The 2019 NFL regular season is still over five months away, but there is a lot of work to be done before then, and here are some key dates to jot down.
The Oakland Raiders will head into the 2019 NFL Draft as a team that has been very active this offseason, adding quality players on both sides of the ball. Oakland had a ton of holes to fill on this roster after a 4-12 season, and after a few short weeks, they suddenly look like a team that could be quite competitive in the AFC West next season.
New general manager Mike Mayock has pushed all the right buttons in his first season on the job, and it appears the relationship between him and head coach Jon Gruden is a good one. That will be so important for this franchise moving forward, because Gruden is in year two of a ten-year deal, and is not going anywhere, anytime soon.
As we inch closer to the 2019 NFL Draft, there are some key dates to keep in mind, as teams can finally start getting together for workouts. With so many new faces, these workouts are going to be as important as ever, as the organization tries to erase memories of a disappointing 2018 campaign.
With that said, here are some dates to look at courtesy of Michael Gehlken of the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
Raiders spring workouts to begin April 15, two weeks from today. OTA practices on May 21-23, May 28-30 and June 3-6. Mandatory Minicamp on June 11-13. Then a break before training camp starts in Napa late July.
— Michael Gehlken (@GehlkenNFL) April 1, 2019
The 2019 draft picks will be in the building for the OTAs, and the mandatory minicamp will be right around the corner after those wrap up in early June. This could be the last training camp for the Raiders in Napa, so expect that to be special for the fans, as the roster begins to take shape for the start of the preseason in August.
With the NFL Draft slated for later this month, we will get a better view at what this team will look like as they head to OTAs in May and June. Of course, training camp in late July will tell the whole story, as there is a lot more talent on this roster than a year ago, and some quality guys will be battling it out just for a roster spot this Summer.