Thursday, May 8, 2008

2008 Season - Day 13 - Camp

Raiders quarterback Brian White drops back, fakes a handoff to Louis Rankin and looks for Chaz Schilens downfield.

Trevor Scott brings pressure from one side. Greyson Gunsheim comes from the other end. Offensive linemen Brandon Rodd and Adam Spieker give White enough time to get a pass off to Arman Shields.

All this must mean it's rookie minicamp time in Alameda, the perfect chance for the Raider Nation to get to know their transaction wire.

Want spectacular? Fine, gawk at No. 4 overall draft pick Darren McFadden for the next three days, just as everyone did when quarterback JaMarcus Russell first showed up last year.

Want intriguing? Then check out Michael Bush's formerly broken leg and wonder why on earth he didn't get to play last season.

Want more? Sorry, because after those two running backs, we're talking about a bunch of late-drafted or undrafted rookies who the casual Raiders fan never heard of until two weeks ago.

Many of them won't be around for the Sept. 11 season opener against the Denver Broncos. Without any pesky veterans around to hog the attention, here are a few questions and answers to mull over during the rookie retreat.

Q: Why is Bush going to be there?

A: Because he's a redshirt rookie, that's why.

Bush didn't play at all last year, and rookie camp is open to souls who haven't accrued one season of experience.

As a refresher, Bush is the fourth-round draft pick in 2007 who was recovering from a wickedly broken leg.

He started the season on the physically-unable-to-perform list and, after spending months proving his leg was fine, finished the season on injured reserve. Write it off as a number's game loss.

Bush has declared himself ready (again) to compete for playing time. He'll have to impress in a hurry because he's behind incumbent Justin Fargas with McFadden up next.

If nothing else, his healthy emergence will make it that much easier to cut LaMont Jordan after June 1.

Q: What's McFadden going to do this weekend?

A: Look great in a pair of shorts.

NFL rules prohibit fun stuff like contact. The short list of invitees, accompanied by their lack of star power, rules out much of a challenge.

For now, McFadden will absorb the playbook, execute drills and run plays in a skeletal offense.

He'll get his first real sniff of NFL practice during the all-comers minicamp, June 3-5.

Q: Who has the best chance of making an instant impact?

A: If history holds form, fourth-round draft pick Tyvon Branch.

Look at the Raiders' past five drafts. Three times, the second player drafted made a bigger first-year splash than the player drafted ahead of him.

Last year, tight end Zach Miller set a rookie franchise record with 44 catches while No. 1-pick JaMarcus Russell sat.

In 2006, second-rounder Thomas Howard outhit first-rounder Michael Huff. In 2003, Tyler Brayton, picked 32nd in the first round, made the all-rookie team and outsparkled Nnamdi Asomugha, picked a spot earlier - well, for a year anyway.

Raiders coach Lane Kiffin has hinted McFadden will be worked in slowly as a rookie. Branch, meanwhile, could leap right in as a kick returner.

Q: Anyone else to watch for?

A: Not really.

The Raiders will bring in some undrafted free agents with a mind to sign a few. It's nice to envision the next Barry Sims or Tommy Kelly showing up. It's just as likely Kiffin will go two straight years without putting an undrafted rookie on the opening-day roster.

But hey, at least some of these guys can tell their kids they once pretended to tackle McFadden.

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