Just film, baby.
The Oakland Raiders will be featured on this year's edition of "Hard Knocks," HBO's critically acclaimed series documenting the drama and competition of an NFL training camp.
Oakland was one of five teams eligible to be compelled to participate in the program (Detroit Lions, San Francisco 49ers, New York Giants, Washington Redskins). This will be the franchise's first appearance on the show and one that is likely to be highly anticipated when it debuts Tuesday, Aug. 6.
Entering the second season of the second Jon Gruden era, the Raiders boast a number of notable characters, not least of whom is the camera-friendly coach. Gruden, in his 13th year as a head coach, is one of the most quotable and entertaining coaches to ever by mic'd up by NFL Films and has extensive on-camera experience; he worked as ESPN's Monday Night Football color commentator for eight seasons.
The Raiders are welcoming a lot of new faces to the organization, including receivers Antonio Brown and Tyrell Williams, linebackers Vontaze Burfict and Brandon Marshall, guard Richie Incognito, tackle Trent Brown, No. 4 overall pick Clelin Ferrell and No. 24 overall selection Josh Jacobs, all of whom will be experiencing their first Raiders training camp and their first with Gruden.
All told, the Raiders spent the third-most amount of money in the league this offseason acquiring new talent, according to Spotrac ($296.7 million). The man who spent all that money is also a new face: first-year general manager and former NFL Network draft guru Mike Mayock
Among the notable returning faces to Oakland is three-time Pro Bowl quarterback Derek Carr.
The show will also document what is likely the last training camp in Oakland. The Raiders are scheduled to move to Las Vegas for the 2020 season, but have not detailed their plans for training camp ahead of the inaugural campaign. They are reported to be eyeing Reno, Nevada, as a potential training camp locale.
Oakland is the first AFC West team to be featured on "Hard Knocks" since Herman Edwards' Kansas City Chiefs took center stage in 2007, the series' first year back after a five-season hiatus.
