2011 Oakland Raiders In-Season Thread (2 Viewers)

[massraider]

More glowing Moore talk in camp. Gettin to the point where I think people pooh-pooohing August hype may regret it.

 

[UnknownCoach]

Wisniewski has been so impressive, Jackson said, that the Raiders have to find a starting spot for him on the line, even if it mean moving him to left guard.“I’m just trying to, again, just keep finding the right pieces, as you continue to watch the tape each and every night and see what’s gonna’ be our best fit for him,” Jackson said of Wisniewski. “Because he’s a very tremendous player. We drafted the right guy. He has all the qualities that we were looking for. He’s everything that I thought he would be, and he’s gotta’ be up there somewhere. So, if it’s not at center, obviously, he has the capability of playing guard.”

Its been hinted at for a while, but now its getting pretty black and white. Wiz will end up starting at either C or LG.Heyer isnt expected to miss much time with his strained tricep.And yes, D Moore continues to look good every single day. One note was that he was catching punts with his hands and not his body. Good news because Zach Miller had been our only real possession guy. Ford has improved his hands as well although he's only 5'9. At 6'0, Moore still isnt quite the red zone target you want but he's showing leaping ability and hands.

 

[Raiderfan32904]

Weekend Practice Notes

Sunday

DT Tommy Kelly played the role of Khalif Barnes today in practice jumping offsides so much Defensive Line Coach Mike Waffle actually blurted out the F word.

On the O line Oakland is still shuffling players to and fro, but second round draft pick Stephan Wisniewski was anchored at Left Guard most of the day. Coach Hue Jackson seemed to shrug off our suggestion Wisniewski wasn't quite ready at Center. After practice Coach Jackson said of Wisniewski:

“I’m just trying to, again, just keep finding the right pieces, as you continue to watch the tape each and every night and see what’s gonna’ be our best fit for him, because he’s a very tremendous player. We drafted the right guy. He has all the qualities that we were looking for. He’s everything that I thought he would be, and he’s gotta’ be up there somewhere. So, if it’s not at center, obviously, he has the capability of playing guard.”

Slated for right guard duty before an off season knee injury Bruce Campbell made his first appearance yesterday. He could still compete for a spot and word has it Mr. Davis was displeased Campbell was not used more under HC Tom Cable last year. He'll get every chance to do so this year whether it’s at guard or tackle.

Oakland can't seem to find someone to lock down the right tackle position. Campbell mentioned before camp he was being considered for the job but veteran Khalif Barnes had an early lead until 3 false starts in rapid succession could see rookie Joseph Barksdale edging his way in.

4 year vet Stephon Heyer was playing right tackle today when he suffered what some said may be a triceps injury.

Assistant O line Coach and C/G rookie Stephan Wisniewski's Uncle, Steve, has been working directly with players enough to draw curious interest from reporters. The elder Wisniewski is a former Raider Pro Bowl Lineman known for his nasty play.

WR Louis Murphy revealed the injury that’s kept him out of 8 straight practices was a hamstring, groin strain. He's getting closer to a return every day. So is WR Jacoby Ford. Ford broke his hand early in camp but was seen today with the equivalent of a band aid on his affected hand.

Things may not be so rosy for WR Chaz Schilens. We hope he's fine but he sprained knee will have him "week to week".

Fellow wideouts Darrius Heyward Bey and rookie sensation Denarius Moore are taking advantage of the extra reps, with Moore looking great and Bey accomplishing some good intermediary pass work.

On the opposite side of the ball DT Desmond Bryant has a large bandage covering what we can only assume is a broken hand.

DB Chimdi Chekwa enjoyed his second practice after recovering from a separated shoulder early in camp, the same shoulder he injured 3 yrs ago.

CB Stanford Routt was given a large contract before the lockout and is expected to be the heir apparent to the now departed Nnamdi Asomugha and he seems to be resenting it. In that resentment lies the chip on Routt's shoulder he's going to use to go to the Pro Bowl this season.

He looked good again today.

Saturday

We mentioned last night that rookie DB Chimdi Chekwa may practice today for the first time since separating his shoulder earlier in camp.

He did.

Chekwa was joined by OT Bruce Campbell who has been out and injured as well. Campbell was on the "non related football injury list" with an apparent knee issue.

Oft injured but great WR Chaz Schilens will be "week to week" as the team evaluates his sprained knee.

WR Louis Murphy was not on the field today, out with an injury too same as Jacob Ford.

Fellow wideout Darrius Heyward Bey missed most of training camp. Now that he's healthy he's getting reps and looking good doing it.

WR Denarius Moore beat CB DeMarcus Van Dyke and looks good, but Van Dyke has been making solid progress. Still, in some packages, don't be surprised to see Safety Michael Huff drift down to play Cornerback on occasion with Tyvon Branch and Stevie Brown back at the Safety spots.

BTW, Safety Mike Mitchell looks like he could be returning from injury to the line up soon so that’s good news.

Safety Hiram Eugene, injured in Oakland pre season match with Arizona, underwent surgery on his dislocated hip. He should be placed on IR soon and done for the season.

On an up note undrafted free agent CB Sterling Moore is turning heads for all the right reasons.

More later...

 

[Raiderfan32904]

Monday Practice Notes:

No pads today as Oakland and most of the Raiders over 30 veterans watched from the sidelines as the youngsters who need the work practiced more basics like kick returns.

Rookie Denarius Moore was back fielding kicks along with Nick Miller and Shaun Bodiford.

Moore flashed his potential on a smooth 57 yd return against the Cardinals that was called back on a penalty.

We think Moore shouldn't be risked on returns. He's done nothing in camp but make one spectacular play after another. Oakland hasn't had a play making WR since Brown and Rice left.

With Moore, Ford and maybe even Schilens, Oakland could have the nucleus of a play making WR corps. Wide out Louis Murphy is set to rejoin that cast shortly after suffering hamstring and groin strain issues the last 8 practices.

We left Darrius Heyward Bey out of that equation because he's been nicked up first with undisclosed nicks and dings all pre season. He only returned for the last two practices and toward the end of this one seemed like he might be somehow injured again.

Running back Darren McFadden spotted working out sans helmet on the sidelines. His cracked orbital bone will be given time to heal. Oakland will likely be cautious with the thunder to his lightning, RB Michael Bush. Bush needed surgery to repair a broken thumb suffered in a pre season game and missed the 1st four games of the season last year.

No word at all on whether his DUI this off season will have any repercussions on the regular season is unknown. Drinking and driving now is never right but in all fairness Bush barely registered over the limit.

On the Defensive side of the ball LB Darryl Blackstock made a nice interception something our DBs hope to accomplish a lot this season.

CB Chris Johnson figures into that equation, at least Oakland hopes so. When he's healthy, he's Pro Bowl caliber but...he may not be healthy.

Coach Jackson simply doesn't talk about many Raider injuries and explained the 6-1, 200 lb DBs non-participation on Sunday by saying Johnson was resting. Today however Johnson was missing from the field entirely, this despite the fact the majority of "over thirty" players were wearing ball caps and watching from the sideline.

Hmm...

FB Marcel Reece came to camp late after new CBA related contract dealings. We saw him on the first offensive play of the pre season drawing a P.I. flag and probably shouldn't expect to see a lot of him until the regular season.

He's that valuable. Reece is one of several young Raiders poised to break out and become something special.

Jarvis Moss is another.

The gifted young athlete has finally garnered the experience and health to become the threat Denver always thought he could be and other teams feared he is.

When he was first selected 17th overall by the Broncos, Moss needed some filling out.

He weighed 250 lbs at the time. Illness actually saw him lose weight and kept him from gaining the bulk he needed to seal off the edge against the run. Now, healthy and in Oakland, Moss is 270 lbs of rippling muscle.

Swatting down a pass in practice today shows he's not simply a put your head down and barrel in on the passer DE anymore. He's refining his game and learning to place his shoulder on the hip of his victim, wrap his arms and tackle through the ball carrier.

Like we said, Moss is just one Raider on the verge of greatness this season.

With an apparent hand injury to DE/DT Desmond Bryant, Moss could see even more time in the lineup, not only as a third down situational pass rusher but as an every down End.

In accordance with the new CBA, Oakland will have tomorrow off.

 

[No. 16]

Monday Practice Notes:

No pads today as Oakland and most of the Raiders over 30 veterans watched from the sidelines as the youngsters who need the work practiced more basics like kick returns.

Rookie Denarius Moore was back fielding kicks along with Nick Miller and Shaun Bodiford.

Moore flashed his potential on a smooth 57 yd return against the Cardinals that was called back on a penalty.

We think Moore shouldn't be risked on returns. He's done nothing in camp but make one spectacular play after another. Oakland hasn't had a play making WR since Brown and Rice left.

With Moore, Ford and maybe even Schilens, Oakland could have the nucleus of a play making WR corps. Wide out Louis Murphy is set to rejoin that cast shortly after suffering hamstring and groin strain issues the last 8 practices.

We left Darrius Heyward Bey out of that equation because he's been nicked up first with undisclosed nicks and dings all pre season. He only returned for the last two practices and toward the end of this one seemed like he might be somehow injured again.

Running back Darren McFadden spotted working out sans helmet on the sidelines. His cracked orbital bone will be given time to heal. Oakland will likely be cautious with the thunder to his lightning, RB Michael Bush. Bush needed surgery to repair a broken thumb suffered in a pre season game and missed the 1st four games of the season last year.

No word at all on whether his DUI this off season will have any repercussions on the regular season is unknown. Drinking and driving now is never right but in all fairness Bush barely registered over the limit.

On the Defensive side of the ball LB Darryl Blackstock made a nice interception something our DBs hope to accomplish a lot this season.

CB Chris Johnson figures into that equation, at least Oakland hopes so. When he's healthy, he's Pro Bowl caliber but...he may not be healthy.

Coach Jackson simply doesn't talk about many Raider injuries and explained the 6-1, 200 lb DBs non-participation on Sunday by saying Johnson was resting. Today however Johnson was missing from the field entirely, this despite the fact the majority of "over thirty" players were wearing ball caps and watching from the sideline.

Hmm...

FB Marcel Reece came to camp late after new CBA related contract dealings. We saw him on the first offensive play of the pre season drawing a P.I. flag and probably shouldn't expect to see a lot of him until the regular season.

He's that valuable. Reece is one of several young Raiders poised to break out and become something special.

Jarvis Moss is another.

The gifted young athlete has finally garnered the experience and health to become the threat Denver always thought he could be and other teams feared he is.

When he was first selected 17th overall by the Broncos, Moss needed some filling out.

He weighed 250 lbs at the time. Illness actually saw him lose weight and kept him from gaining the bulk he needed to seal off the edge against the run. Now, healthy and in Oakland, Moss is 270 lbs of rippling muscle.

Swatting down a pass in practice today shows he's not simply a put your head down and barrel in on the passer DE anymore. He's refining his game and learning to place his shoulder on the hip of his victim, wrap his arms and tackle through the ball carrier.

Like we said, Moss is just one Raider on the verge of greatness this season.

With an apparent hand injury to DE/DT Desmond Bryant, Moss could see even more time in the lineup, not only as a third down situational pass rusher but as an every down End.

In accordance with the new CBA, Oakland will have tomorrow off.

Looks like we have an abundance of great DL players. If the Raiders can force 3rd and long situations it doesn't matter who our freakin CBs are.

 

[Faust]

Raiders have reason to think playoffs with Jackson at the helm

NAPA, Calif. -- Getting to go to certain training camps year after year, you really have a chance to evaluate the current version of a team vs. what you saw the prior season. In the three practices that I've seen, the Oakland Raiders seem like a team ready to accomplish something in 2011.

I'm not sold on the San Diego Chargers bouncing back this season and the Kansas City Chiefs could take a step back after winning the AFC West last season.

That's where the Raiders come in. Hue Jackson's team is ready to make a playoff run. You see the attitude adjustment in camp with him as the head coach and with his two new coordinators. One thing that seems to have changed under Jackson is the physical demand on players. They appear to be working harder and hustling more between drills. It's not a 75 percent jog that's been the case in years past; it's a 110 percent all the time.

Jackson's rallying cry for the team this year is to be the "bully on the block." The Raiders are well on their way to living up to the slogan, and here are some reasons why they could win the AFC West this season.

Campbell taking the next step

It appears Jason Campbell is ready to thrive with new offensive coordinator Al Saunders, who has nearly 30 years of NFL coaching experience. Saunders is really good at doing things to make quarterbacks better. He won't call the plays for Campbell, Jackson will, but the foundation for success is in place.

Don't forget, Campbell didn't play poorly last season and has 22 more touchdown passes than interceptions in his career.

More weapons on offense

The receiving corps isn't the best group in the league, but it's capable enough to make Campbell a better quarterback. The Raiders want to run the ball -- they had the second-ranked ground game in 2010 -- but they have more weapons in the passing game.

Jacoby Ford had a pretty darn good rookie year and should only get better. He's so much more confident than he was last season. Louis Murphy is a pretty good receiver, while Darrius Heyward-Bey always looks like he's ready for the next step -- but potential hasn't led to production yet.

Marcel Reece really creates matchup problems out of the backfield because he's a former wide receiver playing fullback. He can run, catch and his speed makes a him a tough cover.

Fifth-round pick Denarius Moore can run a sub-4.4 second 40-yard dash and really runs good routes. A lot of fast guys can't get out of their breaks, but he can. He could have an immediate impact. He's also good on kick returns. He had a long one called back in the Raiders' preseason opener against the Arizona Cardinals.

The Raiders lost Pro Bowl tight end Zach Miller in free agency, but Kevin Boss is a pretty even exchange. Sixth-round pick Richard Gordon is going to give them a great blocking tight end. That should help their running game.

Defense taking shape

The defense is anchored by veteran Richard Seymour. He's the leader of every drill, running around like a rookie who's trying to make the team.

As a whole, the defense has a good mix of veterans with younger guys like Rolando McClain and Lamarr Houston, which usually leads to success.

Speaking of McClain, he's dropped 10 pounds from last year and is really moving well. He came in as a rookie with an attitude off a national title team like he had nothing to prove. That's gone now.

Stanford Routt takes over the role of the team's top cornerback for the departed Nnamdi Asomugha. Third-round pick DeMarcus Van Dyke, who has impressed and can hold his own in man coverage, could be an early contributor. He's a young guy with talent who gets to learn the ins and outs of the game from a Hall of Famer in Rod Woodson, the Raiders cornerback coach.

Impact special teams can make

The third phase of the game is often overlooked, but the Raiders have a great punter (Shane Lechler), kicker (Sebastian Janikowski) and return man (Jacoby Ford).

Special teams can make a difference in close games, just ask the Chargers. The Raiders went 6-0 in the division last season in part because of what the unit provided.

 

[Raiderfan32904]

Looks like we have an abundance of great DL players. If the Raiders can force 3rd and long situations it doesn't matter who our freakin CBs are.

More on Jarvin Moss:

Moss on a MissionThe football career of DE Jarvis Moss has been a long and winding road of hardship, suffering and pain but born in that crucible of fire is the heart of a Champion.Moss spent much of his youth hopping from one family member to the next until graduating from Ryan High School in Texas as his mother struggled with drug addiction and stints in prison. Times were hard. He and his siblings often shared rooms and did without.Despite family strife and nagging injuries Moss helped his High School team the Ryan Rangers to the Texas State 4A Championship game 3 yrs in a row with two wins. Moss was named the best Defensive player in Texas and graduated the top Right Defensive End prospect in the Nation.Moss surprised with his selection of the University of Florida where he Red Shirted as a Freshman. He suffered a hernia in pre season drills and later sustained hip injures as well.In 2004 Moss suffered much of the same with nagging hip and groin injuries. Finally, in 2005 the UF medical staff discovered Moss had a rare pelvic bone infection and traced it back to an old High School injury.Moss was immediately placed on an aggressive 24 hr IV antibiotic regimine for 6 full weeks. Moss recovered faster than expected, rejoined his team and ended the season with 7.5 sacks.In 2006 Moss, finally healthy, blossomed and dominated the competition. Despite a one game suspension for failing a drug test, the pass rushing Gator phenom helped propel Florida all the way to a BCS National Championship. Soon after, Moss declared for the NFL Draft.Moss' legendary College football Coach Urban Myer had this to say about his former player: “Unbelievable. Maybe as good as I have ever seen as far as lifestyle, work ethic and attitude. To think of where he is right now with his leadership and effort, he is the top one percent of one percent.”Despite the late season hick up, Moss had the physical gifts, work ethic and limitless potential to become a dominant and all coveted speed rusher at the next level.Despite a lengthy injury history and a comparably light 6-7, 250 lb frame, the Broncos mortgaged the 2007draft by swapping the 21st, 86th and 198th overall picks and trading up to the 17th spot to get him.He struggled early on and by the 6th game of the season Moss was injured, suffering a terrible fibula fracture that tore tendons and ligaments requiring surgery.The injury was a devastating blow to his early career and as such, his career at Mile High never really got on track. He was inactive for four games the next season and only earned 1 start in 18 games, managing only 3.5 sacks.In 2009 with Josh McDaniels now at the helm and after struggling with a change from the only position he'd ever played, 4-3 Defensive End, to 3-4 Linebacker. Moss was excused from the team for 3 days while the frustrated pass rusher contemplated retirement. After all Moss had been through, to start all over again was nearly too much to bear.He did eventually return but on November 17th 2010, after four years, the Broncos officially gave up on their expensive 1st round draft choice and announced he was cut by the team.He signed with Oakland on the 24th and saw action in 5 Raider contests. Despite breaking his hand at practice 16 days after signing, Moss quietly began to have solid performances, especially in the closer against Play Off bound Division rival Kansas City.Moss looks freakishly quick, smart and relentless. All the qualities that saw him drafted 17th overall. When he keeps his pads low and head up, he's been literally unblockable.We feel like all the hard work, all the pain and suffering are finally set to pay off for Jarvis Moss.The cherry on top for Oakland was the fact that the intial Broncos draft sell off to get Moss and other deals similar to it mortgaged Denver, saw long time Raider Nemesis Mike Shanahan sent to the Redskins and ushered in the disastrous Josh McDaniel era.Now, Moss is in the best physical shape of his life. He has NFL experience and the Raiders, known for giving second chances, are set along with Moss, to begin reaping the rewards.For most of his football life Jarvis Moss has been waiting. Waiting to heal up. Waiting to play. Waiting on new Coaches and waiting to reach his potential.Waiting to regain that Championship form.Thankfully for Moss and the Silver and Black, he finally has.

 

[Raiderfan32904]

Here's another of my personal favorites I hope that sticks with the club and could be a big impact to the 2011 Raider season. Along with Derek Hagan, I hope they can continue to perform like they have and push Nick Miller from the roster. Ausberry's TD catch, toe tapping with his large frame was impressive NFL quality stuff.

The Next Raider Hybrid David Ausberry is no stranger playing different positions on the football field. He played DB, WR and Punter in High school. He played WR for 3 yrs at USC. In his senior year the Trojans moved Ausberry to TE and like at the other positions he’s played, he took to it well.The real dilemma with Ausberry isn't his physical gifts, its simply timing. Ausberry never really got the chance to put it all together in College. Once he finally started getting into a rhythm his junior year he suffered a stress fracture in his leg and missed 6 games. Shortly after signing a 4 yr contract with a $45,900 bonus Ausberry was moved from over sized WR to TE. The move was not completely unexpected.The 6-3, 245 lb big man can get up and move clocking a 4.46 40 on his Pro Day. Elite speed for a man his size. He runs like a wide receiver in a tight end's body. Ausberry also has excellent bulk, length and athleticism. He uses his body to box out smaller defensive backs and will fight for jump balls. He's got a good sense of timing his leaps and has long arms and strong, big hands to win passes in traffic. As a we mentioned, the former Trojan spent time at tight end and wide receiver and could even offer some added versatility as an H-back.Ausberry shows good speed getting down the seam and has a quick enough first step to get behind linebackers in a hurry.He's not without his negatives though. He’s a very raw player overall. Ausberry has not settled in at any one spot and was seen as more of a tweener at the next level. One major flaw in his game is that he hasn't shown enough aggression as a blocker. He sometimes struggles to lock onto defenders and drive them backward off the ball.Too often he fails to break down in space when asked to reach a target at the second level. He also has a tendency to not lock his arms out on blocks allows defenders into his frame. Ausberry tends to banana or round off routes and decelerates when breaking or changing directions. He has good hands but inconsistent and seems to lose focus in traffic occasionally. He'll also tip his hand when split out wide, leaning into his routes before the breakpoint. The big man is fast but he’s more of an open field strider who takes too much time reaching top speed.There are a few knocks against Ausberry for sure but the fact is he's an amazing physical specimen with loads of talent and the clear potential to give the Raiders yet another unique and special weapon in their ever growing arsenal.

 

[UnknownCoach]

We only carried 2 TEs on the roster last year and one on the practice squad. We're sure to carry three this year and Ausberry is the likely guy to be the third TE because he's easily the best receiving TE option we have. That leaves Myers, Gordan, and Brock all battling for second string TE. We may or may not keep one on the practice squad if that happens. It should be a close battle. Myers doesnt have a lot of experience but he definately has an advantage there. There's a small chance they could find another way of keeping Ausberry around but this seems the most likely scenario.

My guess is that Myers and Ausberry will make the roster and Gordan will be considered for the practice squad. If Gordan is the only draft pick that doesnt make the team, we still had a very good draft this year. It wouldnt be because Gordan was a bad pick either, he'll find a job somewhere in this league.

 

[Raiderfan32904]

Wednesday Practice Notes:

One step forward and two steps back.

That’s how it’s got to feel for Oakland’s O line. Center Samson Satele was brought back after what we can only assume was the failure of second round draft pick Stephan Wisniewski's ability to win the starting role he was selected to fill.

Wisniewski was anointed starter at Center day one by HC Hue Jackson who later back pedaled furiously after Satele had to be re-signed saying: "Wisniewski was our only Center on the roster at that time."

True. Satele sat on his couch this off season with nary a phone call from the Raiders.

Take from that what you will but the fact Satele has been taking the majority of first team snaps at Center meant he was likely going to be the #1 come the start of the season.

Today that could be in jeopardy.

Satele limped off today’s practice field and was loaded into a staff member driven van to be taken for X rays.

After a day off yesterday, Oakland’s O line woes suddenly compounded even more when 2nd yr O lineman Bruce Campbell injured his hand.

Campbell has sat most this season with a "non related football" injury to his knee. Yesterday was the first time he'd really been back on the field.

Showing warrior grit he got his thumb taped up and went back in.

The upside is, he's looked good...

Joining Oakland’s O line walking wounded today were WR Louis Murphy, WR Chaz Schilens, S Mike Mitchell, CB Chris Johnson and RB Taiwan Jones. WR Jacoby Ford and RB Darren McFadden are recovering from fractures and seem to be about ready to re-join the lineup. Given the circumstance they will likely be eased back in and treated with kid gloves till the season arrives.

Ford's broken hand is sans bandages now but a surgery scar now adorns his broken hand.

McFadden went through light drills with a helmet on to protect his cracked eye socket.

On the brighter side, QB Jason Campbell may be having the best camp of his life. The former Redskin QB is enjoying for the first time in his career the same system two years in a row. Well, basically. Close enough anyway.

The results can be seen for themselves on the practice field. Fans just hope it translates to victories.

Backup Trent Edwards seems to be in the lead for the #2 slot behind Campbell, but Boller will challenge.

On the defensive side of the ball S Stevie Brown returned after tweaking an ankle recently.

With the career threatening hip injury to S Hiram Eugene Brown's role figures more prominently in the coming season.

With the mystery injury to CB Chris Johnson, Rookie CB DeMarcus Van Dyke is taking the lion’s share of first team reps alongside CB Stanford Routt.

Van Dyke is under rated, but it’s a lot to be expected of a newbie DB.

A lot of pressure on Stan Routt stepping up to fill the Nnamdi void, but he's taking it with a grain of salt and a chip on his shoulder.

Quietly, he's looking very good.

Second year MLB Rolando McClain is blowing things up in camp as well.

McClain shuns the media and lets his on-field play do the talking. This season, he'll have plenty to say.

Helping with Oakland’s depleted WR corps is the emergence of rookie 5th round pick Denarius Moore. Another spectacular diving grab today.

Consistency is a problem but T.O. had drops too and he's set for the HOF.

We hate to see our WRs go down but the silver lining is Moore is getting the reps he needs to compete and shine. Moore is also taking heat off of third year WR Darrius Heyward Bey who, after being slowed by another mystery injury early on is starting to have a good camp.

Today’s practice ends with McClain mugging TE Kevin Boss on a 25 yard pass play.

Three horns, end of session...

 

[Raiderfan32904]

Looks like we'll be shorthanded for Denver. Both Chris Johnson and Louis Murphy went under the knife, and are out. I'm more worried that DVD is going to be ready to step into CJ37's shoes. Murphy won't be nearly as missed with the emergence of Moore.

CorkOnTheNFL Steve Corkran S Mike Mitchell undergoing tests to determine extent of injury. Jackson says Mitchell "getting things looked at." Mitchell been out awhile..7 minutes ago Favorite Retweet Reply » CorkOnTheNFL Steve Corkran WR Louis Murphy, CB Chris Johnson undergo surgery for undisclosed injuries, according to coach Hue Jackson. Murphy won't be back for opener.11 minutes ago Favorite Retweet Reply

Good news is Satele's injury looks minor.

Projected starting center Samson Satele undergoing tests. Coach Jackson says it's "nothing major," just a "tweak." Should be back soon.

Word is that Hue Jackson stopped practice 20 minutes in to light up the team for lack of effort. He was described as being as "salty" as he's ever been. Makes you wonder if that didn't backfire with the rash of injuries.

 

[UnknownCoach]

First Chekwa, now Chris Johnson, safeties dinged up as well.

Heck yeah there's reason to be concerned with the secondary.

 

[Faust]

I thought the buzz about Hue Jackson was positive, but I came across this today:

Don Banks Snap Judgements

Excerpt:

If I've heard a common theme about the AFC West this season during the course of my camp travels it's this: No one outside of Oakland is unhappy to have ex-Raiders head coach Tom Cable out of the division. The Raiders played hard for Cable last season, going 6-0 in the division and finishing with Oakland's first non-losing record since its 2002 Super Bowl season.

"The Raiders were a tough team last year,'' one AFC West source said. "You got beat up coming out of that game. Cable had those guys playing hard for him, and nobody's sorry to see him go. Why Al Davis got rid of him after that team made so much progress, nobody understands.''

As for new Raiders head coach Hue Jackson, the team's former offensive coordinator, let's just say there's very divided opinion around the league when it comes to him. Some view him as a strong motivator, and others consider him something of a manipulator and self-promoter. I know this to be true: When Jackson left his gig as Ravens quarterbacks coach after the 2009 season, joining Oakland as its offensive coordinator, Baltimore and head coach John Harbaugh didn't mind seeing him go in the least.

 

[Faust]

Injuries pile up for Oakland WRs

The Oakland Raiders’ alarming rash of injuries at receiver is continuing.

Oakland coach Hue Jackson announced Wednesday night that starter Louis Murphy has had surgery and he will miss the season opener Sept. 12 at Denver on ESPN’s “Monday Night Football.” Jackson did not say what Murphy’s surgery was for and he didn’t say exactly how long Murphy will be out.

Murphy joins veterans Jacoby Ford (broken hand) and Chaz Schilens (knee) on the shelf. Jackson told reporters Wednesday Schilens is close to returning. During the weekend, the Raiders said he is “week-to-week.” Barring a setback, Ford should be able to play against Denver.

Still, Oakland is entirely thin at receiver right now. They are fortunate fifth-round pick Denarius Moore has been outstanding thus far. If Moore continues to play well in the preseason, he has a strong chance to play against the Broncos. Third-year pro Darrius Heyward-Bey will also likely get a chance to play often in the preseason.

Oakland’s receiver situation isn’t dire, but there are enough injuries going on that it has to make this team nervous. It certainly can’t afford many more injuries at the spot.

Also, Jackson said starting cornerback Chris Johnson had surgery on an undisclosed injury. Johnson is expected play against Denver. Third-round pick DeMarcus Van Dyke is expected to start Saturday at San Francisco. He struggled some in the opener. The extra playing time could do him well.

 

[Faust]

It's decision time on Pryor for teams

Finally, Terrelle Pryor is eligible for the supplemental draft.

The NFL announced the draft will be held Monday. After struggling to a make a decision, the league appears to have made a compromise. It will let Pryor in the league, but he can’t practice or play for the first five weeks of the season.

That’s another reason for teams to be leery of Pryor. He is a project who will need a lot of work. Having him essentially miss a third of the season makes the idea of taking him less appealing. His rookie year will basically be a wash.

I wouldn’t use anything higher than a fifth-round draft pick on him. Why this is relevant to the AFC West?

In the next four days, I expect you will be hearing his name often connected to Oakland. It has already been happening for months. Many national analysts have speculated the Raiders could take him, and the Oakland Tribune has beaten the drum for Oakland to take him.

The Raiders could surely use a young quarterback and Pryor is supremely athletic, which could attract owner Al Davis.

But the Raiders don’t have a second- or fourth-round pick next year, so they could stay away. But don’t discount this caveat: Oakland will likely get two third-round compensatory picks for the losses of Nnamdi Asomugha and Zach Miller. It should also get a decent comp pick for the loss of Robert Gallery.

Those choices can’t be used on Pryor, but they do give the Raiders some wiggle room if they want to play loose with a pick now.

I think Pryor will take a long time to develop, and I wouldn’t spend too much in the form of both compensation and time on him this year, but now that he is in the draft, we will be watching closely Monday to see if he ends up in the division.

However, I don’t see any of the other teams in the division looking at him. I could see Denver potentially working him out because it worked out all of the big-name quarterbacks this year. I’d be surprised, however, if the Broncos took him.

 

[Raiderfan32904]

Friday Practice Notes:

Good news for Oakland’s up in the air offensive line, center Samson Satele was back today after an injury scare. He appears no worse for wear. The same can't be said for OL Stephon Heyer who was competing for RT and/or Guard positions. No word on a time line for his return.

Al Davis was supposedly irked at last year’s HC Tom Cable for not playing OL Bruce Campbell last year. We'll find out who was right starting this Saturday against the 49ers.

There’s going to be a learning curve we imagine, but Campbell looks good for the most part. He got some solid reps with the first team O today.

Oakland’s starting offensive line today was LT Jared Veldheer, LG Daniel Loper, C Samson Satele, LG Cooper Carlisle and RT Khalif Barnes. Unless something happens this could be the starting lineup day one.

The good news is Satele's return bumps rookie Stephan Wisniewski back to LG where he may actually get more field time.

"Be yourself because you probably suck at being someone else." That’s the sage advice imparted by FB Marcel Reece's Uncle and Reece is certainly unique. We can't think of any LBs that won't struggle covering him out of the back field. He looks awesome.

WR Darrius Heyward Bey looked good too hauling in a sweet 25 yarder over the middle but he doesn't look like a 7th overall pick...yet.

With fellow wideouts Chaz Schilens and Louis Murphy dinged, rookie WR Denarius Moore stands a real shot at a starting gig. If his play from practice translates on field he may never relinquish it.

Veteran Receiver Derek Hagan is making a bid for a roster slot too. He's one to keep an eye on.

LB Kam Wimbley looked good in coverage. CB Walter McFadden did not. He continues to struggle mightily. Not looking good especially if rookies DVD and Chimdi Chekwa can take advantage of opportunities.

CB Stanford Routt is quietly having a good camp. He's grumbling but wisely going to let his play do the talking when it comes to the inevitable and annoying Nnamdi question.

We think it’s a good thing.

We stand by our conviction Trent Edwards is pushing hard to be the backup QB this year. He shows nice touch on his passes and Boller, well Boller throws picks and struggles with reads. If not for the concussion question Edwards would be in a better position.

Oakland’s QBs look better in this camp than they have for years. Al Saunders is working some magic and our WRs finally showing some play.

It should get only better once we get Schilens, Murphy and Ford back in the mix.

RB Taiwan Jones was back on the field today after a lengthy rehab of an apparent hammy issue; with all that down time he's probably not quite ready for this week ends game though.

TE Kevin Boss made a nice one handed grab from Campbell to end the session.

More to come...

Thursday Practice Notes:

RB Darren McFadden figures to play a predominant role in OC Al Saunders game plan, so it’s no surprise DMC is being brought along slowly after suffering the fracture of one of the seven orbital bones in his left eye.

McFadden was seen with a helmet today conditioning and running with WR Jacoby Ford.

Center Samson Satele suffered no tell tale catastrophic injury at yesterday’s practice. After a play he simply felt discomfort and was taken away to be looked at.

Today he joined fellow Lineman, OT Stephon Heyer walking on treadmills.

Lineman Bruce Campbell injured his thumb yesterday but is expected to see a lot of time against the 49ers and compete for the RG slot.

We hope he wins it.

CB Chris Johnson, who was described as "fine" and "resting" one day, had "a procedure" yesterday. Johnson was seen around the facility un-hobbled but with a large bag of ice.

WR Louis Murphy's groin and hammy issues may have worsened or been worse than thought. He too had surgery and will miss the season opener against Denver.

We think WR Chaz Schilens won't.

Despite spraining a knee against the Cards the oft injured wideout will probably be nursed along slowly just in case. The longer he stays viable the better Oakland’s shot at the playoffs.

Word.

LB Trevor Scott seems to be recovering well from and ACL tear last year. He and possibly hamstrung rookie RB Taiwan Jones were seen running hard today.

Some see Kyle Boller as the clear #2 QB on the roster but other see Trent Edwards moving into that slot. His deep strike connection over the middle to TE Kevin Boss won't do anything to hurt that bid.

Boss figures to see less passes than former TE Zach Miller but just like in NY, more of them should be TDs.

Jason Campbell got picked today trying to connect with Boss by recent camp addition S Matt Giordano. Campbell did finish practice though with four strikes in a row.

WR Nick Miller is getting time to make his bid for a roster slot. He had 2 TDs in the team period of session.

5th round pick WR Denarius Moore has looked like a Champ. He hauled in yet another impressive TD on the post route.

Oakland has suffered its share of injuries this off season cause by a confluence of events like the lock out and subsequent shortened preseason, but it has a lot put together a petty solid looking camp considering its HC has never been a HC before and is working with a slew of brand new (and one returning) Coaches.

Things aren't ideal in Raider Land, but like the balmy 80 degree weather in Napa, they're not bad.

 

[UnknownCoach]

We can talk about how the 49ers manhandled us again. Its mostly the same old stuff such as poor run defense and inability to keep drives alive.

Of course there are a few positives from a bad performance.

-Despite 3 of our top 5 WRs missing the game, the group played ok. DHB, D Moore, and Hagen all made some good plays. Boss got wide open for a potential TD but Campbell didnt throw it.

-Barksdale and B Campbell look like future starters on the offensive line. They might not start the season but could end the season as starters.

-Our special teams is still really good.

-Our red zone defense has had two good preseason games in a row.

Of continued concern

-All three castoff QBs look more like NFL backups than starters.

-Our OLBs are still a major weakness in run support. The tackling of the CBs is very suspect. Our best tackling safety, Mike Mitchell, is still missing from camp.

-The two second year corners, W McFadden and Ware, both look like busts. They deserve to lose their roster spots to the three rookies, as scary as that sounds.

-The sooner Loper, Barnes, and Satele get replaced on the starting Oline, the better.

 

[Garrett]

Right now I am terrified of what might be in store with Campbell/Edwards/Boller at QB.

 

[UnknownCoach]

Right now I am terrified of what might be in store with Campbell/Edwards/Boller at QB.

Well now add Terrell Pryor to that list. Oakland today gave up its third round pick in 2012 to grab Pryor in the NFL's supplemental draft. Its still uncertain if Oakland plans to use Pryor as a QB, receiver, or both.Oakland has now given away its 2nd, 3rd, and 4th round picks in 2012. A situation that is somewhat lessoned because Oakland is likely to receive 3 compensatory picks in next years draft by loseing more valueable FAs than they aquired. One supplemental pick seems likely to be in the third round pick for loseing superstar Asomugha and signing no one better than Kevin Boss.McFadden, Ford, and Scott returned to practice today. Campbell is day to day with a concussion.

 

[Raiderfan32904]

Monday Practice Notes

Hue Jack lies.

Well, not really, maybe, but concussive injuries are difficult to diagnose and erring on the side of caution with your franchise QB is always a good idea. Hence, we're not entirely shocked by Jason Campbell's absence today.

We're a little shocked at how bad the Quarterbacking was without him.

Boller, Edwards and tomorrow, Terrelle Pryor.

Of particular note isn't who wasn't there but who was.

We hope Pryor wears his Ohio State #2 to put he who shall not be named to bed.

RBs Darren McFadden and rookie Taiwan Jones were back from a broken orbital bone and a reported hammy strain respectively.

DMC will be a miss-match nightmare for any LB and most Safeties. He caught a sweet deep ball from Edwards over solid coverage by LB Quentin Groves.

Taiwan was roughed up pretty good in camp before his injury. Even though it was no contact, the rook took some punishment.

Today he looked good.

LB Trevor Scott made his return to football field for the first time since a torn ACL sidelined him last November.

He struggled before the injury. Maybe his knee was bothering him before it gave but if Scott can return as a situational pass rushing option again it would be welcome.

Among those who sat out were DT Big John Henderson and S Mike Mitchell with undisclosed injuries. Mitchell has been M.I.A. for weeks. TE Kevin Boss has a knee strain and was seen riding an exercise bike along with injured OL Stephon Heyer who suffered a tricep injury.

WR Chaz Schilens has knee strain as well. He was seen doing some light running along the sidelines.

 

[Raiderfan32904]

Campbell ok, Boss Not

Good news for Oakland fans concerning two key injuries yesterday. QB Jason Campbell is expected to practice tomorrow after a knee to the helmet caused concussion concerns.

Veteran TE Kevin Boss is "week to week" concerning his knee "sprain". That means like we mentioned yesterday, we're probably done seeing him this pre season. No need to risk him.

Oakland got run on yesterday but most of the gouging was done against 2nd and 3rd stringers.

The Raiders O line is a mess. Several guys wrote their tickets out of Oakland yesterday and no one really stood out as having a good game.

Even 2nd yr LT Jared Veldheer stumbled.

The Raiders secondary is still pretty undecided too.

CB Chris Johnson had a "procedure" but isn't limping so that’s a good sign.

We'll need him and Stanford healthy and on the field. Too many rookies and inexperienced noobs playing DB now that Nnamdi's gone bye bye.

Coach Hue Jackson had this to say about our secondary yesterday:

"Obviously, DeMarcus Van Dyke went in there last night for (Chris Johnson). Again young player, has some talent and getting better. Again, working at it. Obviously Walter McFadden last night played again. Jeremy Ware played again. And (Chimdi) Chekwa played, that was his first action. Again, first time for the young man being in the game in a performance-type situation. He he did some things that he can build on, talking about Chimdi, that he can build on and continue to get better. We just need to continue to have those young guys play so they get the experience of playing in games and understanding what the NFL game is."

Translation?

DVD will be relied on a lot. We hope he can cut it. Walter Mcfadden? He's playing himself off the team. Ware not progressing fast enough. Chekwa’s raw, raw, raw.

Result?

Some growing pains for Oakland’s secondary especially if the Raiders can't generate "natural" pressure from their front four. Kind of like yesterday.

Not all bad for Oakland and yes, it is only pre season.

Lots of questions but still lots of time.

 

[Anonymous Internet User]

I don't understand why anyone would seriously consider any Oakland WR for their roster when the top WR in 2010 (Louis Murphy) posted 41 receptions for 609 yards and 2 TDs. The entire team had 18 receiving TDs, of which 6 went to WRs (is that some kind of record?).

 

[UnknownCoach]

Safety Mike Mitchell was on crutches with his undisclosed injury. No telling when he’ll be back.

Worst injury news for us so far. Mitchell is our best run stuffing safety and was expected to compete for a starting job this year. With Huff playing nickel back and Eugene out for the season, Mitchell would have seen a lot of action.Stevie Brown, the backup free safety has looked decent and fastest man Matt Giordano was a nice pickup but neither brings to the team what Mike Mitchell brings... a hard hitting strong safety. Jerome Boyd, a converted linebacker, has struggled.

 

[massraider]

Hue says Pryor is a QB, for now. I like that. I am not optimistic about his chances, but I would like to give him a year or two.

 

[UnknownCoach]

Hue says Pryor is a QB, for now. I like that. I am not optimistic about his chances, but I would like to give him a year or two.

If they believe they can develop Pryor into an NFL QB it makes the price more understandable. There are enough project receivers on the team already. I'm not optimistic either but I'd love to see it happen.

 

[Raiderfan32904]

Tuesdays Practice Notes

Jason Campbell returned to practice today but Oakland is still suffering from attrition with 16 players "nicked up".

WR Chaz Schilens did some light running. TE Kevin Boss nursed his knee sprain on the stationary bike. Considered week-to-week, but some reports have him out 2 to 6 weeks.

LB Travis Goethel will require season threatening knee surgery after tearing ligaments in what was called a "freak accident" at practice yesterday. It looks like he’s done for the year.

Lofa Tatupu and former Raider Kirk Morrison have been mentioned as possible replacements.

Safety Mike Mitchell appeared on crutches yesterday and was M.I.A. today.

With Hiram Eugene's season ending hip dislocation and Mitchell status unknown, the Raiders have questions at LB, CB and Safety.

DT Big John Henderson has missed 4 days with an undeclared injury. Slightly limping Rookie TE David Ausberry joined MLB Rolando McClain on the sideline. Ausberry was ‘dinged’ in Saturday’s game. McClain watched with a baseball cap on.

Probably being rested while the Raiders see where they're at without Goethel...again.

Veteran Special Teamer Sam Williams stood in at MLB today, and without space eater Hendu, the run defense suffered.

Things aren't entirely bleak in Oakland. DMC, Ford, Campbell, Moore (and a lot of other players) are back on line, or making plays and looking poised to have solid seasons.

One O line player was missing today but not because of injury. LG Daniel Loper's wife gave birth today. In his absence 2nd round DP Stephan Wisniewski saw the lion’s share of reps the last two days and played well.

Bruce Campbell is not without his foibles (We promise, Film Room session for the Offense coming shortly...) but when he locks onto defenders, they are DONE. He bullied 2nd and 3rd stringers today.

Fellow Lineman Joseph Barksdale saw reps in Saturday’s game and got in a scrap with the newly re-inserted Trevor Scott but needs focus.

We mentioned Moore earlier, Denarius Moore. The rookie WR dumped rookie DB Chimdi Chekwa on his back side with a open field move and was off smoothly striding toward the end zone.

Stanford Routt looked good breaking up a pass. Fellow starter and veteran CB Chris Johnson looks to be recovering nicely from a "procedure" and was seen running lightly on the sideline.

Second yr CB Walter "Wheezy" McFadden is struggling. After failing to chase down a ball carrier, a teammate asked him if he'd lost a step. He'll need to step up soon.

Rookie DeMarcus Van Dyke got some rest on the sidelines. He's been tested and bested but has shown surprisingly good cover skills especially in man-to-man coverage. We just need to see him start making plays and following through to the whistle.

WR Darrius Heyward Bey has performed well this off season after recovering from another mystery injury. His short game has improved, his long game needs work.

Oakland’s QB situation got better with the return of Campbell but who will be his backup remains a question. Boller ended the 88 degree practice with three incompletes in the red zone as three horns sounded.

Rookie supplemental draft pick Terrelle Pryor isn't in Oakland yet. Contractual stipulations aside, Pryor will be able to work out with the team in preseason but he's nowhere near NFL ready. He's likely not even ready to compete for the backup spot.

He could even appear in one of the remaining pre season games but won't be allowed around the team until week 6 if his suspension stays in effect.

 

[UnknownCoach]

Goethel is a big loss. Time to bring in a new face or two. Defense is takeing the worst blows.

 

[Raiderfan32904]

Goethel is a big loss. Time to bring in a new face or two. Defense is takeing the worst blows.

Some guys either have the worst luck or for whatever reason can't stay healthy. Goethel is starting to project into a Chaz Schilens type. A whole lot of potential, but ultimately just a tease. We need some warm bodies about now. I hope they bring in Lofa for a second interview or Kirk Morrison soon. Sam Williams is nothing but depth and his focus is special teams. Next Man Up!

 

[Raiderfan32904]

The O-Line

We knew going in to this film study session this wouldn't be pretty and it wasn't, but there are some good things O line wise in there too...

The Starters

LT Jared Veldheer

Veldheer put on 15 lbs of solid muscle in the off season and should be set to have a dominant year. He didn't look that way at times against San Fran. We're hoping those 15 lbs haven't slowed him to the point speed rushers will simply run around him. We're thinking Saturdays mediocre performance was most likely a fluke.

Most of Oakland’s line looked flat and uninspired.

LG Daniel Loper

Loper missed the last few practices to attend the birth of his child. Its ok if he takes a few more off too. There’s a reason Loper has never sealed a starter spot in 7 yrs in the NFL. Loper was pushed around and literally dumped on his ### in what we assume was pass protection. He was little better in run blocking.

C Samson Satele.

Whether you believe the Raider Coaches or not, Satele was not first choice to hike the rock in Oakland this year. Injured early and often in his brief career, Satele finally started to look good in the back half of last season especially looking up defenders second level. He wasn't great at it, but he got in the way enough to allow ball carriers past. His knock is struggling against big 3-4 Nosetackles. (Who doesn't?) He showed last Saturday he has a few other knocks too.

RG Cooper Carlisle

Carlisle is past his prime. That was the general consensus 3 years ago. What he's still doing in there is a testament to our inability to field great linemen. Carlisle downplays the departure of Tom Cable's ZBS but Carlisle the lighter, "faster" former Bronco was brought in specifically for that particular system. Carlisle was on skates, stonewalled and dumped on his ### against San Fran. Off night? Maybe.

Sign Oakland needs to accept reality? More likely.

RT Khalif Barnes

He's a mess. Oakland’s 7 yr search for even a decent Right Tackle continues. If not for any serious challengers, we wouldn't be shocked if Barnes didn't even make the roster. The Right Tackle spot was almost a given for returning vet Mario Henderson but he ate his way out of at least $2 million dollars and failed a physical. Barnes played hard to get and tested the FA market only to find a ghost town of disinterest. Once Mario flopped out he had a little more leverage but still only ended up signing the original one year offer.

If Barnes "wins" starting RT it won't be much of a victory and a loss for the Raiders. Even as a back up and extra "TE" in Jumbo packages Barnes wasn't great.

The Potentials

A few rookies and hopefuls worth mentioning also saw reps. It’s harder to gauge how they'd play against real NFL starters since of course most of their reps come against second and third stringers themselves.

Rookie C Stephan Wisniewski

Saw time at Center has a solid punch off the ball. Good hand placement and quick hands too. Doesn't give ground and never saw him on skates. Looked awkward in the open field getting second level. Not the instant-Hall of Famer some were hoping but much better looking than a lot of our starters. Wizzer 2.0 is seeing a lot of time at LG in place of Loper and that’s a good thing. He's better better than Loper day one.

Rookie Joseph Barksdale

Vying for Right Tackle duties we'd love nothing more than to say he looked out standing in his field. Instead it looked at times like he was out standing in his field. Can't recall a single play where we saw him beat the defender off the snap. Slow hands, slow to react and looked genuinely lost at times. Bad as that sounds he did have moments where you could see him working into a solid Lineman. He's got something but it may take a little while to put it together. It may be he's overwhelmed and under studied at this juncture. Too early to tell or worst case scenario, he may just be slow.

We'll be watching against the Saints.

Bruce Campbell missed valuable reps with a non football related knee injury this already truncated pre season. We wish he hadn't. Rumor has it one of the many things Cable was fired for was not playing Campbell. Early, preliminarily, it looks like Cable was right. Campbell did good things. Once he locks on, that defender is neutralized. He has the power to bull even the biggest DTs off the line and the strength to turn and steer them out of running lanes. His pass protection was actually surprisingly adequate. He has no problem playing to the whistle and looking up other defenders numbers once his man is on the ground.

Now for the bad news:

He needs better knee bend, footwork and hand placement. Far too often Campbell let defenders hands into his body and it nearly completely negated him. Defenders much smaller simply stiff armed his chest and stood the big man up in the hole clogging run lanes. Once he learns to swat that arm away and more counter moves, he is going to be a force though. We pray he's in contact with Richard Seymour begging for tips and sage advice...and that he keeps his damn pads low. When he does, he looks like a top 10 draft pick.

Its pre season, so no need to panic...yet but it doesn’t look great based on what we've seen so far. It’s not easy being true Raider fans sometimes. You've got to be real if you're ever going to get anywhere.

The reality is Oakland’s O line is an undecided, under-talented, inexperienced mess at the moment. If Saturday was any indication and things don't improve, we better hope our second and third QBs can win for us.

 

[Faust]

Training camp practice highlights, notes and quotes

Most of coach Hue Jackson’s “toys” were on full display during practice Wednesday, which meant a steady diet of running back Darren McFadden up the gut, wide receiver Jacoby Ford in full sprint down the sideline and rookie running back Taiwan Jones blow past defenders as if he were on ice skates.

Jackson can’t contain himself when talking about those players, and watching them up close offers a valid reason why, as well as a glimpse into how explosive the Raiders offense can be this season.

On Wednesday, Jones sprinted into the secondary a few times, turned on the speed and raced past defenders and into the end zone in no time.

“He’s fast, man,” Jackson said. “God can this guy run. He’s extremely fast but he’s very … he’s very nimble and he’s very smooth. I don’t think sometimes you know he’s running that fast.”

Jones is far more than a speedburner, Jackson said. He stands 6-feet and weighs 195 pounds but don’t be fooled by his size.

“For a guy that’s built like he is, he’s very physical,” Jackson said. “There’s a lot of velocity behind the man when he runs into a pile. I’ve been excited watching him out here practice and we’re going to make sure we can crank him up this week and let him run.”

McFadden hears about how fast he is all the time. Now, he has someone who he can rave about.

“Man, he’s fast,” McFadden said. “Like lightning. I was watching him. He was just hitting holes. You see him put his foot in the ground. He was moving.”

*Well, scratch Kirk Morrison off the list of potential linebackers the Raiders might bring in to help fill the void created by the left knee injury to backup Travis Goethel. Morrison signed with the Buffalo Bills on Wednesday afternoon.

The Raiders didn’t sign any linebackers Wednesday. However, Jackson said the Raiders will continue to look at any players, at any position, who can make the Raiders a better team.

*An injury to veteran tight end Brandon Myers midway through practice left the Raiders with only two healthy tight ends — first-year player Kevin Brock and rookie Richard Gordon.

Myers was kicked in the foot by a teammate in a passing drill, and he was escorted off the field by a trainer after being tended to on the sideline.

Projected starter Kevin Boss (knee) and rookie David Ausberry (undisclosed injury) already are sidelined. Boss is listed as week to week, and he likely won’t play against the New Orleans Saints on Sunday night. Ausberry said Wednesday that he “should play Sunday.”

Gordon and Brock made nice catches of high throws Wednesday, showing that they can be counted upon if needed.

“I just play the role that they tell me to play,” Gordon said. “If they ask me to go catch passes, I catch passes, but mostly they brought me in for blocking. I can transition anytime they ask me to.”

*On Tuesday, Shane Lechler punted a ball that traveled 80 yards in the air. It was kicker Sebastian Janikowski’s turn to take center stage Wednesday.

Janikowski lined up for a 64-yard field-goal attempt at the end of practice, with the eyes of his teammates, coaches and friends fixed upon him. The kick sailed through the uprights, to the delight of fans and teammates.

Jackson then backed up Janikowski 5 yards and let him attempt a 69-yarder. The ball had the distance, but it came up a foot or so short. Janikowski said he drilled a 70-yarder the other day.

“I missed the second one,” Janikowski said. “I didn’t hit it good.”

Jackson said he is comfortable with Janikowski kicking from anywhere on the “plus side” of the field, meaning from 59 yards and closer.

“I’ve been around four other teams and I’ve never seen a guy kick a ball like that,” Jackson said. “It’s not like he’s taking a running start. The guy takes two steps and, boom, there goes the ball, it goes through the uprights.”

Janikowski’s career-best is the 61-yarder he made against the Cleveland Browns in 2009, in the snow. The NFL record is 63 yards — Tom Dempsey in 1970 and Jason Elam in 1998.

*The Raiders have been waiting for one of their four first- and second-year cornerbacks to step up and separate themselves from the pack. Ladies and gentlemen, Jeremy Ware.

On Wednesday, Ware ran stride for stride with rookie receiver Denarius Moore on a fly route and denied Moore an opportunity to make a play on an overthrown pass. He later knocked away a deep pass intended for receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey.

That’s the kind of production Jackson is hoping to see from Ware, DeMarcus Van Dyke, Walter McFadden and Chimdi Chekwa, as he seeks reliable options at nickel and dime back.

*Eighteen players missed practice Wednesday, including defensive tackle Richard Seymour, middle linebacker Rolando McClain, Boss, cornerback Chris Johnson and receiver Chaz Schilens.

Jackson said he is confident that most of those players will be back pretty soon and that the Raiders will be at full strength in time for the regular-season opener Sept. 12.

*The last time the Raiders played the Saints in an exhibition game, Saints quarterback Drew Brees completed 14 of 17 passes for 179 yards and two touchdowns in a little more than one quarter of play.

Guess who’s coming to town Sunday night? Here comes Mr. Brees and his high-flying offense once again. Jackson said it poses “an unbelievable test” for his cornerbacks.

Raiders defensive tackle Tommy Kelly said forget about how he and his defensive mates played in the first two exhibition games. Sunday night’s game will be the litmus test.

“(Brees) gets the ball out of his hands, he makes great decisions with the ball,” Kelly said. “They have got people on the outside that can scare you. They have a real complete offense. We’ll pretty much know if we’re headed in the right direction after Sunday night.”

*Quarterback Terrelle Pryor still hasn’t signed a contract with the Raiders. Until he does, he isn’t allowed to join his teammates in Napa.

Jackson said Pryor will be here in due time and that the focus needs to be on the players who are here right now.

“I’m sure when he walks in this place, everybody will know that he’s here,” Jackson said. “Again, he’s just a piece of the story. The true story that’s going on right now is this football team and the chance that we have to be a very good team.”

*Finally caught up with veteran receiver Derek Hagan to ask him his thoughts on Jackson crediting part of his success to avoiding the trap of getting caught up in playing video games at night.

“No, I don’t play X-box too much,” Hagan said. “I do, but there’s no reason. We’re in training camp, and you shouldn’t even be playing video games. You got to get your study time in. This is my job, this is my profession and it’s something I love to do. I try to stick what I do best and that’s playing football.”

Spend a few minutes with Hagan or watch him practice, and it’s hard to imagine him not making the roster. In fact, it begs the question, why did another team let him go?

He runs hard, executes precise routes, catches most everything and plays with a confidence missing in some of the younger receivers on the roster. Hagan, 26, is the second-oldest receiver on Oakland’s roster, second only to Shaun Bodiford. So, it’s likely that he will be the oldest on the team if he makes the 53-man roster.

Hagan says he learned his work ethic from the veteran receivers when he joined the Miami Dolphins in 2007.

“It’s just watching other receivers that I’ve been around in the league,” Hagain said. “When I started off as a rookie in Miami, I had Chris Chambers and Marty Booker, just following those guys. Now, they just passed it down to me and just knowing that you got to put in that time and that work just to be a great player. That’s something that I definitely try to do.”

The other Raiders receivers would do well to follow Hagan’s lead.

And from twitter:

Jerry McDonald

BLTN Raiders notes: Even by standards of Raiders speed, Taiwan Jones is fast. Really fast. Glides like on rails and pulls away from everyone

 

[Raider Nation]

Can Hue actually find a way to utilize all these "toys"...? GOD, I hope so.

 

[Raiderfan32904]

Wednesdays Practice Notes

Twice yesterday RB Taiwan broke contain and burst into the second level. Oakland’s looking to use that speed on Special Teams if they can.

Jones was fielding punts this practice. Rookie WR Denarius Moore has been electrifying with his smooth returns but may be too valuable as a WR to risk.

No one save Moore has the hands RB Darren McFadden does, but if Taiwan can improve in that area he's going to be a serious threat with screens and swing passes out on the perimeter.

WR Darrius Heyward Bey looks explosive on the catch and run. His short game shows marked improvement.

Second year MLB Rolando McClain was an observer for the second day in row. Likely being saved for real reps.

Oakland lost depth when second year LB Travis Goethel suffered severe knee injury. Oakland may or may not be looking for a filler but rumored interest in former Raider LB Kirk Morrison is over. Morrison signed with Buffalo today.

Veteran Richard Seymour sat out. He's being rested. He's earned it.

OL Stephon Heyer is back from a triceps injury. HC Hue Jackson says Heyer will get plenty of reps in the upcoming Saints game.

Heyer was less than spectacular against Arizona particularly in pass protection at Left Guard. He fared better at tackle but not by much.

He wouldn't be garnering as much attention if not for the disappointing play of fellow Linemen against the 49ers.

Rookie TE David Ausberry missed valuable reps with a tweaked ankle. Veteran Kevin Boss was out with sprained knee. TE Brandon Myers rolled his ankle today leaving only Kevin Brock and rookie Richard Gordon to take reps.

Rookie Chimdi Chekwa missed practices after popping out his shoulder early in camp. He's back and seeing a lot of time at Safety. Mike Mitchell has been seen on crutches and whether or not he'll be back is anyone’s guess.

Oddly, thin as they are at Safety Michael Huff has been seen cheating down at CB.

 

[Chadstroma]

Raiders LB Goethel tears knee, out for season

CSNBayArea.com staff

Raiders linebacker Travis Goethel is expected to miss the entire 2011 season after tearing a ligament in his knee, Hue Jackson announced after the team's practice on Tuesday.

Goethel, 24, was competing for the starting weak-side linebacker position in his second NFL season. He was also listed as the team's second-string middle linebacker.

In his rookie campaign last season, the six-round pick also competed for the teams' weak-side linebacker position, but an undisclosed preseason back injury forced him out of the competition, and left Quentin Groves as the weak-side starter.

Goethel appeared in eight games last season, recording five tackles.

The injury leaves the Raiders' already-thin backer corps a player short. Reports have indicated that the Raiders might show interest in Lofa Tatupu or former-Raider Kirk Morrison in Goethel's absence.

Now that Morrison is with the Bills, you have to figure we pick up Lofa just for depth if not anything else.

 

[Raiderfan32904]

Raiders LB Goethel tears knee, out for season

CSNBayArea.com staff

Raiders linebacker Travis Goethel is expected to miss the entire 2011 season after tearing a ligament in his knee, Hue Jackson announced after the team's practice on Tuesday.

Goethel, 24, was competing for the starting weak-side linebacker position in his second NFL season. He was also listed as the team's second-string middle linebacker.

In his rookie campaign last season, the six-round pick also competed for the teams' weak-side linebacker position, but an undisclosed preseason back injury forced him out of the competition, and left Quentin Groves as the weak-side starter.

Goethel appeared in eight games last season, recording five tackles.

The injury leaves the Raiders' already-thin backer corps a player short. Reports have indicated that the Raiders might show interest in Lofa Tatupu or former-Raider Kirk Morrison in Goethel's absence.

Now that Morrison is with the Bills, you have to figure we pick up Lofa just for depth if not anything else.

Problem is Lofa's price tag is still too high to be just 'depth'. Q. Groves is going to be relied on the last two preseason games, as this LB crew is paper thin about now. I agree we need somebody, but the fact that Lofa is still available at this point is a giant red flag to proceed with caution.

 

[RaiderBones]

Raiders LB Goethel tears knee, out for season

CSNBayArea.com staff

Raiders linebacker Travis Goethel is expected to miss the entire 2011 season after tearing a ligament in his knee, Hue Jackson announced after the team's practice on Tuesday.

Goethel, 24, was competing for the starting weak-side linebacker position in his second NFL season. He was also listed as the team's second-string middle linebacker.

In his rookie campaign last season, the six-round pick also competed for the teams' weak-side linebacker position, but an undisclosed preseason back injury forced him out of the competition, and left Quentin Groves as the weak-side starter.

Goethel appeared in eight games last season, recording five tackles.

The injury leaves the Raiders' already-thin backer corps a player short. Reports have indicated that the Raiders might show interest in Lofa Tatupu or former-Raider Kirk Morrison in Goethel's absence.

Now that Morrison is with the Bills, you have to figure we pick up Lofa just for depth if not anything else.

Problem is Lofa's price tag is still too high to be just 'depth'. Q. Groves is going to be relied on the last two preseason games, as this LB crew is paper thin about now. I agree we need somebody, but the fact that Lofa is still available at this point is a giant red flag to proceed with caution.

My guess is that the Raiders will wait until cut down day and pick someone then for depth.

 

[massraider]

One more thing:

Any player on opening day roster has his salary guaranteed all season.

If we pick up Lofa before week 2, we can cut him whenever we want, and only pay for weeks we used him.

Let's say Lofa wants 2 mill a year. We can sign him for that price, cut him after 4 games, only cost around 600 grand, and sign someone else for the same contract, and we are still using the same $2 mill contract.

 

[Chadstroma]

Price is likely the problem but I think as no one picks him up he is likely to be more motivated to cut his asking price and as we need depth at LB we are more willing to pay a bit more.

I think that waiting to see who may get cut is a good point as is massraiders' about timing.

We have been and seemingly continue to talk to him so I think the chance of signing him is pretty good. Now if an OLB is cut that makes sense financially and schematically, we may move on without Lofa and sign them as Lofa is a MLB and what we really need is OLB.

 

[HeHateSteve]

Yes, I signed up for this board just in time to join my fellow Raider fan degenerates haha.

 

[Raiderfan32904]

Raiders sign two-time Pro Bowl cornerback Lito Sheppard

By Jon Becker

Friday, August 26th, 2011 at 10:13 am in Oakland Raiders.

The Raiders just announced that they’ve signed former Philadelphia Eagles, New York Jets and Minnesota Vikings cornerback Lito Sheppard to a free-agent contract.

Here’s the short story we’ve just posted online. Jerry will update this with more details and reaction from Napa.

NAPA — The Raiders announced the free-agent signing of two-time Pro Bowl cornerback Lito Sheppard Friday morning.

Sheppard, a 30-year-old former first-round pick of Philadelphia, is expected to be at Raiders practice in Napa Friday. He spent the 2010 season with the Minnesota Vikings and was an unrestricted free agent.

Sheppard should provide some stability to the Raiders’ cornerback corps. Projected starter Chris Johnson recently underwent an undisclosed surgery but the Raiders say he should be ready for the opener at Denver. Rookie DeMarcus Van Dyke has missed the last two practices with an undisclosed injury.

 

[LawFitz]

I remember when Lito used to be good. Does he have anything left in the tank?

 

[massraider]

I remember when Lito used to be good. Does he have anything left in the tank?

Interesting. he gets a few weeks to show what he has. Would not be surprised if he doesn't make final cuts. RouttJohnsonDVDMaybe Chekwa. Only roster locks. Ware had a nice practice, McFadden I am guessing is on the bubble. And Huff can be a dime corner, maybe costing a developmental guy a roster spot.

 

[Chadstroma]

I remember when Lito used to be good. Does he have anything left in the tank?

That is what I am wondering... also, I seem to remember him playing off the majority of the time.... is he any good in press?

 

[UnknownCoach]

Signing Lito makes it a lot easier to cut W McFadden and Ware. They got two more preseason games to either show something or hit the road.

Chekwa is practicing at both safety and corner. He wont be cut. He'll either take Eugene's old spot or Ware's.

 

[Faust]

Pryor shakes off the rust in first practice with Raiders

NAPA, Calif. -- On his second play of his first NFL practice with the Oakland Raiders, Terrelle Pryor fumbled the snap and had to fall on the ball.

He had one more fumbled snap and a few errant passes in his 16 plays during team sessions, looking more like someone who hadn't played football since January than a future franchise quarterback. That's all to be expected considering he just jumped right in on his first day with the Raiders, while most everyone else has had more than four weeks of training camp.

"The problem is that now I'm 17, 18 days, practices behind right now," Pryor said Friday. "I'm just playing catch-up right now. Some of the stuff is getting there, and I'm starting to get familiar with some of the stuff. But it's been one day. Give me a couple of days, and I should be able to fill it in and feel a lot more comfortable."

Pryor was taken in the third round of the supplemental draft on Monday and signed a four-year contract Thursday night.

He had to digest the playbook, learn the terminology and be told how coach Hue Jackson wants quarterbacks to call out plays at the line of scrimmage. Pryor spent a lot of time at the side of Jackson or offensive coordinator Al Saunders, taking in as much information as he could.

"I wanted him to hear how a play sounds, I wanted him to get a feel for how we go about doing it, learn our tempo," Jackson said. "This is the first day for him. Kudos to him. I thought he did a good job, first day, and we weren't able to give him a lot of information. All this happened very quickly but got him here. Obviously he's here, he's ours and we'll get him ready."

Pryor threw nine passes in team sessions, completing four of them with a few far off target. He also fumbled a pair of snaps on his seven running plays as he starts the process of learning how to be a pro.

Pryor will not play in Oakland's third exhibition game on Sunday against New Orleans and then will have three more practices before the preseason finale at Seattle on Sept. 2. Jackson said it was too early to determine if he'd be able to play then.

After that, Pryor will be ineligible to practice with the Raiders until serving a five-game suspension. When he was allowed to enter Monday's supplemental draft, Pryor was handed a suspension by Commissioner Roger Goodell for the same number of games he would have sat out had he returned to Ohio State. Pryor has said he will not appeal the suspension.

"I didn't have to be in the supplemental draft, and I was allowed in," Pryor said. "I'm just going to take the opportunity. I'm not going to bad mouth it or give my opinion on the good side, bad side. It goes both ways. I'm just glad they gave me the opportunity."

Pryor gave up his final season with the Buckeyes after an investigation into the team's memorabilia-for-cash scandal that cost coach Jim Tressel his job. He would not address what he told the NCAA about what went on at Ohio State.

Pryor is coming off his best season statistically at Ohio State, throwing for 2,772 yards and 27 touchdowns with 11 interceptions. He ran for 754 yards and four TDs while helping the Buckeyes win the Sugar Bowl.

Because he is 6-foot-5, 232 pounds and was clocked at 4.36 seconds in the 40-yard dash at his pro day, there has been speculation that Pryor could eventually play receiver or tight end in the NFL. But he is starting his career at quarterback.

"The guy is big, athletic," Jackson said. "I think he can throw it. He looks like a quarterback, feels like a quarterback, sounds like a quarterback, and I'm very excited to work with him."

Pryor begins his career behind starter Jason Campbell and backups Kyle Boller and Trent Edwards on the depth chart. All three of those quarterbacks are in the final year of their contracts so Pryor will be groomed for the future.

Pryor wore No. 6 instead of the No. 2 he had in college at Ohio State. The Raiders haven't had anyone wear No. 2 since releasing JaMarcus Russell in May 2010 after three horrible seasons in Oakland.

"Coach won't let me wear No. 2," Pryor said. "Why, I don't know? You tell me. He won't let me wear No. 2. I'm just going off what coach tells me."

Pryor wasn't the only new player on the field for the Raiders' final practice before breaking camp in Napa and heading back to their headquarters in Alameda. Oakland also signed veteran cornerback Lito Sheppard and gave him a chance right away.

Sheppard is a former Pro Bowler who has bounced around the past few seasons and was out of a job at the start of training camp. He started two games last season for Minnesota before becoming a free agent. He started nine games for the New York Jets in 2009 and three for Philadelphia the previous season. He had been a starter for the Eagles before that, intercepting 14 passes between 2004-06.

Sheppard said he's very comfortable playing man-to-man coverage, the staple of Oakland's defense.

"That's what I primarily did the majority of my career," he said. "It's definitely tough on the corners but hey, that's what I do, that's what got me into this league and obviously that's what's going to keep me around or take me out."

The Raiders are thin at cornerback following injuries to starter Chris Johnson and rookie DeMarcus Van Dyke. Oakland has only one healthy veteran on the roster in Stanford Routt, while young players like Van Dyke and second-year pro Walter McFadden have struggled.

 

[Garrett]

I remember when Lito used to be good. Does he have anything left in the tank?

Interesting. he gets a few weeks to show what he has. Would not be surprised if he doesn't make final cuts. RouttJohnsonDVDMaybe Chekwa. Only roster locks. Ware had a nice practice, McFadden I am guessing is on the bubble. And Huff can be a dime corner, maybe costing a developmental guy a roster spot.

What about Sterling Moore? I was hoping he would play well enough to make the team.

 

[UnknownCoach]

What about Sterling Moore? I was hoping he would play well enough to make the team.

Seems more likely to make the practice squad. Keeping 3 rookie corners seems unlikely. Though if Chekwa is kept as a safety, Moore has a real shot. He'd still have to beat out W McFadden and Ward (or Sheppard).There's also still time for someone to get hurt. Sometimes teams even invent injuries for rookies to carry them on the team without using a roster spot. They could do so for Chekwa (who does have that shoulder issue) or Moore.

 

[Raiderfan32904]

End of Camp Practice Notes

Raiders had an early practice today with moving trucks waiting in the wings. Last day of camp (and sessions open to the media) before they leave Napa.

Big day with new faces.

3rd round supplemental draft pick Terrelle Pryor took snaps today, worked out with trainers and handlers. Looked good but is clearly a little rusty. Has a brace on his left knee but before anyone panics, he's always worn it.

Pryor wearing #6 on his jersey.

Pryor stepped in on about 13 plays, threw 7 passes completed 4 but looked erratic. Fumbled a few snaps. About what you'd expect for his first NFL practice.

Oakland brought 10 year veteran CB Lito Sheppard onboard and he joined practice today too. In drills he muffed a catch, dropped down and started doing pushups. Right on Lito!

Lito will wear #21.

Second year MLB Rolando McClain was back on the field after being held out a couple of days. Most likely just to keep him fresh and ‘un-dinged’.

DTs Richard Seymour and Big John Henderson both were out too. Seymour's being rested but Henderson may be having trouble with the foot he broke last year. May not be entirely healed...

TE Brandon Myers was back from a dinged up foot after missing the last practice. Rookie TE David Ausberry missed time with a dinged up foot as well, but was back in the lineup today. He could be a serious threat along the seams with his great hands and impressive speed.

OL Stephon Heyer is back from a triceps tear and has played G and T this preseason, but he'll need a big game to vie for the right tackle spot. Vet Khalif Barnes is slated to start but it’s no lock. Rookie Joseph Barksdale needs to make a push if he wants to have a shot at the starting job.

OL Daniel Loper missed practices while his wife had a baby. That gave rookie Stephan Wisniewski more reps and now he looks like he may be the starter at Left Guard.

Fellow OL and second year man Bruce Campbell may be making a push to unseat veteran Cooper Carlisle at Right Guard but it likely won't be for awhile.

First string O line looked like this today:

LT Veldheer, LG Wisniewski, C Satele, RG Carlisle, RT Barnes

Barnes caught a pass as TE eligible to end the session.

The movers are already loading up, and thus ends a very eventful, injury-packed, but promising 2011 Raider camp at Napa...

 

[massraider]

I remember when Lito used to be good. Does he have anything left in the tank?

Interesting. he gets a few weeks to show what he has. Would not be surprised if he doesn't make final cuts. RouttJohnsonDVDMaybe Chekwa. Only roster locks. Ware had a nice practice, McFadden I am guessing is on the bubble. And Huff can be a dime corner, maybe costing a developmental guy a roster spot.

What about Sterling Moore? I was hoping he would play well enough to make the team.

Yeah, was just referring to 'locks'.

 

[UnknownCoach]

Guys on the roster bubble.

Offense

QB - Not an issue until week 6. At that point Boller and Edwards will be on the bubble to make room for Pryor.

(locks: J Campbell, Boller, Edwards, Pryor (suspended) )

RB - Cartwright, Tonga, Bennett, and Rankin are on the buble. Cartwright is not guaranteed a roster spot. He's nice to keep but he's old and we have potentially more lethal return men on the team including Taiwan Jones. Bennett is likely to be cut because he's not known for special teams like Cartwright and Jones are. I think there's a chance we only keep 3 RBs and 1 FB by cutting both Bennett and Cartwright and placing Rankin or another young guy on the practice squad. The 5th spot is really just a special teams spot. Because Reese is more of a a hybrid than a blocking fullback Tonga could also replace Cartwright but its more likely we keep the backup fullback on the practice squad.

(Locks: D McFadden, Bush, Jones, Reese)

WR - Hagen, Schilens, N Miller, and Bodiford are on the bubble. At least one will make the team and probably two. At least one will either be Hagen or Schilens. Like the 4th RB roster spot, the 6th WR spot is really a special teams spot. Ausberry is more WR than TE and if he's the 3rd TE like expected, carrying only 5 WRs could happen. D McFadden, T Jones, and Ausberry can each line up as a WR. If we only keep 5, we can carry someone like Miller or Bodiford on the practice squad. (Locks: DHB, Ford, Moore, Murphy)

TE - Myers, Ausberry, Gordan, and Brock are all on the bubble. Ausberry will likely be kept as the 3rd TE due to his speed and receiving skills. Brock is likely cut. That leaves Myers and Gordan competing to backup Boss. Myers has the edge due to experience with Gordan likely to make the practice squad if cut. Last season we only kept 2 TEs but that number should now be 3. One of the reasons I think we might only carry 5 WRs or 4 RBs. However room could be made by cutting a defensive player instead.

(Locks: Boss)

OL - Barnes, Loper, Wand, Schuening, and Lamaak are on the bubble. Loper is likely to make the team over Schuening or Lamaak but his new contract makes him an expensive backup. With Wisniewski being groomed as future center, its a price worth paying as long as Loper distances himself from the rest of the competition at LG. I'm not sure he has since Heyer got a look there and B Campbell is back. Because Loper has been healthy while Campbell, Heyer, and Schuening havent been, I do think Loper makes the team. Barnes will likely make the team over Wand but there is another small possibility here. If Barksdale wins the RT job, Barnes and Heyer can help backup the left guard spot and then Wand could potentially be kept over Loper. Either way I dont see Barnes getting cut despite his struggle to lock down the starting RT job. Schuening and/or Lamaak could make the practice squad. I expect 9 total again on the OL.

(Locks: Veldheer, Wisniewski, Barksdale, B Campbell, Satele, Heyer, Carlisle)

total offense 25-26

Defense

DL - Moss, Hill, and Cumbie are on the bubble. With Scott coming back from last year's injured reserve, I have 7 locks to make the team. We will keep at least 8 and maybe 9. Both Moss and Hill are looking good. Because Wimbley moves up the line to rush the passer, we dont need 5 DEs. Moss is more likely to be the guy than Hill but I can see keeping both they way they have looked. Especially since we have a couple of guys who are capable of helping the LBs. Big J Henderson might not be all that healthy and Seymour is old as well so Cumbie makes the practice squad.

(Locks: Seymour, Houston, Shaughnessy, Kelly, Scott, Henderson, Bryant)

LB - Blackstock, Williams, Davis, Boyd, and Francis are on the bubble. While there is still a little time for Oakland to make a move to replace Groves as a starter he would still make the team. Right now the 3 starters are the only locks. When other teams start cutting, we will bring in another player or two. We need to add a backup MLB for sure. We need at least 6 LBs and could keep 7 with Boyd rotating to strong safety and Wimbley rotating to pass rusher. Once we add another MLB, that leaves 2 or 3 of these guys making the roster. This is tough because none of these guys stand out. Pick 2 between Williams, Blackstock, Davis, and Francis (I'll go with Williams and Blackstock). Consider Boyd as a 7th LB in place of a safety at least as long as Mitchell is injured. Put one or two of these guys on the practice squad until this is sorted out.

(Locks: McClain, Wimbley, Groves)

DB - Chekwa, Brown, W McFadden, Sheppard, Ware, S Moore, and Giordano make a big list of guys on the bubble. I have 3 locks at corner and 3 at safety for 6. We will keep at least 9 and likely 10 or even potentially 11 because of all the recent draft picks and special team needs. Chekwa should make the team. Brown will likely be the 4th safety but Giordano who was signed late is pushing him. Because Huff is helping at corner and Mitchell helps the LBs, both Brown and Giordano could make the team even though Chekwa and Boyd have been rotated to help the safeties. There is also the issue of Mitchell's injury that has kept him out of training camp. Mitchell has tweeted that he'll be ready when "it counts" but I have huge doubts after he was seen on crutches. Between McFadden, Sheppard, and Ware I expect at least one to make the team to provide a veteran presence at backup corner. That leaves Moore who still has a shot to make the roster as long as we keep at least 10 DBs. If we only keep 4 safeties with Chekwa and possibly Boyd rotating to that position its possible to keep 6 corners. The NFL uses a lot of nickel and dime defenses and some of these guys will definately contribute on special teams so I'm expecting 10 DBs with at least one more on the practice squad.

(Locks: Routt, Huff, Branch, Mitchell, C Johnson, Van Dyke)

total defense 24-25

Kicking Game

Jon Condo is the only proven long snapper on the team so I dont think he'll be cut but that is the only reason he's around. We know who the kickers are.

(Locks: Janikowski, Lechler)

Total ST 2-3

Injured Reserve: Goethel (unofficial), Eugene

 

[LawFitz]

Nice little puff piece on McFadden. I wouldn't expect to see him playing tonight based on this article.

http://www.csnbayarea.com/08/28/11/bGutierrezb-From-Run-DMC-to-Limp-DMC-and/landing_gutierrez.html?blockID=555576&feedID=2801