Left tackle plans to be Raider for life: ‘I don’t want to go anywhere’
Raiders left tackle Kolton Miller made it clear Tuesday he hopes to stay in Las Vegas as long as possible.
“I want to be a Raider for life,” Miller said after the first day of the team’s mandatory minicamp. “I love it here. I don’t want to go anywhere else.”
Miller, 29, is one of four Raiders players who played for the team when it was still in Oakland. The others are defensive end Maxx Crosby, kicker Daniel Carlson and punter AJ Cole.
Miller is heading into the final year of the contract extension he signed in 2021. He and the Raiders are not close on a new deal, according to a person with knowledge of the situation.
Miller was still a full participant in organized team activities and was on the field for the first day of minicamp despite having no guaranteed money left in his contract.
“I only know one way to do it,” Miller said. “And that’s showing up and getting better each day.”
Strong direction
Miller, a 2018 first-round pick out of UCLA, is the longest-tenured player on the Raiders. That means he’s seen the franchise undergo massive changes during his time with the team.
He’s played for five coaches, six general managers and six offensive coordinators, including those that had interim labels.
But Miller believes the Raiders have a new sense of stability and professionalism under new coach Pete Carroll, general manager John Spytek, offensive coordinator Chip Kelly and starting quarterback Geno Smith.
“I like the locker room right now,” Miller said. “The pieces we’ve added this offseason. The energy, the direction.”
It starts with Carroll, who was 137-89-1 with the Seahawks in his last job. He also led Seattle to victory in Super Bowl 48.
“This (was) probably one of the most productive OTAs I’ve been a part of,” Miller said. “And it’s not easy. Like, we’re kind of flying around.”
Offensive improvements
Miller didn’t want to get into the specifics of what will change under Kelly. He’s wary of giving too much away.
“I would dumb it down to being dynamic,” Miller said with a smile.
That was clear Tuesday. Smith spread the ball around to a slew of different receivers. Tight ends Brock Bowers and Michael Mayer each got multiple targets, while rookie wide receiver Dont’e Thornton had a receiving touchdown in the red zone. Rookie running back Ashton Jeanty, the sixth overall pick in April’s draft, also got in the mix in the passing game.
It was a noticeable improvement from the Raiders’ minicamp last year, when they struggled to execute even the basics under quarterbacks Gardner Minshew and Aidan O’Connell. The defense dominated most days, which foreshadowed the offense’s struggles during the regular season.
Things are much more even this time around.
“For the defense, it’s almost like getting game looks,” Miller said.
Finally healthy
Miller’s offseason has looked far different than it did last year, when he was recovering from shoulder surgery. He wasn’t cleared for football activities until the end of training camp and didn’t look like his usual self the Raiders’ first four games.
He settled in after that and was consistent and reliable the rest of the way.
“I feel great,” Miller said. “I got a lot more ramp up (this offseason).”
Miller’s seven years in the NFL have gone by in the blink of an eye. But that’s only motivated him to stay right where he feels he belongs.
“It goes by quicker and quicker each year,” Miller said. “I want to be here for my whole career, if I can.”
Contact Vincent Bonsignore at vbonsignore@reviewjournal.com. Follow @VinnyBonsignore on X.
