.
Dean is coming from a program that knows how to win and what winning looks like. The Eagles have won two Super Bowls since 2018. Sure, Dean was only on one of those, but he was still around a bunch of people, staff, and players, who won the first one. He knows what a culture is supposed to look like.
But, how much does that matter if he’s not at OTAs?
Klint Kubiak is not worried about Nakobe Dean
“Yeah, shoot, it’s a voluntary time of year, can’t wait to get those guys [LB Nakobe Dean also not at OTAs] back. Really fired up for the guys that are here, but have been in contact with both of those guys and they’ve been doing a great job, some here, some away,” Kubiak told reporters when OTAs first started.
Kubiak is right, OTAs are voluntary. And, it’s not that Dean is holding out for a contract change; he was just signed this offseason. Fans don’t have anything to worry about. If he doesn’t show up on June 9, then I’d say there is something to worry about.