Raiders report: 1st day of pads means contact, trash talk
Jakob Johnson’s job is all about contact and physicality.
The Raiders fullback doesn’t get much of that during the first few practices of training camp, so he’s looking forward to the team’s first practice in pads Tuesday.
“It’s the most important day of the year, right?” said Johnson, flashing a big smile at the mere thought. “The first day of pads, real football starts. All the stuff that we X-ed and O-ed out all year, we’re finally putting the metal to the floor and getting in there. So, yeah, for me, that’s the most exciting part about training camp.”
Monday was the fifth practice since camp began last week with players in shorts and helmets, so there’s not much actual hitting.
Still, it was clear the intensity was ratcheted up a bit Monday with players itching for the full-contact drills on the horizon.
“It’s been competitive every single day, but we know the pads are coming on tomorrow,” cornerback Brandon Facyson said. “Every time we go out there, we compete with (the offense), and they compete against us. So I think it’s been definitely going up higher, and it’s just a level of comfort that we’re all getting. We got through the first week of camp, and we’re still learning from each other.”
Offensive coordinator Mick Lombardi made sure to point out that plenty of work has been done without the pads.
“They’ve been working hard and competing,” he said. “Communication and assignment is a huge thing for us with no pads, obviously in the technique. You go out there every day and you try to focus on the technique. You can see the technique, you can see the pad level, you can see the explosion. All those things can be seen, and hopefully it translates to the pads.
“Every day is an evaluation process even if that’s just a meeting … and the pads are a great benefit to that. We get to see the physicality (Tuesday) and the next day, but every day is, I think, equal.”
The increased contact between the offense and defense also could lead to some flared tempers or, more likely, quite a bit of trash talk.
“Oh, yeah, 100 percent,” Johnson said. “You guys saw it a little bit today. Things are getting a little bit more chippy out there. So I think it’s going to be a good day (Tuesday).”
Johnson expects to hear plenty from star defensive end Maxx Crosby once the floodgates are opened.
“I think we all know our front man trash talker here on the team, right?” he said. “The Condor. He’s going to always do his thing. So we’ll see how that goes.”
Hobbs debuts
Cornerback Nate Hobbs was on the practice field for the first time since training camp began, but he was sporting a red no-contact jersey.
Hobbs took a fly ball to the face during a charity softball game a few days before camp opened.
Linebacker Divine Deablo (undisclosed) missed Monday’s practice.
Little slice of home
Johnson, who grew up in Germany, enjoyed the chance to see Borussia Dortmund defeat Manchester United on Sunday at Allegiant Stadium, even though he received some negative comments on social media from people in his hometown of Stuttgart for cheering on Dortmund.
“It was pretty cool,” Johnson said. “I got to meet Mats Hummels, one of the 2014 world champions. I got to meet Emre Can, one of my favorite players. I had to take the opportunity.”
He also got to experience the American soccer fan base.
“It was funny,” he said. “Like every offsides, they would yell stuff like it’s a football game, like, ‘Let the boys play.’ But it’s offsides. We need that in soccer, you know?”
Contact Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AdamHillLVRJ on Twitter.
