Las Vegas Raiders

Fans planning to attend Las Vegas Raiders home games must be vaccinated against COVID-19 to enter the stadium.

Per an official statement from Allegiant Stadium, the Raiders are requiring all fans to show proof of their COVID-19 vaccination through CLEAR’s free mobile app and Health Pass feature.

"Health and safety has always been our number one priority," Raiders owner Mark Davis said in the statement. "After consultation with Governor Sisolak and other community leaders, this policy ensures that we will be able to operate at full capacity without masks for fully vaccinated fans for the entire season."

The Raiders' decision came in the wake of Nevada governor Steve Sisolak announcing a new directive that permits fully vaccinated individuals at some events with large gatherings to attend without wearing a mask.

"We're giving our private sector partners the choices and flexibility to lead in this area," Sisolak said. "I'm so proud of the many who have already begun leading."

The Raiders previously announced that full-time office employees are required to be fully vaccinated. The team is also offering unvaccinated fans the opportunity to receive a COVID-19 shot at the stadium before games.

This will be the first season that the Raiders play home games at Allegiant Stadium in front of fans. The stadium opened in time for the start of the 2020 regular season, but fans weren't permitted to attend because of the pandemic.

The policy will go into effect for the Raiders' Week 1 game against the Baltimore Ravens on Sept. 13.

Las Vegas Raiders wide receivers Henry Ruggs III, Bryan Edwards and Hunter Renfrow could all carry fantasy football value during the 2021 season, but they may struggle to separate themselves amid a crowded competition for targets from quarterback Derek Carr.

The Raiders also count John Brown, Willie Snead and Zay Jones among the wideouts on their training camp roster, and a pecking order may take a while to establish once the regular season kicks off in September.

ESPN's Jeremy Fowler provided a comprehensive breakdown of the competition Friday:

Betting on a Raiders wide receiver in fantasy could be tough because there's good depth but no breakout star. At least not yet. Las Vegas is prioritizing Ruggs, Edwards and Hunter Renfrow, knowing each could have their breakouts in their own way. The Raiders believe Renfrow can become one of the league's top slot guys in 2021, and the trust between Edwards and QB Derek Carr is palpable at Raiders HQ. This is Edwards' first healthy camp, so he has opened some eyes. In the red zone, Carr has no issues throwing to Edwards' shoulders and letting him outmuscle the corner.

Ruggs should be the safest play because he seems too talented to bust. The Raiders are working with Ruggs on making defenses feel his 4.2 speed by constantly staying on the attack off the line of scrimmage and refining his route-running. Expect some crossers and quick-hitting stuff in his arsenal to get him going and complement the deep ball. The Raiders also emphasized getting stronger, so Ruggs has added about 12 pounds this offseason.

Having six receivers with an opportunity to make an impact and no clear No. 1 target is why the Raiders don't have a wideout being drafted inside the top 50 at the position.

Ruggs is coming off the board as the No. 51 WR on average followed by Brown at No. 55, according to Yahoo Sports. The others are going undrafted in standard fantasy leagues.

Based on Fowler's report, Ruggs makes sense as the Raiders' best fantasy receiver, especially because of his big-play potential. He's got the best skill set of the group to make up for a lack of targets, with a couple long catches each week and the occasional touchdown on a deep ball.

In terms of upside relative to draft value, it sounds like Edwards has the best chance to enjoy a breakout year after an underwhelming rookie campaign in 2020 that saw him make 11 catches in 12 games.

"Very fun to throw him the ball," Carr told reporters last week about Edwards. "I've said it before, just like Davante [Adams] could just move through the air, their body control is just impressive."

Meanwhile, Renfrow is a worthwhile flier in the final rounds in PPR leagues since his work in the slot may give him the most consistent looks, even if it's only a handful per game.

Brown is the toughest player of the group to forecast. He was a rock-solid fantasy asset as the Buffalo Bills' No. 1 wide receiver in 2019, catching 72 passes for 1,060 yards and six touchdowns, but he struggled through an injury-plagued 2020 season after Stefon Diggs arrived as Josh Allen's new favorite weapon.

If Brown is back to full strength and emerges as a starter on the outside, he should be a No. 3 fantasy receiver or flex option each week, but that's far from a guarantee for a 31-year-old wideout who's value is tied closely to his speed.

So, while Las Vegas features one of the NFL's top fantasy tight ends in Darren Waller, it's hard to recommend taking any of the team's wide receivers before the latter stages of drafts.

The Las Vegas Raiders have reportedly launched an internal investigation after four executives departed the organization this summer, according to A.J. Perez of Front Office Sports. 

Team president Marc Badain, CFO Ed Villanueva, controller Araxie Grant and vice president of strategy and business development Brandon Doll have all departed since June.

NFL writer Jason Cole reported last week that the Raiders were bringing in an outside law firm to investigate the departures:

Peter King of Pro Football Talk broke down the departure of Badain earlier in August, noting that nobody knew why he left but calling it a "big deal" for the Raiders:

I heard lots of theories about why he left—that he didn't approve of some of the spending by owner Mark Davis in the midst of a disastrous first financial season in Las Vegas (including Davis' decision to buy the WNBA's Las Vegas Aces), that he was just tired of the nonstop pace of running a franchise in a new city, that he and Davis were having significant disagreements on the direction of the franchise at a time when money was tight." 

He added that "the likelihood that the Raiders lost out on at least $100 million in 2020 revenue in a fan-less season could well have something to do with the Badain’s departure."

Badain told ESPN's Mark Gutierrez he was "forever grateful" to Raiders owner Marc Davis for his "unwavering support and friendship" after leaving the team in July.

"The successful construction and operation of Allegiant Stadium has been unequivocally the most challenging part of my 30 years with the organization," he added. "Seeing it through to the end has been rewarding beyond measure. Together the Raiders and Las Vegas accomplished what seemed impossible."

Dan Ventrelle, the team's executive vice president and general counsel, is currently also handling the team president duties. 

It's hard to imagine that four prominent executives would coincidentally depart in such a short period of time. Whatever the reason, the Raiders are reportedly taking steps to get to the bottom of it. 

In the modern NFL, quarterbacks are playing into their 40s or close to it. Tom Brady is 44. Drew Brees played until he was 41. Peyton Manning retired at 39. Philip Rivers and Eli Manning hung up their cleats at 39. Ben Roethlisberger is 39. Aaron Rodgers is 37. 

So it's hard to blame Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Derek Carr, who is 30, for believing he can go until he's 45. 

"I feel like I can play another 15 years, without a doubt," he told reporters Wednesday. "Nothing's hurting. It's the middle of camp, and I feel great. I feel strong, I feel fast, I feel explosive. And I think it's just the way we train now."

Carr, who turned 30 in March, believes advancements in areas like nutrition and training will help modern players extend their careers: 

The only thing that's different is I've got gray hairs in my beard. I haven't grown it out in a while; I've got five gray hairs. What is going on? I feel like I'm 20. I honestly believe this—that our generation, the way we can take care of our bodies with football, I think 30 is the new 20. ... That comes from science, and that comes with more understanding.

NFL rules better protecting quarterbacks may play a role as well. But it's clear that the position has enjoyed a lot of longevity in the past 20 years, at least among the top quarterbacks in the league. It remains to be seen if Carr will be considered part of that group. 

Las Vegas Raiders running back Josh Jacobs said Friday he's not sure why Derek Carr has so many critics, but he's eager to help the quarterback prove them wrong during the 2021 season.

Andrew Siciliano of the NFL Network passed along Jacobs' full comments:

Carr is coming off a strong 2020 campaign that saw him complete 67.3 percent of his throws for 4,103 yards with 27 touchdowns and nine interceptions in 16 games. He ranked 11th in ESPN's Total QBR (71.0) and received a rock-solid 84.7 overall grade from Pro Football Focus.

The 30-year-old Fresno State product is under contract through 2022 as part of a five-year, $125 million deal.

Yet, despite his standout 2020 season and the fact he's under contract, he hasn't garnered the same level of outside respect as many other franchise quarterbacks. In addition, the Raiders were frequently linked to a potential trade for Aaron Rodgers before he agreed to return to the Green Bay Packers for 2021.

Carr, a three-time Pro Bowl selection, can change the narrative by leading Vegas on a deep playoff run.

The Raiders have only reached the postseason once since the quarterback was drafted in 2014, and they were eliminated right away in the Wild Card Round in 2016.

Carr told Rachel Gossen of the team's official website on Wednesday he feels "free" heading into the 2021 season and has a singular goal in mind.

"There's been one demand, and that's holding up that Lombardi Trophy," he said. "That's all I care about is holding that trophy up. ... We've seen the three trophies every time we walk in and I stare at them all the time. I can't imagine anything cooler than that in football. The demand is excellence."

Carr, Jacobs and the Raiders kick off the regular season Sept. 13 when they host the Baltimore Ravens on Monday Night Football.

Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Carl Nassib said Friday his mental health has improved since he became the first active NFL player to publicly come out as gay.

Nassib, who made the announcement on Instagram in June, noted he's been welcomed back to the Raiders with open arms since the start of training camp.

"It has been great. I knew it was going to be good. I had zero stress about that, absolutely no worries about it," he told reporters. "We've got a great locker room, great teammates. I've been met with nothing but love and support. It has been incredible. Football players get a bad wrap. But we're humble, hard-working, accepting people. This was a great example of that."

The 28-year-old Penn State product explained his family and friends have known he's gay for quite some time, but making it public has helped him feel more comfortable in a professional setting.

"It was definitely stressful growing up and being in the closet and doing all that," Nassib said. "It has been a great weight off my shoulders. I've been out to my family and friends to this point for years, so it has been good to not have to lie when I come to work every day. It has been good."

He added the positive reaction has been "incredible."

Nassib, a 2016 third-round pick, is entering his sixth NFL season and second with the Raiders. He previously spent two years apiece with the Cleveland Browns and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The Pennsylvania native has recorded 142 total tackles, 20.5 sacks, 16 passes defended, three forced fumbles and an interception across 73 career games. He tallied 2.5 sacks in 14 contests for Las Vegas last season.

Nassib is competing with Malcolm Koonce and Maxx Crosby for a backup role behind the Raiders' projected starters at defensive end, Clelin Ferrell and Yannick Ngakoue.

Former Seattle Seahawks linebacker K.J. Wright is reportedly making a free-agent visit with the Las Vegas Raiders.

ESPN's Adam Schefter reported the news Thursday.

Wright, 32, spent the first 10 seasons of his NFL career with the Seahawks, who selected him in the fourth round of the 2011 draft out of Mississippi State.

The 2016 Pro Bowl selection recorded 941 total tackles, 54 passes defended, 13.5 sacks, 11 forced fumbles and six interceptions across 144 regular-season appearances for Seattle. He added 110 total tackles in 15 playoff games.

He received a solid 75.3 overall grade from Pro Football Focus for the 2020 season.

In July, Wright told SiriusXM NFL Radio (h/t NFL.com's Kevin Patra) he hadn't ruled out a return to Seattle as the team evaluated its options.

"Yes, there is a chance," Wright said. "There is a chance, and I'm not closing the door on Seattle. Going into free agency, I thought it'd be a no-brainer, but they're going to wait until training camp, so we'll see."

If he signs with the Raiders, he'd likely compete with Cory Littleton for a starting job at outside linebacker and bring some veteran leadership and experience to a unit that's looking to make a major jump in 2021 after ranking 25th in yards allowed per game (389.1).

Wright shouldn't remain on the free-agent market much longer even if he leaves Las Vegas without a contract since he'll be one of the top linebackers available as injuries start to mount during the preseason.

The Las Vegas Raiders announced the signing of veteran defensive tackle Gerald McCoy on Wednesday. 

McCoy, 33, missed the 2020 season with a ruptured right quadriceps tendon.

Per ESPN, "There was an injury waiver as part of the agreement on the three-year, $18 million deal McCoy signed as a free agent in March of 2020 with Dallas that negated the contract going forward because of chronic tendinitis in his right knee/quadriceps."

He last played in the 2019 season with the Carolina Panthers, posting 37 tackles (seven for loss), five sacks, 13 quarterback hits and two passes defensed. 

That followed nine seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, where McCoy was one of the most disruptive defensive tackles in football and a six-time Pro Bowler. He was also a first-team All-Pro selection in 2013 after notching a career-high 9.5 sacks to go along with 21 quarterback hits, 15 tackles for loss, four passes defensed and a fumble recovery. 

While McCoy is no longer that level of player, the Raiders will be hoping he can provide depth alongside players like Johnathan Hankins, Quinton Jefferson and Solomon Thomas, among others.

One of the major needs in Oakland is an improved pass rush after the team after finishing 29th in sacks last season (21). McCoy won't singlehandedly change their fortunes in that regard, but he may be able to carve out a role for himself on passing downs as an interior rusher.