The Raiders' rookie minicamp is underway in Alameda, but their veterans are still working, too.
Oakland is in phase two of its offseason program, which allows the defense and offense to conduct non-contact practices separately from one another. That means Raiders quarterback Derek Carr and new receiver Antonio Brown have a chance to build some chemistry.
Getting Better every day...... @Raiders #RaiderNation pic.twitter.com/cfPWOxJZ5k— Antonio Brown (@AB84) May 4, 2019
Hard work pays off!— Derek Carr (@derekcarrqb) May 4, 2019
We're assuming Carr and Brown saved the heart-eyes emoji for their text messages.
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This isn't the first time Carr has connected with Brown on a route sans pads this offseason, as the QB said last month that he and the receiver "have worked out a lot together" since the Raiders acquired the All-Pro receiver in a March trade with the Pittsburgh Steeelers. Still, these sessions are important for Carr, Brown and the rest of the Silver and Black's receiving corps as they try to build a rapport.
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Carr completed 381 passes last season, and the Raiders currently have seven players who caught just 54 of those passes on their roster with the offseason program underway. They'll likely have even fewer by the time the roster is narrowed to 53 players, so Carr, Brown and Co. have about four months to develop a baseline understanding of each other's tendencies before the season begins Sept. 9 against the Denver Broncos.
At the very least, Brown's relationship with his current quarterback seems to be in a better place than with his old one.
