You can ruin an offseason with 40 days away.
That was the message Klint Kubiak gave his team Thursday as they wrapped up mandatory minicamp.
There's no denying the strides being made with high competition at multiple position groups, players becoming familiar with the new scheme and the 2026 draft class seeing a lot of reps.
But that progress can be undone far quicker than it was made.
"If you go post up on the couch, all that work is for naught," Kubiak said. "So, 40 days away, you've got to be really self-motivated, and we're not going to be with them every day, but we'll be in contact with them.
"If you don't have self-motivated guys, you have no idea what's coming once they come into training camp," he added. "So, I feel really confident that we have a self-motivated group."
Kubiak placed an emphasis on efficiency throughout this offseason. By multiple accounts from players and coaches, the Raiders head coach has led with an "all ball" mentality.
"I just think football matters to him," Kirk Cousins said. "There's an intensity there, there's an attention to detail, there's an urgency. ... It's certainly not a laid-back atmosphere, I'll just say that, and I think that's a positive."