3 observations from Raiders’ joint practice: Smith picks up WR
The Raiders welcomed the 49ers to their Henderson headquarters Thursday for a joint practice.
The two sides squared off for more than two hours as a prelude to their preseason game Saturday at Allegiant Stadium. Much of Thursday’s workout was devoted to full team periods in which the Raiders’ first-team offense went against San Francisco’s first-team defense, and vice versa.
Here are three observations from the joint practice:
1. Smith picks up Tucker
Third-year wide receiver Tre Tucker has been a bright spot throughout training camp, but he got off to a bad start Thursday with multiple dropped passes. The 2023 third-round pick out of Cincinnati was visibly angry with himself.
Quarterback Geno Smith jogged over to Tucker after one missed connection on third down for a brief conversation.
Whatever Smith said worked. Tucker caught a 20-yard touchdown pass from Smith in a subsequent red zone period, then later beat 49ers cornerback Deommodore Lenoir for a 40-yard touchdown down the right sideline.
Smith’s encouragement, and willingness to go back to Tucker after the drops, turned Tucker’s day around.
“There’s gonna be ups and downs in this game. You’re never gonna be perfect. We strive for perfection, but we’re all human,” Smith said. “Whenever a guy makes a mistake or, you know, anything that happens out there that we don’t want to happen, it’s about showing that we have each other’s back. So whenever you can go up to a guy and pat him on the back or, you know, give him a word of encouragement, that’s what we’re here for.”
2. Jeanty, OL make progress
Rookie running back Ashton Jeanty, after rushing three times for -1 yard in his preseason debut Aug. 7 in Seattle, has been eager for a second chance.
So has the Raiders offensive line, which did the No. 6 overall pick out of Boise State no favors against the Seahawks.
The running game showed progress Thursday.
The 49ers were down seven starters on defense, including defense end Nick Bosa, but Jeanty had two long runs and was effective throughout the workout. Smith was also impressed because Jeanty, after making a mistake on one play in Wednesday’s practice, got things corrected one day later.
“Today he came out and we got it perfect,” Smith said. “And I thought, ‘We took a big jump just from yesterday to today.’ And to see that from a rookie player, like he learns and he grows with every single experience. I think that’s something that’s going to make him a great player because he’s getting better by the day.”
The Raiders offensive line wasn’t perfect Thursday, but there were plays when it got plenty of push. Smith also said he was comfortable with how the group pass protected.
“I felt like I had a lot of time to go through my reads and was getting to the backside on some reads and even getting to the fourth and fifth option on some things,” Smith said. “So I thought they did a great job.”
3. Kelly gets first-team reps
The Raiders have not settled on a starting cornerback opposite veteran Eric Stokes, but Kyu Blu Kelly continues to make a case for himself.
Kelly, a Las Vegas native and former Bishop Gorman standout, continued to get most of the first-team reps Thursday and held his own. His instincts, speed and willingness to fight for the ball were all on display against the 49ers.
“He’s made plays every day for about the last five or six days out here,” coach Pete Carroll said. “He’s just been really active and (it) seems like he’s really settling in. His aggressive style of play has really shown up. So, I’m fired up for him.”
Carroll has talked about the importance of competition since taking the Raiders job in January. Kelly is an example of the coach practicing what he preaches.
The 24-year-old, who joined the team’s practice squad in September 2024, started camp as a third- and sometimes fourth-string cornerback. But he’s kept putting together strong practices to move up the depth chart.
“You’re competing or you’re not,” Carroll said. “That’s what he’s doing. He’s embraced the thought and he’s battled every day and he’s shown that he deserves more of an opportunity.”
Contact Vincent Bonsignore at vbonsignore@reviewjournal.com. Follow @VinnyBonsignore on X.
