Silver Minings: Raiders closing in on new training camp location

Team is in discussions with the City of Costa Mesa, CA

Ever since moving to Southern Nevada, the Las Vegas Raiders have held training camp at the team’s facilities in Henderson. However, the Raiders are considering going back to California for camp this summer as the Las Vegas Review-Journal’s Vincent Bonsignore reported on Sunday that the team is in talks with the City of Costa Mesa.

“The club is in discussions with the city of Costa Mesa about using the Jack Hammett Sports Complex for this summer’s camp,” Bonsignore wrote. “Costa Mesa’s City Council will discuss on Tuesday the possibility of entering a one-year agreement with the Raiders and already appears to be preparing to host the NFL franchise.

“The Raiders would pay $165,000 in rent to Costa Mesa as part of the agreement. They also would pay $600,000 for field improvements at the sports complex, hold a team training camp for kids ages 6 to 12, give 100 tickets for local students to attend an NFL game in Southern California and donate outdoor weight training equipment to Costa Mesa High School. They also would donate $10,000 to a local youth sports team.”

Previously, the Los Angeles Chargers used Jack Hammett Sports Complex for training camp. The Chargers recently completed their new headquarters in El Segundo which is where they’re expected to hold camp this season, making way for the Raiders to use the facilities in Costa Mesa.

Bonsignore also pointed out that if Costa Mesa does approve the agreement, five teams would be practicing within 100 miles of each other. The New Orleans Saints will be in Irvine while the Dallas Cowboys are a mainstay in Oxnard and the Los Angeles Rams are expected to announce a Southern California site soon. And, of course, the Chargers will be in the area.

The good news for all SoCal Raider fans is practice will be open to the public, so keep an eye out for the results of Tuesday’s vote.

In Other Raiders’ Links:

• Raiders mailbag: returning the fanbase’s questions for the week with an eye toward what the team’s offense will look like after the draft.
• Silver and Black’s 2nd quarterback battle: you know about Aidan O’Connell versus Gardner Minshew, but S&BP’s Ray Aspuria takes a dive into the QB3 competition between Carter Bradley and Anthony Brown.
• Andrew Coker named UDFA to watch: “Coker is big and experienced, having made 46 career starts at tackle, including all 15 during TCU’s FBS runner-up season in 2022,” The Athletic wrote. “With a massive frame (6-7, 315) and 34-inch arms, Coker should compete for a reserve spot. The Raiders had a few other nice UDFA pickups, including Mississippi State receiver Tulu Griffin and Iowa defensive tackle Noah Shannon.”
• Ranking Las Vegas’ rookies’ impact: “Though many would place Brock Bowers at No. 1, Jackson Powers-Johnson immediately fills a bigger need on the Raiders’ offense,” The Sporting News’ Dharya Sharma wrote. “The 21-year-old will step in as the starting right guard and provide fantastic pass protection along with calculated physicality in the run game.”