Oakland Raiders: Biggest takeaways from Week 1 of OTAs

What’s the latest buzz coming out of the Oakland Raiders offseason program? We’ll examine notable quotes, thoughts and scenarios following Week 1 of OTAs.

Last week, the Oakland Raiders kicked off organized team activities. Rookies and veterans came together for team drills and unpadded practices. At this stage, it’s difficult to gauge a defensive talent’s ability to handle the physical nature of the game, but coaches can grasp where their players stand in offseason conditioning, understanding of the playbook and recovery from injuries.

Several players reported to OTAs with changes to their body compositions, some added weight to handle duties at their respective positions while others shed pounds to optimize their athleticism.

Reportedly, the team didn’t seem satisfied with one particular player’s physique, though, there’s still ample time to adjust the numbers on the scale before September.

Quarterback Derek Carr opened up about the outside chatter concerning the Raiders’ pre-draft evaluation process. He didn’t veil his thoughts in media-coached answers or vague responses. The Raiders signal-caller also spoke with confidence about his standing with the organization.

Head coach Jon Gruden stepped to the podium and broke down the roster. In May, there’s nothing set in stone, but he talked about a new potential option at left guard and offered high praise for an undrafted rookie who could crack the 53-man roster with a strong showing through the summer.

We’ll dig a little deeper than analysis of players running around in shorts and go through quotes, early assessments and thoughts over the last week to put a bow on Week 1 of OTAs. What’s the latest buzz on and off the field?