Cornerback Eric Stokes, who signed a free-agent deal with the Raiders in March after four years with the Packers, had more than an inkling the first day in pads would be ramped up, and guts would be checked.
Especially with more than 1,400 fans watching practice and oohing and aahing every collision, no matter how big or small.
“Everybody’s bringing their energy, everybody’s bringing their juice,” Stokes said. “But I always like to say, ‘Anybody can be a dog on the first day of pads.’
“It’s like the second, that third day. Let’s see what you’re really made of.”
Stokes started getting more animated, almost as if the pads put him in a different head space.
“Anybody can come out there and bang for a day and think they got it,” he said, before rhythmically tapping the lectern on beat as he sounded off the numbers.
“But, nah, I want to see you [on] Day 2. Day 3. Day 4. Day 5. Because that’s when the real thing comes on. Because anybody can just, like, fall off and just do it one day. I want to see consistency. That’s the biggest thing for me.”
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