Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Fernando Mendoza rolled his Monday momentum into Tuesday’s practice.
After shirking off his Sunday struggles during the first padded practice at Intermountain Health Performance Center, the rookie passer and top draftee was poised and accurate Tuesday morning. In 7-on-7, 11-on-11 and 1-on-1 — between pass catchers and defensive backs — passing situations, time and again he was on time and target, often to rookie wide reciever Malik Benson.
During an 11-on-11 series quarterbacking the second team, Mendoza completed three straight attempts to the sixth-round speedster who played last year at Oregon. His penultimate completion Tuesday was a play-action pass downfield to Benson, to whom he also completed passes Monday morning at his bounce-back practice.
Said Raiders wide receivers coach Zach Azzanni when asked Tuesday about Mendoza and Benson: “We’d love to see that connection for a long time. Start building it now. That’s a big connection. Those guys work their tail off in the summertime and having the springtime together, you can see those things pay off every day.”
With that to consider, here are other observations from Tuesday’s practice:
Benson getting busy: Benson’s penchant for getting open is helping him build a rapport with Mendoza, be it via routes by the line of scrimmage or routes developing down the field. After stretching opposing defenses vertically in college last season, Benson’s route-running polish and shifitness have made him a target on crossers and hitches.
He’s also competing at punt returner and caught kicks cleanly Tuesday morning, making his mark with the second-team offense, but also so far on special teams.
“Pleased with his improvements,” Azzanni said. “Long way to way to go. Still a rookie. Makes those rookie mistakes. But I’m pleased with his effort. His attitude. He’s extremely coachable. He’s tough. So, you do that, you’ve got a chance. And he’s improving every day, which is what I want to see. Slight improvement. Steady a little bit every day. He’s been doing it all.”
Offensive line starting to settle: For all the mixing and matching elsewhere, there isn’t any on an offensive line comprised of Kolton Miller, Spencer Burford, Tyler Linderbaum, Jackson Powers-Johnson and DJ Glaze for the sixth straight practice. The fivesome was steady once again — following a solid showing Monday at the first padded practice — during running plays and passing plays, opening gaps for halfback Ashton Jeanty while mostly maintaining a pocket for quaterback Kirk Cousins.
That said, offensive line coach Rick Dennison stopped short Tuesday of proclaiming that unit the Week 1 line.
“We’re trying to find the best five,” he said. “I don’t know what those are going to be right now. It’s way too early to figure that one out. We’ve got to play a couple games in my mind.”
Sticky coverage from rookie corners: Rookie fourth-rounder Jermod McCoy has been sticky in coverage, sometimes too sticky — garnering a flag. Like he did for the third straight practice following penalties Sunday and Monday. During 1-on-1 passing while working against wide receiver Dareke Young on an outbreaking pattern, he drew a penalty for being too handsy.
He also blanketed receiver Jach Bech to force an incompletion from Aidan O’Connell.
Fellow rookie cornerback Hezekiah Masses, a fifth-round draft pick, continues to work with the first-team defense and had a diving pass breakup (guarding Benson) in 1-on-1 play. Masses was also beat deep by Bech in 1-on-1 play.
Cousins continues clicking: Cousins opened 11-on-11 with scoring passes in a goal-line setting, throwing touchdowns to Tre Tucker, Brock Bowers and Jalen Nailor. He didn’t fare as well in 1-on-1 passing amid some tight coverage from the defensive backs, but in 7-on-7 and 11-on-11, his passes hardly ever hit the ground.
Michael Mayer misses practice: The tight end left practice early Monday with what coach Klint Kubiak called a “busted” nose and didn’t participate in Tuesday’s practice, watching instead from the sideline in street clothes.
Contact Sam Gordon at sgordon@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BySamGordon on X.
