It took seven days of training camp, but the Raiders have resumed playing football as a contact sport.
Rookie safety Mike Mitchell made it official Tuesday with a violent pad popper on running back Gary Russell, who saw the hit coming and could do nothing but be glad all-out tackling isn't allowed in practice.
"He had nowhere to go, I had nowhere to go. That's what you dream of," Mitchell said. "He's going to be on his back and I'm going to be up yelling. That's how it usually ends."
It's just getting started for Mitchell, a big hitter with little name recognition before the Raiders made him a second-round draft pick in April.
He has been waiting ever since then to smack a ball carrier. After a slow start to padded workouts Monday, Mitchell got his first clear shot when Russell caught a screen pass on the right side.
Just as impressive, Mitchell excelled in pass coverage with two deflections at strong safety.
On one, he popped tight end Brandon Myers just as the ball arrived over the middle. On another play, Mitchell charged the line to play the run before dropping into coverage when tight end Zach Miller took off downfield.
For a player who missed all but one week of offseason workouts, Mitchell appears to have done his homework.
"He's making up for it and doing fine," coach Tom Cable said.
The hard part is not laying out any of his teammates. Mitchell knows they're on his side, but it's so tempting.
Save it for Aug. 13 when the Cowboys come to town for the preseason opener, Cable said.
"I'm still a little scared, because Coach always says don't take any shots on anybody," Mitchell said. "But I'm going to have to try to get loose out here because it's no fun when you can't play like yourself.
"I just wanted to get in there and get a little thud going."
Injury time: Left tackle Khalif Barnes sprained his ankle and hurt his knee when a defender rolled into him during the morning practice.
Barnes had an MRI exam, but the results have not been shared yet.
Defensive end Greg Ellis also did not finish practice for undisclosed reasons.
Quarterback Jeff Garcia, 39, said he strained the same right calf that sidelined him for two preseason games last season. He missed a third day of practice Tuesday and hopes to return Thursday.
Briefly: Darrius Heyward-Bey had a rough morning, but then caught 13 of 14 passes in the afternoon session. ... Cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha practiced through tightness in his hip. ... Ricky Brown is splitting snaps with middle linebacker Kirk Morrison, who ranked fifth in the NFL in tackles last season. Cornerback Stanford Routt also is sharing first-team reps with incumbent Chris Johnson.
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Tuesday, August 4, 2009
There you have it: Raiders rookie Darrius Heyward-Bey put together the best practice of his extremely young career, catching 14 of 16 passes Tuesday afternoon in Napa.
One non-catch was a pass too low to reach, the other not held on to with Chris Johnson on his case. Three catches came in team drills, one came in 7 on 7s, the others came with no defense on the field ... and some thought I only said the negative.
Injury-wise, linebacker Isaiah Ekejiuba and center Samson Satele sat out for an undisclosed reasons. Also, left tackle Khalif Barnes (ankle), defensive end Greg Ellis (undisclosed) and quarterback Jeff Garcia were out.
The Raiders have a 3:30 p.m. practice Wednesday. Until then, here are some quotes from today's camp.
* * *
"He's getting better and better, day by day. I think he's a bit jittery. He'd like to do so good to a point where he's making himself nervous. The best thing for him to do is relax. He knows what to do. He just has to keep going in the right direction." -- quarterback JaMarcus Russell, on rookie wide receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey.
* * *
"There's only 1,500 people that play this sport, you know what I'm saying? I'm just one of them. And I'm just going to go out there and just work. Can't worry about what people say. Not at all. I've got enough pressure on myself to worry about what other people say." -- Heyward-Bey on his critics.
* * *
"You know, he's a real confident guy and he's talking a lot of trash lately... Not to me, but you know to the DB's. So guys are, guys are expecting a little bit more out of him right now so that he can back up what he's saying. You know I guess -- I don't know if he's struggling, but he's still trying to get into a groove." -- cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha on Heyward-Bey.
* * *
Absolutely, the biggest thing is accountability right now, we know where we have to fit. We have had two practices in pads, and it was not perfect but there was one thing was there was this almost silent thing where everyone knew that if I did not get it right they need to know why I did not get it right. That is something that is definitely new and needed and welcome." -- linebacker Ricky Brown on what's different on defense.
* * *
"Extremely disappointing. My teammates are out here working their tails off and I can’t join in the activity. It's not something that you ever want to have happen. Fortunately it comes at a time at the beginning of training camp where I can recover in a short period of time and be back out there and be able to get as much work as I need to get. But what's frustrating is that I came into camp in what I felt was great shape and have done plenty of drills that were more intense than what I was going through in the first few days here out at camp, and to have that happen, it'S just bad timing, it's just bad luck, but I think I'll overcome it." -- quarterback Jeff Garcia on his strained right calf injury.
* * *
"I'm not going to say it was too harsh. I'm going to take the blame. Maybe I wasn't doing what they were expecting of me but of course, yeah, I took that as motivation. I would come out here every day and if I didn't play here I was going to show them that one day they would be able to count on me and just show them that I can play in the league. Maybe not then but I can play." -- left tackle Mario Henderson on criticism from former Raiders coach Lane Kiffin.
* * *
"That's what I do. Today I just wanted to get in there and get a little thud going. I think I did a good job of doing that. Once we start getting live and everything I definitely want to start taking my shots because that's what I'm known for that's why I'm here. I want to show people why I was drafted. Obviously Coach Cable told us these are our own teammates, we're not going to lay out anybody, so right now that's about the most you're going to get out of me, a couple thuds. But when it gets live, can't wait for that 13th next Thursday. That's when no one is going to be holding me back so I'm going to be fine." -- safety Mike Mitchell on bringing the wood, so to speak.
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One non-catch was a pass too low to reach, the other not held on to with Chris Johnson on his case. Three catches came in team drills, one came in 7 on 7s, the others came with no defense on the field ... and some thought I only said the negative.
Injury-wise, linebacker Isaiah Ekejiuba and center Samson Satele sat out for an undisclosed reasons. Also, left tackle Khalif Barnes (ankle), defensive end Greg Ellis (undisclosed) and quarterback Jeff Garcia were out.
The Raiders have a 3:30 p.m. practice Wednesday. Until then, here are some quotes from today's camp.
* * *
"He's getting better and better, day by day. I think he's a bit jittery. He'd like to do so good to a point where he's making himself nervous. The best thing for him to do is relax. He knows what to do. He just has to keep going in the right direction." -- quarterback JaMarcus Russell, on rookie wide receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey.
* * *
"There's only 1,500 people that play this sport, you know what I'm saying? I'm just one of them. And I'm just going to go out there and just work. Can't worry about what people say. Not at all. I've got enough pressure on myself to worry about what other people say." -- Heyward-Bey on his critics.
* * *
"You know, he's a real confident guy and he's talking a lot of trash lately... Not to me, but you know to the DB's. So guys are, guys are expecting a little bit more out of him right now so that he can back up what he's saying. You know I guess -- I don't know if he's struggling, but he's still trying to get into a groove." -- cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha on Heyward-Bey.
* * *
Absolutely, the biggest thing is accountability right now, we know where we have to fit. We have had two practices in pads, and it was not perfect but there was one thing was there was this almost silent thing where everyone knew that if I did not get it right they need to know why I did not get it right. That is something that is definitely new and needed and welcome." -- linebacker Ricky Brown on what's different on defense.
* * *
"Extremely disappointing. My teammates are out here working their tails off and I can’t join in the activity. It's not something that you ever want to have happen. Fortunately it comes at a time at the beginning of training camp where I can recover in a short period of time and be back out there and be able to get as much work as I need to get. But what's frustrating is that I came into camp in what I felt was great shape and have done plenty of drills that were more intense than what I was going through in the first few days here out at camp, and to have that happen, it'S just bad timing, it's just bad luck, but I think I'll overcome it." -- quarterback Jeff Garcia on his strained right calf injury.
* * *
"I'm not going to say it was too harsh. I'm going to take the blame. Maybe I wasn't doing what they were expecting of me but of course, yeah, I took that as motivation. I would come out here every day and if I didn't play here I was going to show them that one day they would be able to count on me and just show them that I can play in the league. Maybe not then but I can play." -- left tackle Mario Henderson on criticism from former Raiders coach Lane Kiffin.
* * *
"That's what I do. Today I just wanted to get in there and get a little thud going. I think I did a good job of doing that. Once we start getting live and everything I definitely want to start taking my shots because that's what I'm known for that's why I'm here. I want to show people why I was drafted. Obviously Coach Cable told us these are our own teammates, we're not going to lay out anybody, so right now that's about the most you're going to get out of me, a couple thuds. But when it gets live, can't wait for that 13th next Thursday. That's when no one is going to be holding me back so I'm going to be fine." -- safety Mike Mitchell on bringing the wood, so to speak.
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Sunday, August 2, 2009
The Raiders walked through another unexciting practice Sunday. The good news, for those wanting breaking developments, is this the fourth and final day of non-contact, "teaching intensive" practices at training camp.
The pads come on Monday, and so begins actual competition for starting jobs on both sides of the field.
Quarterback Jeff Garcia, for one, was resting up Sunday to give JaMarcus Russell a good push from here on out.
Garcia hardly practiced Sunday morning. This, after not throwing during Saturday's p.m. workout.
Garcia said he's fine, just staying fresh in advance of Monday's big practice. Raiders coach Tom Cable said this is how it'll be for Garcia at this late stage of his career.
"Kind of saving things for tomorrow to get out there and be fresh," Garcia said. "Being a little older these days, kind of letting the other guys get some good work and mental work and physical work. We're not doing a whole lot of throwing anyways."
** Lots of people are asking how rookie safety Mike Mitchell. The answer: as inactive as anyone else in practices where hitting, passing and executing plays is disallowed.
"A guy that's getting lined up right, making the right calls, really not too much again until we get rolling tomorrow," Cable said when asked what he was seeing of Mitchell.
** And yes, Cable noticed the players are ready to just hit someone. He'll have a talk with the team tonight to remind them these are their teammates, so not so rough.
"Like today, we did short-yardage goal line so the edge is there to not have the offense not get in the end zone and yet it's controlled," Cable said. "Yeah sure, they're itching. We want to light it up and have the purpose, the right kind of purpose behind it. The most important thing is to stress these are your teammates."
And this from Nnamdi Asomugha: "Intensity is good, though, and aggressiveness is good, and maybe there will be a fight or two. Maybe we'll get the juices flowing that way, but it will be good."
** Passes aren't thrown in team drills, but it's worth noting Darrius Heyward-Bey is almost always with the first-team offense and almost always covered by Asomugha.
** Speaking of competition, Cable said that, yes, he will still consider moving the loser at left tackle over to right tackle to compete with Cornell Green during camp.
So far, Green is taking all the first-team snaps with Erik Pears exclusively on the second team.
** No Derrick Burgess update from Cable as the holdout reaches Day 5. He can be fined up to $15,888 a day for not showing up to camp while under contract.
If Al Davis doesn't go ahead and cut Burgess soon, the former Pro Bowl defensive end may end up reporting if only because the fines pile up.
** Unusual drill of the day: the Raiders ran a 2-minute offense, except they never threw the ball.
How? The play would develop for about 3 seconds, a whistle gets blown and Cable yells out a result.
"First down, gain of 10, out of bounds!" "Gain of 9, second down!"
The Raiders weren't perfect in the simulated drill. "That's a sack!"
The imaginary highlight was Todd Watkins' 20-yard gain on the left sideline against Asomugha.
** Wondering if this camp format is going to translate on the field? We'll see over the next eight practices after today.
The Raiders will go back to everything they did Day 1 and do everything all over again, only at game speed with pads.
At least Cable knows this is an unorthodox way to get ready for a season. Asked what his coaches first thought of all this, Cable said, "They sat there and looked at me at first."
** And lastly, behold the power of Twitter: "Do you know how long it takes to (pee) test 25 dudes, at one time, with a 2 man crew, and only 2 urinals?"
Probably a lot longer than it took for him to thumb together that thought on his Blackberry.
Raiders Pro Bowl cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha is ready for some real football, and so are the rest of his teammates.
After opening camp with four straight two-a-day practices without contact, the Raiders will practice in pads Monday for the first time. Asomugha expects practice to get heated.
"It will. I guarantee it will," Asomugha said after Sunday morning's workout. "Intensity is good, though, and aggressiveness is good, and maybe there will be a fight or two. Maybe we'll get the juices flowing that way, but it will be good."
Raiders coach Tom Cable used the first four days of practice to review the team's offensive and defensive schemes. Now the "learning phase," as Cable called it, is ending, and the hitting phase is about to begin.
Running back Darren McFadden said practicing four days without pads "just builds the tension up" for Monday's practice in pads. "I'm very anxious. We've been out there kind of half speed. You're ready to get out and get going full speed and see if this learning will pay off for us."
Asomugha said he's looking forward to playing defense against quarterbacks who actually get to throw the ball, unlike the first four days.
"I think guys are really ready to start going and ready to start hitting," he said. "As far as the corners, we don't hit that much anyways, so we're pretty much doing what we'll be doing anyway. It's good that we'll finally be able to get our hands on the ball and be able to judge it and see how well we're actually doing, because right now you really don't know."
Cable said he'll warn his players not to get too physical against fellow teammates.
"We want to light it up and have the purpose, the right kind of purpose behind it," Cable said. "The most important thing is to stress these are your teammates."
GARCIA TAKES A BREAK: Quarterback Jeff Garcia didn't take snaps or take part in any throwing drills during Sunday morning's practice, but he said he's not injured.
"Kind of saving things for tomorrow to get out there and be fresh," said Garcia, 39. "Being a little older these days, kind of letting the other guys get some good work and mental work and physical work. We're not doing a whole lot of throwing anyways."
EXTRA POINTS: Defensive end Derrick Burgess still hasn't reported to camp — it's Day 4 of his holdout. ... Cable said he expects rookie safety Mike Mitchell to push for a starting job. "Has to," Cable said. "Competition starts tomorrow. It's on. And everyone's got to fight for a job. ... So I expect him to push everyone and anyone who's at his position." ... Defensive tackle Ryan Boschetti, a free-agent pickup, has been getting some work at defensive end. "He's done that in his career," Cable said. ... Cable said that the loser of the battle at left tackle between current starter Mario Henderson and challenger Khalif Barnes might move to right tackle, where Cornell Green is working with the first unit. Barnes, though, said he hasn't worked on the right side since college. Asked if he'd be comfortable moving to the right tackle, he said, "To be honest with you, no. ... I've been so used to being in this stance for so long, it'd be awkward to be over there," the former Jacksonville Jaguar said.
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Greg Ellis....totaled over 20 quarterback sacks the past 2 seasons.
According to former Cowboys linebacker Greg Ellis, DeMarcus Ware played hide-and-seek with the Dallas coaching staff during games last season to help Ellis get more playing time.
Ellis, who was vocal about his displeasure with his diminished role with the Cowboys last season, said on ESPN 103.3's "Michael Irvin Show" Wednesday that former teammate Ware shared his frustration to the point that Ware would hide from coaches during games so Ellis could play.
"It's a disgrace when DeMarcus Ware comes off the field just so I can get in the game and when the coaches tell him to come on the field, he tries to hide so I can play," Ellis said on Irvin's show. "And you're telling me we're trying to win the Super Bowl?"
Ellis, who had played all of his 11 NFL seasons in Dallas, was released this offseason and subsequently signed with the Oakland Raiders.
Ware, who has one season remaining on his rookie contract, earned his third straight Pro Bowl nod in 2008 thanks to a 20-sack season.
During the interview Wednesday, Irvin asked Ellis to clarify his statement that Ware would take himself out of games.
"On his own. He would say, 'G, come on.' And I would tell him, 'No, DeMarcus, go ahead, man. You're coming up on your contract year. Don't mess that stuff up. Go ahead and do you, and we're just going to do what the coaches, or whoever the powers that be, what they want to do.' "
Ware was asked to react to Ellis' comments on Sirius Radio's "Opening Drive" show Thursday. He didn't dispute Ellis' claims but defended his effort for the Cowboys last season.
"You know, on the concept of hydration, I think I was probably going off the field maybe to get hydrated," he said -- and then laughed. "But I think that everybody at the end of the day got ample amount of time and I went back and looked at a lot of the things, and I, what, played in like 95 percent of the plays? And, you know, maybe sometimes guys rush better against certain guys, so I don't know. I don't know what the deal is, but at the end of the day, I did what I can do to help the team out last year."
..........................................................................
According to former Cowboys linebacker Greg Ellis, DeMarcus Ware played hide-and-seek with the Dallas coaching staff during games last season to help Ellis get more playing time.
Ellis, who was vocal about his displeasure with his diminished role with the Cowboys last season, said on ESPN 103.3's "Michael Irvin Show" Wednesday that former teammate Ware shared his frustration to the point that Ware would hide from coaches during games so Ellis could play.
"It's a disgrace when DeMarcus Ware comes off the field just so I can get in the game and when the coaches tell him to come on the field, he tries to hide so I can play," Ellis said on Irvin's show. "And you're telling me we're trying to win the Super Bowl?"
Ellis, who had played all of his 11 NFL seasons in Dallas, was released this offseason and subsequently signed with the Oakland Raiders.
Ware, who has one season remaining on his rookie contract, earned his third straight Pro Bowl nod in 2008 thanks to a 20-sack season.
During the interview Wednesday, Irvin asked Ellis to clarify his statement that Ware would take himself out of games.
"On his own. He would say, 'G, come on.' And I would tell him, 'No, DeMarcus, go ahead, man. You're coming up on your contract year. Don't mess that stuff up. Go ahead and do you, and we're just going to do what the coaches, or whoever the powers that be, what they want to do.' "
Ware was asked to react to Ellis' comments on Sirius Radio's "Opening Drive" show Thursday. He didn't dispute Ellis' claims but defended his effort for the Cowboys last season.
"You know, on the concept of hydration, I think I was probably going off the field maybe to get hydrated," he said -- and then laughed. "But I think that everybody at the end of the day got ample amount of time and I went back and looked at a lot of the things, and I, what, played in like 95 percent of the plays? And, you know, maybe sometimes guys rush better against certain guys, so I don't know. I don't know what the deal is, but at the end of the day, I did what I can do to help the team out last year."
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TITANS LOSE TOP PICK DAY AFTER SIGNING (7:36 p.m. ET)
The Tennessee Titans' top draft pick is in training camp, but a sore hamstring has landed wide receiver Kenny Britt on the physically unable to perform list.
Britt reached agreed Saturday night on a five-year deal worth a little more than $12 million. He was just 10 miles away, so he was in camp Sunday.
But team officials checking out the former Rutgers receiver found the hamstring wasn't completely healed. So Britt walked out for his first practice with a slight limp and watched as his teammates worked without him.
Coach Jeff Fisher said he isn't sure how long Britt stays on the list and that it could be up to a week. That should keep Britt out of the Titans' preseason opener Aug. 9 in the Hall of Fame game against Buffalo.
-- The Associated Press
CARDS' FITZGERALD GETTING ATTENTION (7:21 p.m. ET)
Larry Fitzgerald is a reluctant rock star in Flagstaff.
Packs of young fans, most wearing his No. 11 jersey, chant "Larry, Larry" as he coasts by on his electric Segway two-wheeler like some Roman gladiator in a chariot.
The All-Pro receiver would rather just do his job and walk away, but he stops to sign autographs. He is adjusting to the adoration that that comes with his status as one of the biggest of the rising young stars in the NFL.
"I talked to Michael Jordan one time," Fitzgerald said. "I said, 'Mike how do you deal with all of this?' He said 'If you don't want it, stop catching passes,' and I'm not going to do that, so it kind of comes with the territory."
-- The Associated Press
WILLIAMS APPLAUDS SAINTS' SCRAPPINESS (6:35 p.m. ET)
When a scuffle erupted on the practice field, new Saints defensive coordinator Gregg Williams looked downright giddy.
As tempers calmed and a tangle of tussling players broke up, Williams laughed, hopped over toward a few members of his unit and offered some congratulatory slaps on the shoulder pads.
It wasn't so much the scrap that Williams was celebrating, but the scrappiness that led to it.
Williams understands that he was hired to improve a unit that was seen as a liability last season, when the Saints finished with an 8-8 record and missed the playoffs despite having the most prolific offense in the NFL. He figured the best way to turn that around was to instill a mentality in which his unit attempts to "win" every practice against Drew Brees and his talented corps of playmakers.
"We grade the practice on who won on every single play," Williams said. "This is not a real complicated game. Guys who play hard, guys who do what you ask them to do all the time are going to have a chance if they're smart and tough. So far, I've seen good toughness."
-- The Associated Press
JETS READY TO SEE GHOLSTON'S POWER (6:32 p.m. ET)
Vernon Gholston stormed through on a blitz and shoved center Nick Mangold back on his heels during a recent New York Jets training camp practice.
It was the type of fierce and powerful move the Jets and their fans have expected from the muscle-bound linebacker since he was taken with the sixth overall draft pick last year.
"I think Nick was surprised by it, and he gave him a little extra shot at the end of the play," coach Rex Ryan said Sunday between practices. "If he can move Nick Mangold like that, he could move anybody."
The problem for Gholston is that those moments have been rare. He was expected immediately to boost the Jets' pass rush last season but finished with no sacks and saw limited time on the field.
"Did I do all I wanted to do? Probably not," said Gholston, who found himself mainly a special-teams player. "But the biggest thing for me, I never look back on the past. I always look forward."
Mark Sanchez took snaps with the first-team offense for the first time in the morning session, and Ryan said the rookie quarterback will get more work there as camp progresses. Sanchez worked exclusively with the second team in the afternoon.
-- The Associated Press
BROWNS PAYING FOR MISTAKES (6:16 p.m. ET)
Eric Mangini has the Cleveland Browns running in circles.
As punishment for mental mistakes, fumbles and various other on-the-field transgressions, Mangini is making his players run laps during practice.
Drop a pass, take a lap. Jump offside, take a lap. Commit a penalty, off you go.
On Sunday, following two straight false-start penalties and a bad snap from center during team drills, Mangini sent Cleveland's entire offense -- the 11 who were on the field and all the players watching from the sideline -- on a run around the perimeter of one field.
-- The Associated Press
WAYNE READY FOR COLTS' CONSTRUCTION (6:03 p.m. ET)
Peyton Manning drove to from Indianapolis to Terre Haute, and first-round draft pick Donald Brown reported on time Sunday.
On another day, either appearance -- or Jim Caldwell's first training camp as Indianapolis' head coach -- might have trumped Reggie Wayne's comic routine.
Not a chance. The Pro Bowl receiver with the penchant for grand entrances got everybody's attention again by hitching a ride on a yellow dump truck, honking the horn to announce his arrival and delivering a loud, clear message.
"As you can see, we're under construction," he said. "I'm here ready to work. I've got my lunch box and I'm ready to go."
Wayne had the gig down flat -- from the dirty shoes to the safety goggles. He wore a white T-shirt, black pants, an orange construction vest and a belt to carry his hammer.
The custom-made helmet had the words "Wayne's Construction" and "Super Bowl under construction" screen-printed across the front and side. And when the truck proceeded slowly down a small hill and pulled up in front of the dorm rooms at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, teammates knew it could only be one guy.
-- The Associated Press
MONEY BECOMING ISSUE FOR STEELERS (5:45 p.m. ET)
James Harrison got his money, and so did Hines Ward and Heath Miller. Max Starks, Chris Kemoeatu and Trai Essex cashed in, too.
Here's the potential problem for the Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers: Casey Hampton, Jeff Reed, Willie Parker, Brett Keisel and Ryan Clark are assured of one more season's worth of paychecks, but no more.
No NFL champion in the salary-cap era can retain every player, keep everyone financially satisfied, or prevent some players from leaving for more money elsewhere once their contracts expire.
When a team wins two Super Bowls in four seasons, however, asking prices go up. Player values rise. Feelings become hurt when contracts aren't offered. And a player entering the final season of a contract sometimes worries about a potential serious injury that might end his career before he lands another deal.
The Steelers have an unusually high number of core players unsigned past this season, and they include some of their most important players: Parker, three times a 1,000-yard rusher; Keisel, the reliable defensive end; Reed, who has missed only six of 56 field goal attempts the last two seasons, and Clark, the most physical member of their secondary.
-- The Associated Press
GIANTS' INJURIES ALREADY BUILDING UP (4:25 p.m. ET)
The New York Giants placed linebacker Michael Boley and defensive tackle Fred Robbins on the active physically unable to perform list and put defensive tackle Rocky Bernard on the non-football injury list.
The moves with Boley (hip) and Robbins (knee) on Sunday were expected because the two had undergone surgery.
Bernard, who like Boley signed with the Giants as a free agent in the offseason, was a surprise. He was bothered by his shoulder in a minicamp in June, coach Tom Coughlin said. The shoulder healed, but Bernard, who signed a four-year, $16 million contract, hurt his hamstring working out on his own after the minicamp.
All three are eligible to start training once they are healthy.
-- The Associated Press
TITANS' WHITE ON EFFECTIVE WEIGHT-LOSS PROGRAM (3:35 p.m. ET)
LenDale White lost more than 30 pounds this offseason and is in his fourth training camp with the Tennessee Titans at his slimmest weight since high school. The running back admits he wishes he had understood earlier in his career the importance of being in shape.
Just how did he lose the weight? White gave up tequila.
"I really got to be honest," White said. "It wasn't a lot of major diet changes. [It was] watching what I drink. I was a big Patron consumer. … That's what it was. I was drinking a lot, drank a lot of alcohol. I cut that out of my diet all the way. I don't drink at all. I cut the drinking, I stopped drinking for six months.
"It started falling off."
White committed to losing weight after the Titans' playoff loss to Baltimore in January, and he was as low as 229 pounds during the offseason program. The running back, whose draft stock dropped him from a potential top-15 pick coming out of the University of Southern California in 2006 to the second round, had plenty of doubters about whether he could show up at camp still lean.
Despite an occasional glass of wine with dinner, White reported at 228 pounds. That won him bets from friends, family and even teammates who were convinced he couldn't stay out of trouble.
-- The Associated Press
REFLECTIVE SMITH READY TO LEAD PANTHERS (3:06 p.m. ET)
Arriving at Panthers training camp, Steve Smith tackled the issue that has sometimes overshadowed his four Pro Bowl selections: his temper.
"Everybody in this circle, football players and football fans, kind of know what happened last year. I'm just dealing with that," Smith said. "I'm just kind of kicking myself coming down here."
Then Smith acknowledged that turning 30 in May was significant. Already the holder of several team career records, he knows he's closer to the end than the beginning. He feels he must fill a larger role on a team that went 12-4 last season before a shocking home playoff loss to Arizona.
"I really have to take my role and my position on this team and become a better leader and a more responsible leader and enjoy this time, because it will pass," Smith said.
-- The Associated Press
TEXANS' CUSHING LEARNING TO SLOW DOWN (3:01 p.m. ET)
On his first day at Houston Texans training camp, Brian Cushing got some simple advice from All-Pro linebacker DeMeco Ryans.
Slow down.
Cushing, the Texans' first-round draft pick, was eager to make an impression after missing the first two days as his contract was finalized. He flew from Los Angeles to Houston on Saturday and signed his contract about 7 a.m. Sunday.
"It was driving me crazy. It was stressful," said Cushing, the 15th overall pick. "It's part of the business, I guess, to get the deal all worked out and everything. You just want to get back on the field, get better and ready for the season. I'm here now, and that's what's important."
Cushing played outside linebacker, mostly alongside Ryans, with the first-team defense Sunday. Ryans, the defensive rookie of the year two years ago and a starter in the 2008 Pro Bowl, sensed that Cushing was impatient to learn the Texans' schemes and blitzes.
"What I told him to do was just take it slow," Ryans said. "Let everything come to you, don't try to do it all at once. There's a lot on your plate. It's asking a lot to come in and just get going right off the bat."
-- The Associated Press
BROWNS TACKLE ROGERS LIMITED BY INJURY (2:31 p.m. ET)
Browns Pro Bowl nose tackle Shaun Rogers was limited during practice Sunday with an unspecified injury.
Rogers, who is coming off a dominant first season with Cleveland, was in full uniform but only rode a stationary bike and did other conditioning work while the Browns went through their second day of training camp. Rogers pedaled alongside wide receiver Braylon Edwards, who has not yet been medically cleared with an unknown injury.
Rogers had 81 tackles and 4½ sacks last season. He played seven seasons with Detroit before being traded to Cleveland in 2008.
On Saturday, Rogers seemed to favor his right ankle during the evening practice session. At one point, he sat down on the sideline and could be heard complaining about his cleats.
The Tennessee Titans' top draft pick is in training camp, but a sore hamstring has landed wide receiver Kenny Britt on the physically unable to perform list.
Britt reached agreed Saturday night on a five-year deal worth a little more than $12 million. He was just 10 miles away, so he was in camp Sunday.
But team officials checking out the former Rutgers receiver found the hamstring wasn't completely healed. So Britt walked out for his first practice with a slight limp and watched as his teammates worked without him.
Coach Jeff Fisher said he isn't sure how long Britt stays on the list and that it could be up to a week. That should keep Britt out of the Titans' preseason opener Aug. 9 in the Hall of Fame game against Buffalo.
-- The Associated Press
CARDS' FITZGERALD GETTING ATTENTION (7:21 p.m. ET)
Larry Fitzgerald is a reluctant rock star in Flagstaff.
Packs of young fans, most wearing his No. 11 jersey, chant "Larry, Larry" as he coasts by on his electric Segway two-wheeler like some Roman gladiator in a chariot.
The All-Pro receiver would rather just do his job and walk away, but he stops to sign autographs. He is adjusting to the adoration that that comes with his status as one of the biggest of the rising young stars in the NFL.
"I talked to Michael Jordan one time," Fitzgerald said. "I said, 'Mike how do you deal with all of this?' He said 'If you don't want it, stop catching passes,' and I'm not going to do that, so it kind of comes with the territory."
-- The Associated Press
WILLIAMS APPLAUDS SAINTS' SCRAPPINESS (6:35 p.m. ET)
When a scuffle erupted on the practice field, new Saints defensive coordinator Gregg Williams looked downright giddy.
As tempers calmed and a tangle of tussling players broke up, Williams laughed, hopped over toward a few members of his unit and offered some congratulatory slaps on the shoulder pads.
It wasn't so much the scrap that Williams was celebrating, but the scrappiness that led to it.
Williams understands that he was hired to improve a unit that was seen as a liability last season, when the Saints finished with an 8-8 record and missed the playoffs despite having the most prolific offense in the NFL. He figured the best way to turn that around was to instill a mentality in which his unit attempts to "win" every practice against Drew Brees and his talented corps of playmakers.
"We grade the practice on who won on every single play," Williams said. "This is not a real complicated game. Guys who play hard, guys who do what you ask them to do all the time are going to have a chance if they're smart and tough. So far, I've seen good toughness."
-- The Associated Press
JETS READY TO SEE GHOLSTON'S POWER (6:32 p.m. ET)
Vernon Gholston stormed through on a blitz and shoved center Nick Mangold back on his heels during a recent New York Jets training camp practice.
It was the type of fierce and powerful move the Jets and their fans have expected from the muscle-bound linebacker since he was taken with the sixth overall draft pick last year.
"I think Nick was surprised by it, and he gave him a little extra shot at the end of the play," coach Rex Ryan said Sunday between practices. "If he can move Nick Mangold like that, he could move anybody."
The problem for Gholston is that those moments have been rare. He was expected immediately to boost the Jets' pass rush last season but finished with no sacks and saw limited time on the field.
"Did I do all I wanted to do? Probably not," said Gholston, who found himself mainly a special-teams player. "But the biggest thing for me, I never look back on the past. I always look forward."
Mark Sanchez took snaps with the first-team offense for the first time in the morning session, and Ryan said the rookie quarterback will get more work there as camp progresses. Sanchez worked exclusively with the second team in the afternoon.
-- The Associated Press
BROWNS PAYING FOR MISTAKES (6:16 p.m. ET)
Eric Mangini has the Cleveland Browns running in circles.
As punishment for mental mistakes, fumbles and various other on-the-field transgressions, Mangini is making his players run laps during practice.
Drop a pass, take a lap. Jump offside, take a lap. Commit a penalty, off you go.
On Sunday, following two straight false-start penalties and a bad snap from center during team drills, Mangini sent Cleveland's entire offense -- the 11 who were on the field and all the players watching from the sideline -- on a run around the perimeter of one field.
-- The Associated Press
WAYNE READY FOR COLTS' CONSTRUCTION (6:03 p.m. ET)
Peyton Manning drove to from Indianapolis to Terre Haute, and first-round draft pick Donald Brown reported on time Sunday.
On another day, either appearance -- or Jim Caldwell's first training camp as Indianapolis' head coach -- might have trumped Reggie Wayne's comic routine.
Not a chance. The Pro Bowl receiver with the penchant for grand entrances got everybody's attention again by hitching a ride on a yellow dump truck, honking the horn to announce his arrival and delivering a loud, clear message.
"As you can see, we're under construction," he said. "I'm here ready to work. I've got my lunch box and I'm ready to go."
Wayne had the gig down flat -- from the dirty shoes to the safety goggles. He wore a white T-shirt, black pants, an orange construction vest and a belt to carry his hammer.
The custom-made helmet had the words "Wayne's Construction" and "Super Bowl under construction" screen-printed across the front and side. And when the truck proceeded slowly down a small hill and pulled up in front of the dorm rooms at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, teammates knew it could only be one guy.
-- The Associated Press
MONEY BECOMING ISSUE FOR STEELERS (5:45 p.m. ET)
James Harrison got his money, and so did Hines Ward and Heath Miller. Max Starks, Chris Kemoeatu and Trai Essex cashed in, too.
Here's the potential problem for the Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers: Casey Hampton, Jeff Reed, Willie Parker, Brett Keisel and Ryan Clark are assured of one more season's worth of paychecks, but no more.
No NFL champion in the salary-cap era can retain every player, keep everyone financially satisfied, or prevent some players from leaving for more money elsewhere once their contracts expire.
When a team wins two Super Bowls in four seasons, however, asking prices go up. Player values rise. Feelings become hurt when contracts aren't offered. And a player entering the final season of a contract sometimes worries about a potential serious injury that might end his career before he lands another deal.
The Steelers have an unusually high number of core players unsigned past this season, and they include some of their most important players: Parker, three times a 1,000-yard rusher; Keisel, the reliable defensive end; Reed, who has missed only six of 56 field goal attempts the last two seasons, and Clark, the most physical member of their secondary.
-- The Associated Press
GIANTS' INJURIES ALREADY BUILDING UP (4:25 p.m. ET)
The New York Giants placed linebacker Michael Boley and defensive tackle Fred Robbins on the active physically unable to perform list and put defensive tackle Rocky Bernard on the non-football injury list.
The moves with Boley (hip) and Robbins (knee) on Sunday were expected because the two had undergone surgery.
Bernard, who like Boley signed with the Giants as a free agent in the offseason, was a surprise. He was bothered by his shoulder in a minicamp in June, coach Tom Coughlin said. The shoulder healed, but Bernard, who signed a four-year, $16 million contract, hurt his hamstring working out on his own after the minicamp.
All three are eligible to start training once they are healthy.
-- The Associated Press
TITANS' WHITE ON EFFECTIVE WEIGHT-LOSS PROGRAM (3:35 p.m. ET)
LenDale White lost more than 30 pounds this offseason and is in his fourth training camp with the Tennessee Titans at his slimmest weight since high school. The running back admits he wishes he had understood earlier in his career the importance of being in shape.
Just how did he lose the weight? White gave up tequila.
"I really got to be honest," White said. "It wasn't a lot of major diet changes. [It was] watching what I drink. I was a big Patron consumer. … That's what it was. I was drinking a lot, drank a lot of alcohol. I cut that out of my diet all the way. I don't drink at all. I cut the drinking, I stopped drinking for six months.
"It started falling off."
White committed to losing weight after the Titans' playoff loss to Baltimore in January, and he was as low as 229 pounds during the offseason program. The running back, whose draft stock dropped him from a potential top-15 pick coming out of the University of Southern California in 2006 to the second round, had plenty of doubters about whether he could show up at camp still lean.
Despite an occasional glass of wine with dinner, White reported at 228 pounds. That won him bets from friends, family and even teammates who were convinced he couldn't stay out of trouble.
-- The Associated Press
REFLECTIVE SMITH READY TO LEAD PANTHERS (3:06 p.m. ET)
Arriving at Panthers training camp, Steve Smith tackled the issue that has sometimes overshadowed his four Pro Bowl selections: his temper.
"Everybody in this circle, football players and football fans, kind of know what happened last year. I'm just dealing with that," Smith said. "I'm just kind of kicking myself coming down here."
Then Smith acknowledged that turning 30 in May was significant. Already the holder of several team career records, he knows he's closer to the end than the beginning. He feels he must fill a larger role on a team that went 12-4 last season before a shocking home playoff loss to Arizona.
"I really have to take my role and my position on this team and become a better leader and a more responsible leader and enjoy this time, because it will pass," Smith said.
-- The Associated Press
TEXANS' CUSHING LEARNING TO SLOW DOWN (3:01 p.m. ET)
On his first day at Houston Texans training camp, Brian Cushing got some simple advice from All-Pro linebacker DeMeco Ryans.
Slow down.
Cushing, the Texans' first-round draft pick, was eager to make an impression after missing the first two days as his contract was finalized. He flew from Los Angeles to Houston on Saturday and signed his contract about 7 a.m. Sunday.
"It was driving me crazy. It was stressful," said Cushing, the 15th overall pick. "It's part of the business, I guess, to get the deal all worked out and everything. You just want to get back on the field, get better and ready for the season. I'm here now, and that's what's important."
Cushing played outside linebacker, mostly alongside Ryans, with the first-team defense Sunday. Ryans, the defensive rookie of the year two years ago and a starter in the 2008 Pro Bowl, sensed that Cushing was impatient to learn the Texans' schemes and blitzes.
"What I told him to do was just take it slow," Ryans said. "Let everything come to you, don't try to do it all at once. There's a lot on your plate. It's asking a lot to come in and just get going right off the bat."
-- The Associated Press
BROWNS TACKLE ROGERS LIMITED BY INJURY (2:31 p.m. ET)
Browns Pro Bowl nose tackle Shaun Rogers was limited during practice Sunday with an unspecified injury.
Rogers, who is coming off a dominant first season with Cleveland, was in full uniform but only rode a stationary bike and did other conditioning work while the Browns went through their second day of training camp. Rogers pedaled alongside wide receiver Braylon Edwards, who has not yet been medically cleared with an unknown injury.
Rogers had 81 tackles and 4½ sacks last season. He played seven seasons with Detroit before being traded to Cleveland in 2008.
On Saturday, Rogers seemed to favor his right ankle during the evening practice session. At one point, he sat down on the sideline and could be heard complaining about his cleats.
This morning, the Oakland Raiders embarked on their first practice of the fifth day of training camp, marking their penultimate 'learning practice' with the pads being broken out tomorrow, and the contact beginning.
Today's practice once again focused on getting the little things right, so that the mistakes will be out of the way by the time the pads come on tomorrow. Here is a look at Cable's assessment of the work today:
On what he has seen of Mike Mitchell's progress:
[Mitchell is] guy that's getting lined up right, making the right calls, really not too much again until we get rolling tomorrow.
On Mitchell and the competition at safety:
Competition starts tomorrow. It's on. And everyone's got to fight for a job to get this thing down to 53 and the right 53 and inside of that obviously who your starters are and so forth. So I expect him to push everyone and anyone who's at his position.
Cable sees the team making progress needed to get ready for the contact to begin tomorrow:
Yeah I think we're in the routine like we need to be. I think we're getting kind of settled as far as the learning phase. We've got all the stuff taught now so from that standpoint, pleased, but we'll start over and really have something to gauge it on once we add the physical part of it.
On striking a balance once the contact begings:
Just that point you're making right there and we'll talk about it tonight as a team. Just take care of our own. We want to light it up and have the purpose, the right kind of purpose behind it. The most important thing is to stress these are your teammates.
Once the pads go on, the tempo will pick up:
You'll see us have a different tempo. In other words, I've kind of let the periods run over if we needed to clear something up. We won't have to do with the tempo that we go at. The most important thing is speed of play when the ball is snapped. That will be dramatically different.
The concept of these practices are to eliminate the small things that have stopped the Raiders from winning the close games:
That’s the whole, knock on wood, you’ve only seen three balls on the ground from center-quarterback exchange. We’ve only had real busts, think we’re about four a day right now. We’ve repeated a number of things, but just to get more detail to it, but it’s all because of that, we want to clean it up, we’re not going to win until we become very efficient, and that’s discipline and knowing exactly how and what they’re asking me to do as a player.
Today's practice once again focused on getting the little things right, so that the mistakes will be out of the way by the time the pads come on tomorrow. Here is a look at Cable's assessment of the work today:
On what he has seen of Mike Mitchell's progress:
[Mitchell is] guy that's getting lined up right, making the right calls, really not too much again until we get rolling tomorrow.
On Mitchell and the competition at safety:
Competition starts tomorrow. It's on. And everyone's got to fight for a job to get this thing down to 53 and the right 53 and inside of that obviously who your starters are and so forth. So I expect him to push everyone and anyone who's at his position.
Cable sees the team making progress needed to get ready for the contact to begin tomorrow:
Yeah I think we're in the routine like we need to be. I think we're getting kind of settled as far as the learning phase. We've got all the stuff taught now so from that standpoint, pleased, but we'll start over and really have something to gauge it on once we add the physical part of it.
On striking a balance once the contact begings:
Just that point you're making right there and we'll talk about it tonight as a team. Just take care of our own. We want to light it up and have the purpose, the right kind of purpose behind it. The most important thing is to stress these are your teammates.
Once the pads go on, the tempo will pick up:
You'll see us have a different tempo. In other words, I've kind of let the periods run over if we needed to clear something up. We won't have to do with the tempo that we go at. The most important thing is speed of play when the ball is snapped. That will be dramatically different.
The concept of these practices are to eliminate the small things that have stopped the Raiders from winning the close games:
That’s the whole, knock on wood, you’ve only seen three balls on the ground from center-quarterback exchange. We’ve only had real busts, think we’re about four a day right now. We’ve repeated a number of things, but just to get more detail to it, but it’s all because of that, we want to clean it up, we’re not going to win until we become very efficient, and that’s discipline and knowing exactly how and what they’re asking me to do as a player.
Let’s be fair about it. It wasn’t exactly an optimum situation to go out for your first pass as a rookie first-round draft pick with a reported $23.5 million guranteed in your back pocket.
All the other Raiders receivers had been going through warm-ups together, catching some passes, while Darrius Heyward-Bey got in a little late while his contract was finalized.
But the Raiders couldn’t resist taking their high-speed toy for a test drive, and after he was done being stretched by a trainer, Heyward-Bey took the field. He went vertical of course, lining up on the left side and streaking 35 yards downfield.
Quarterback Charlie Frye arched a somewhat wobbly pass his way. Heyward-Bey got his hands on it, then it clanked to the ground.
“Didn’t get no balls before I got out there,’’ Heyward-Bey said. “That’s not good. But coach was like, `Go out there.’ And after that play it was like, `Well, you didn’t get any balls. He was like, `OK, that was my fault.’ Just the first day, getting out there right after the warmup. Things happen.’’
Afterward, the Raiders went to team sessions where there were no passes thrown. Instead was a procession of quick whistles and choreography, making sure they were lined up correctly, making the right reads. Footwork was checked.
At one point, passing game coordinator Ted Tollner called Heyward-Bey over told him of a mistake in a pass route.
As usual, there is little drama when it comes to the Raiders and their draft picks. The Raiders remain among the NFL’s best when it comes to bringing in their draft picks, with the JaMarcus Russell impasse the only blemish.
“I was aware of that, and I felt like it was headed in the right direction and it would get done so I had some comfort with it, but at the same time I wanted all of them here at the first meeting. He is here now and we worked today and he will get right into the flow of things.’’
Heyward-Bey, who proclaimed his hamstring ready to go (he missed time during mandatory minicamp and the OTAs), said he didn’t want to wait around until the 49ers Michael Crabtree signed or get the proper slot between Nos. 6 (Andre Smith) and 8 (Eugene Monroe) .
“I’ve always been concerned with myself and only me from Day 1,’’ Heyward-Bey said. “ I really can’t worry about what everybody else is doing. We were focusing on being a Raider and that’s it.’’
More news and notes from the second practice:
– Moments after Heyward-Bey went to the field house to get his equipment on and join his teammates, Andrew Walter made his way off the practice field for the last time, having been given his freedom.
He had just received the news he had been hoping for and was looking forward to a “good vibe’’ and new employer.
“I’m very excited for a fresh start,’’ Walter said. “We’ll see what happens. The only thing different that I would have hoped for is that it would have happened earlier. Things haven’t changed since February and it occurred just now. The timing is something I can’t control.’’
The Raiders gave permission Walter to seek a trade in the offseason, but with clubs knowing to a reasonable certainty he would be cut eventually, there were no takers. Walter, the one-time quarterback of the future whose Raiders career will forever be linked to Tom Walsh, Art Shell and the “Bed and Breakfast’’ offense, should get a shot somewhere.
Seattle, where Greg Knapp is the offensive coordinator, is a possibility. So is Denver, where Josh McDaniels isn’t as much of a stickler for mobile quarterbacks as Mike Shanahan was.
– Guard Paul McQuistan, who had offseason knee surgery, sat out the second practice, as did fullback Oren O’Neal. Derrick Burgess remained a no-show.
Chris Morris worked with the first team at left guard, followed by Mark Wilson.
– Tommy Kelly left briefly to have his ankle worked on, but returned to practice and didn’t jump offsides.
– Cable made a point after the morning session to that it didn’t matter much until Monday who worked with the first and second teams.
Still, it was at least mildly interesting that Stanford Routt got more work with the first team defense than did Chris Johnson, who signed the stealth off-season contract with a $4 million signing bonus.
– There isn’t much time before the whistle to make a play, but on one snap Jon Alston knifed through and got his hands on Darren McFadden on a sweep to the left.
– Details continued to be a priority, with defensive coordinator John Marshall reminding Gerard Warren about where he lined up, “Don’t get in there too tight, Gerard,’’ Marshall said.
– The run defense isn’t the only area where the Raiders plan to tighten things up. The media is now restricted to a 30-yard box on each field. Instead of being able to walk from field to field around an end zone, as in past years, a Raiders employee must lead the way.
I’ll refrain from calling it an “escort service.’’
Makes for an almost impossible view in some cases when the team is near the 50-yard line and players are in the way.
At one point, the guide was forced to stop near a stack of pads used for drills. When two reporters sat down for a moment, the cell phone of the security guard rang almost instantly.
“You have to get up,’’ he said somewhat reluctantly.
– The Raiders became the sixth team to get all their draft picks signed, joining Baltimore, Chicago, the New York Jets, Pittsburgh and Atlanta.
The Bears had no first-round pick and the Jets just three picks overall.
All the other Raiders receivers had been going through warm-ups together, catching some passes, while Darrius Heyward-Bey got in a little late while his contract was finalized.
But the Raiders couldn’t resist taking their high-speed toy for a test drive, and after he was done being stretched by a trainer, Heyward-Bey took the field. He went vertical of course, lining up on the left side and streaking 35 yards downfield.
Quarterback Charlie Frye arched a somewhat wobbly pass his way. Heyward-Bey got his hands on it, then it clanked to the ground.
“Didn’t get no balls before I got out there,’’ Heyward-Bey said. “That’s not good. But coach was like, `Go out there.’ And after that play it was like, `Well, you didn’t get any balls. He was like, `OK, that was my fault.’ Just the first day, getting out there right after the warmup. Things happen.’’
Afterward, the Raiders went to team sessions where there were no passes thrown. Instead was a procession of quick whistles and choreography, making sure they were lined up correctly, making the right reads. Footwork was checked.
At one point, passing game coordinator Ted Tollner called Heyward-Bey over told him of a mistake in a pass route.
As usual, there is little drama when it comes to the Raiders and their draft picks. The Raiders remain among the NFL’s best when it comes to bringing in their draft picks, with the JaMarcus Russell impasse the only blemish.
“I was aware of that, and I felt like it was headed in the right direction and it would get done so I had some comfort with it, but at the same time I wanted all of them here at the first meeting. He is here now and we worked today and he will get right into the flow of things.’’
Heyward-Bey, who proclaimed his hamstring ready to go (he missed time during mandatory minicamp and the OTAs), said he didn’t want to wait around until the 49ers Michael Crabtree signed or get the proper slot between Nos. 6 (Andre Smith) and 8 (Eugene Monroe) .
“I’ve always been concerned with myself and only me from Day 1,’’ Heyward-Bey said. “ I really can’t worry about what everybody else is doing. We were focusing on being a Raider and that’s it.’’
More news and notes from the second practice:
– Moments after Heyward-Bey went to the field house to get his equipment on and join his teammates, Andrew Walter made his way off the practice field for the last time, having been given his freedom.
He had just received the news he had been hoping for and was looking forward to a “good vibe’’ and new employer.
“I’m very excited for a fresh start,’’ Walter said. “We’ll see what happens. The only thing different that I would have hoped for is that it would have happened earlier. Things haven’t changed since February and it occurred just now. The timing is something I can’t control.’’
The Raiders gave permission Walter to seek a trade in the offseason, but with clubs knowing to a reasonable certainty he would be cut eventually, there were no takers. Walter, the one-time quarterback of the future whose Raiders career will forever be linked to Tom Walsh, Art Shell and the “Bed and Breakfast’’ offense, should get a shot somewhere.
Seattle, where Greg Knapp is the offensive coordinator, is a possibility. So is Denver, where Josh McDaniels isn’t as much of a stickler for mobile quarterbacks as Mike Shanahan was.
– Guard Paul McQuistan, who had offseason knee surgery, sat out the second practice, as did fullback Oren O’Neal. Derrick Burgess remained a no-show.
Chris Morris worked with the first team at left guard, followed by Mark Wilson.
– Tommy Kelly left briefly to have his ankle worked on, but returned to practice and didn’t jump offsides.
– Cable made a point after the morning session to that it didn’t matter much until Monday who worked with the first and second teams.
Still, it was at least mildly interesting that Stanford Routt got more work with the first team defense than did Chris Johnson, who signed the stealth off-season contract with a $4 million signing bonus.
– There isn’t much time before the whistle to make a play, but on one snap Jon Alston knifed through and got his hands on Darren McFadden on a sweep to the left.
– Details continued to be a priority, with defensive coordinator John Marshall reminding Gerard Warren about where he lined up, “Don’t get in there too tight, Gerard,’’ Marshall said.
– The run defense isn’t the only area where the Raiders plan to tighten things up. The media is now restricted to a 30-yard box on each field. Instead of being able to walk from field to field around an end zone, as in past years, a Raiders employee must lead the way.
I’ll refrain from calling it an “escort service.’’
Makes for an almost impossible view in some cases when the team is near the 50-yard line and players are in the way.
At one point, the guide was forced to stop near a stack of pads used for drills. When two reporters sat down for a moment, the cell phone of the security guard rang almost instantly.
“You have to get up,’’ he said somewhat reluctantly.
– The Raiders became the sixth team to get all their draft picks signed, joining Baltimore, Chicago, the New York Jets, Pittsburgh and Atlanta.
The Bears had no first-round pick and the Jets just three picks overall.
WR Johnnie Lee Higgins returned three punts for touchdowns last season.
Day 3 of Raiders Training Camp is in the books at the Napa Valley Training Facility. Two-a-days continued as the team participated in a cool morning practice followed by warmer afternoon session after the clouds burned off. Saturday’s practices focused primarily on getting repetitions in red zone situations.
While only a third-year player, Johnnie Lee Higgins has the third-most NFL experience in the receiving corps, behind only Javon Walker and Sammie Parker. As one of the veterans of the young group, Higgins is now taking time to help some of the rookie receivers during practice.
“If I see a rookie is having problems with a play, I’ll go over and ask coach for them. When we get out on the field, I just go out there and explain them up a little bit because sometimes you get more understanding coming from a player than a coach,” Higgins explained.
One of the reasons Higgins might be so helpful to his rookie receivers is that he remembers the challenge of his first training camp and the help he received from a veteran wide receiver. “[My first camp] was so hard because I was playing the Z and then [the coach] wanted me to do a little of the X, and it was just chaos. It was too much for me. [My roommate] Alvis Whitted, he just broke it down to me and that’s what made it easy.”
Wide receiver Chaz Schilens is starting his second season with the Raiders after getting the starting nod in six games as a rookie. Schilens sees a positive difference in the offensive scheme this season in its ability to respond to different coverages. “I feel like we have a lot better third-down plays and a lot more mixture to keep the defense on their toes,” Schilens said. “We’ll be practicing against our defense and mainly they play man a lot, so that will be something we’ll get used to. But we’ll be ready for everything—all the defenses we’ll be seeing this year.”
Ricky Brown, a fourth-year linebacker out of Boston College, has been getting to try out a few different positions during camp. “[I’m] basically just going one play on Mike (middle), one play on Sam (strong). The best thing about it is, it’s helping me being so interchangeable and it’s really churning my mind to just work fast,” Brown stated.
The constant movement does not bother Brown at all. “I’m actually really enjoying just kind of the challenge because you get in for a couple of training camps and you don’t want to think the same old thing. It’s really keeping me on the go,” Brown explained.
As of now, Brown isn’t sure where he’ll end up by the time the regular season starts in September, “Whatever they tell me to do, I’m going to do. We’ll see what happens.”
The Silver and Black will be back on the field at the Napa Valley Training Facility on Sunday for two more practices. On Monday, the team will put on pads for the first time this summer for full-contact drills.
Some quick hits from Saturday’s second practice:
– Got a good look at an extended passing session for the first time and was mostly impressed.
Other than one sequence near midfield where a few balls hit the ground, throws from JaMarcus Russell, Bruce Gradkowski and Charlie Frye were sharper than anything I saw during the mandatory minicamp and OTA practices which were open to the media.
Not against live defenses yet, but progress.
– Chaz Schilens made a leaping catch along the left sideline on a pass from Frye that drew hoots and hollars from his teammates. Darrius Heyward-Bay ran a post-corner route to a cone placed 25 yards downfield on the sideline, caught the ball over his shoulder and tapped both feet inbounds.
Heyward-Bey was spent some time on his own with a member of the support staff, who was throwing him passes from behind with Heyward-Bey on his knees, looking forward, then looking back at the last instant attempting to make the catch.
– Jeff Garcia did no throwing that I saw in the second session and had only a handful of snaps in team sessions where throwing was not required.
– Two more “learning intensive” dress rehearsal practices today and a very brief walkthrough (not in uniform) Monday morning before the first padded practice at 3:30 p.m.
It appears full-contact pracitces will be held at 3:30 p.m. with morning walkthroughs. I’ll post the week’s schedule when I receive it.
– Two fans who live in a complex over an end zone fence watched practice, alternately sipping beers and using their cell phones to snap photos. In the past, fans have been asked to leave areas in the second story of the Marriott with a view so they don’t get a look.
– Tom Cable continues to warn not to read too much into first- and second teams, but it’s worth noting Jay Richardson has been a spectator much of the time. Ryan Boschetti, signed as a defensive tackle, was getting more work at end.
– Stanford Routt and Michael Huff got a lot of first-team work at the expense of Chris Johnson and Hiram Eugene.
– Oren O’Neal was wearing a baseball hat through much of Saturday’s sessions, making it questionable whether he’ll be part of the full-contact practice Monday.
– Little chance for injury in these workouts, but there was one brief scare when Gerard Warren went down for a for a few moments, only to rise and never miss a snap.
Take the old school of two-a-day practices, add the new school of football teaching, and that explains all this standing around at Raiders training camp.
Raiders coach Tom Cable's first NFL training camp is like no other experienced by anyone on the 80-man roster, from rookie Darrius Heyward-Bey to 17-year veteran Lorenzo Neal.
Instead of doing what normal NFL teams do at training camp - strap up and hit somebody - the Raiders are spending the first four days of camp in an outdoor classroom.
No pads. No hitting. No plays run. No sweat broken. Just lots of teaching and, Cable hopes, lots of learning.
"It seemed like it was weird at first," linebacker Isaiah Ekejiuba said Friday. "But you go through it and it's a great concept."
This is Cable's big idea: Teach the players what they are supposed to do, down to the last detail, before cutting them loose to do it on the field. Injuries are limited, if only because it is near impossible to get hurt practicing at the speed of jog.
"It's a chance to really sort it out and work through it before all of a sudden you put the combative part into it," said Cable, who went through this before as a college coach. "Remember, the NFL season starts now and it hopefully ends sometime in February for you.
"The human body can only take so many car crashes."
A sampling of what is going on between water breaks behind the Napa Valley Marriott:
Beat the can: The defensive line goes against upturned garbage cans. Everyone gets in their assigned spot, then some of them go into motion to a different point of attack before the imagined snap.
Change that call: The quarterbacks line up in a corner to work on audibles. Quarterbacks coach Paul Hackett gives a defensive situation. The quarterbacks don't just call out an audible, but they bark it out side to side and make hand signals as if they were actually communicating to teammates.
Air ball: The passing offense faces the passing defense in seven on sevens. The receivers, tight ends and running backs run full routes in coverage, but the quarterback doesn't throw the ball. At one point, defensive coordinator John Marshall - as if out of habit - calls out, "It's time for a pick!"
Short run-through: The run game is choreographed in team noncontact drills. The ball is snapped and handed off to a running back, followed by an instant whistle. Coaches make sure everyone lined up right and went to the right spot. Offsides and false starts were an unusual occurrence, given the slo-mo circumstances.
Cable hopes this format allows them to get those mistakes out of their system before the physical stuff begins.
"This is unique because we don't have the stress, we don't get beat up, we're really learning and relearning," Cable said. "Right on pace."
The Oakland Raiders completed the first practice of their fourth day of training camp, and once again these practices were about going through the motions, rather than full contact drills. Here is Tom Cable's comments to the assembled media:
Apparently the plan is to repeat the sequence of practices starting next week, except with pads on and played to completion:
When we get to Monday, we'll actually start over, then we'll get ready to play.
Coach Cable also expects to have a better idea of the make-up of the offensive line by the end of next week:
I would say sometime next weekend, I want to have a pretty good idea about where we're at. To say that I'm set anywhere right now, there may be a couple of spots, but really nowhere in general. But let's get through a...you know, a week from tomorrow. I'll have a pretty good idea, I bet.
Cable designed this type of practice so that it could be run on two practice fields simultaneously, thus allowing players further down the depth chart to be able to get the practice reps in:
The reason it's designed this way is that your second or third-team guys, and young guys, get less rep's once you really start to work it as a team. So, they're always playing catch-up. Every year, you hear stories about 'the sooner they can learn' or 'they couldn't quite get it, that's probably why he didn't make the team' or whatever that is. So, I wanted to create an environment where those guys could go on Monday and if they're now getting 14 rep's in a period and they only get six, that they damn sure know exactly what to do on all six. And we can see them at their best. We can give them a fair evaluation.
Cable praised the running back corps, and he expects the depth of that position to give the Raiders many more options on offense:
We've got lot's of talent, but you see how we're using all three of those guys. They're not all just standing in the backfield, they're all over the place. So, we'll continue to do that by design. They each kind of have their own little package and their own strengths, if you will, and so I want to really get that installed and work at it these next few weeks.
You know I think there's a whole package of [The Wildcat] you can do. Right now what I want to do is just get our base installation in and then the situations taught, which is where we're at right now, and then from there, that's a down the road. That's kinda' extra.
Cable says that he has a good communication with quarterback JaMarcus Russell, and that he can see progress from Russell as far as learing the game:
If you remember last year I mentioned where I’d meet with him on Wednesdays after practice, so it’s really just a continuation of that. Certainly at camp and all this time we have together allows us to even expand on that more. It is important because I’ll tell him, like today in red zone, ‘This is what I’m thinking. Tell me what you saw there. This is where I would have went with it. Yeah we’re on the same page.’ That’s nice to hear us saying the same thing now.
[Calling his audibles] was the next phase. We keep talking about him taking steps and all that, and the next phase was for him to take care of his team in those pressure situations or getting us in the right play. He’s had one yesterday and one today where I probably would have went somewhere different but he went to the right place, whether it was a protection or a run, or maybe a better run he could have gone to or a better route he called, but yes he’s managing that much better. I feel good about it because now at least I know if we get out there in a situation he’s going to get us in the right play.
I think [he has improved his hot reads by] a tremendous amount. You saw the first two days, there was a blitz every practice, so that was by design to get him back into that. So when we pick up again on Monday, and it’s obviously faster tempo and speed of play is at a high level, I want to see it then. But I think based on where we’re at right now, he’s done fine. Showed that in OTAs. So pick it up here and just keep getting better, keep getting better.
Apparently the plan is to repeat the sequence of practices starting next week, except with pads on and played to completion:
When we get to Monday, we'll actually start over, then we'll get ready to play.
Coach Cable also expects to have a better idea of the make-up of the offensive line by the end of next week:
I would say sometime next weekend, I want to have a pretty good idea about where we're at. To say that I'm set anywhere right now, there may be a couple of spots, but really nowhere in general. But let's get through a...you know, a week from tomorrow. I'll have a pretty good idea, I bet.
Cable designed this type of practice so that it could be run on two practice fields simultaneously, thus allowing players further down the depth chart to be able to get the practice reps in:
The reason it's designed this way is that your second or third-team guys, and young guys, get less rep's once you really start to work it as a team. So, they're always playing catch-up. Every year, you hear stories about 'the sooner they can learn' or 'they couldn't quite get it, that's probably why he didn't make the team' or whatever that is. So, I wanted to create an environment where those guys could go on Monday and if they're now getting 14 rep's in a period and they only get six, that they damn sure know exactly what to do on all six. And we can see them at their best. We can give them a fair evaluation.
Cable praised the running back corps, and he expects the depth of that position to give the Raiders many more options on offense:
We've got lot's of talent, but you see how we're using all three of those guys. They're not all just standing in the backfield, they're all over the place. So, we'll continue to do that by design. They each kind of have their own little package and their own strengths, if you will, and so I want to really get that installed and work at it these next few weeks.
You know I think there's a whole package of [The Wildcat] you can do. Right now what I want to do is just get our base installation in and then the situations taught, which is where we're at right now, and then from there, that's a down the road. That's kinda' extra.
Cable says that he has a good communication with quarterback JaMarcus Russell, and that he can see progress from Russell as far as learing the game:
If you remember last year I mentioned where I’d meet with him on Wednesdays after practice, so it’s really just a continuation of that. Certainly at camp and all this time we have together allows us to even expand on that more. It is important because I’ll tell him, like today in red zone, ‘This is what I’m thinking. Tell me what you saw there. This is where I would have went with it. Yeah we’re on the same page.’ That’s nice to hear us saying the same thing now.
[Calling his audibles] was the next phase. We keep talking about him taking steps and all that, and the next phase was for him to take care of his team in those pressure situations or getting us in the right play. He’s had one yesterday and one today where I probably would have went somewhere different but he went to the right place, whether it was a protection or a run, or maybe a better run he could have gone to or a better route he called, but yes he’s managing that much better. I feel good about it because now at least I know if we get out there in a situation he’s going to get us in the right play.
I think [he has improved his hot reads by] a tremendous amount. You saw the first two days, there was a blitz every practice, so that was by design to get him back into that. So when we pick up again on Monday, and it’s obviously faster tempo and speed of play is at a high level, I want to see it then. But I think based on where we’re at right now, he’s done fine. Showed that in OTAs. So pick it up here and just keep getting better, keep getting better.
Mini-camps and organized team activities, which are held in the offseason, are one thing.
Training camp, which takes place in July and August, is another thing.
“I mentioned to the team, I think OTAs and mini-camp is a lot like going to Disneyland,” Oakland Raiders coach Tom Cable said Thursday. “You get through it and you enjoy it and you’re learning and all that.
“To me, this is like the U.S. Open. Every shot counts — every practice, every rep. Today and the next three days, every rep counts, because you’re learning something. You’re getting back, dotting your I’s, crossing your T’s, if you will. It’s important.”
The first practice of Raiders’ camp was a 21⁄2-hour session at Redwood Middle School yesterday. It was a non-padded practice, with the offense wearing white jerseys and black shorts and the defense dressed in black jerseys and black shorts.
The quarterbacks and kickers are in red jerseys — in other words, they are off limits to defenders, in particular pass rushers, and anyone else.
It was the start of a long day for the Raiders, who got taped and dressed at 7 a.m. There were position meetings in the afternoon, a second practice was scheduled for 4:20 p.m., dinner from 6 to 8 p.m., a special teams meeting from 7:30 to 8:15 p.m., a team meeting at 8:15 p.m., and offense and defense meetings from 8:30 to 10 p.m. Curfew and bed check was at 11 p.m.
They’ll awake today and do it all over again — football, meetings, football, meetings.
“We’re rejuvenated,” said cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha. “Guys are just happy to be here and start all over again and build off what we finished with last year. It feels good.”
The Raiders are in two-a-days for the first four days of camp, their 14th year in Napa. At the start, players were grouped with their position coaches, and there was non-stop football activity throughout the morning. It was also a non-contact practice.
Quarterbacks threw to running backs and receivers, linemen hit sleds, and there was even some offense vs. defense.
“There isn’t any competition right now,” said Cable.
“This is getting us back into the routine of camp and getting our brains back where they’re supposed to be. We’ll start all of that come Monday.”
Camp will surely take on a different look and feel when the pads come on. Everything changes at that point, said Cable.
“When you throw pads on, you add that combative part of it,” said Cable, who was wearing a shirt that read, “Wanted: 53 men committed to one purpose.”
Cable said it was a “good start to the morning in terms of how we approached it with the learning and everything. Everybody getting the reps and getting all that work is really, really good. I’m pleased to see the carry-over — that jumped out at me right away, from mini-camp and OTAs.”
But the stakes are sure to be even more important when all the gear goes on.
“You’ve got to start to harden your team and develop your toughness and your competitiveness,” said Cable, who is directing his first camp as the team’s head coach.
JaMarcus Russell got the first reps at quarterback. He was followed by Jeff Garcia, then Bruce Gradkowski and Charlie Frye.
Tight end Zach Miller said Russell has come a long way since being a rookie.
“He’s a better player than he was two years ago,” said Miller, who has 100 receptions for 1,222 yards and four touchdowns in two seasons.
“Just through the season last year, I feel really comfortable with JaMarcus as our quarterback because him and I have a great connection out there. I really feel good about him leading us this year.”
Since it’s a closed camp, the only access granted is to reporters — and there was a large turnout yesterday, consisting of writers and TV crews from throughout the Bay Area.
They looked on as Greg Ellis, a veteran who was signed over the offseason, took his spot at defensive end.
Ellis was selected to the 2007 Pro Bowl after tallying a career-high 12.5 sacks.
“Greg’s a veteran, he’s a real pro, he’s taking information, he’s studying it, he really came in very, very prepared. We signed him for a purpose, to come in here and play for us,” said Cable.
Ellis said he wants to find his role and provide leadership on defense.
“We’ve got a good shot at this thing here,” said Ellis.
“I told Michael Irvin one day on his radio show, ‘What better place to start, to be a part of turning something around, getting on the right track, than Oakland?’
“I want to bring my skill level here. I want to be able to get to the quarterback. That’s one thing that I’m going to need to be able to do.”
Raiders Notebook
• Running back Darren McFadden said he’s more comfortable with the playbook this year than he was in 2008.
“I’m fresh, 100 percent, ready to get out there and play ball now,” said McFadden. “I can go out there at full speed with it.”
• Wide receiver Javon Walker is listed on the physically-unable-to-perform list following offseason knee surgery. He can be activated at any time.
• Defensive end Derrick Burgess was a no-show, missing his second straight day of camp.
“He’s not here. I’m not going to discuss that,” said Cable.
Training camp, which takes place in July and August, is another thing.
“I mentioned to the team, I think OTAs and mini-camp is a lot like going to Disneyland,” Oakland Raiders coach Tom Cable said Thursday. “You get through it and you enjoy it and you’re learning and all that.
“To me, this is like the U.S. Open. Every shot counts — every practice, every rep. Today and the next three days, every rep counts, because you’re learning something. You’re getting back, dotting your I’s, crossing your T’s, if you will. It’s important.”
The first practice of Raiders’ camp was a 21⁄2-hour session at Redwood Middle School yesterday. It was a non-padded practice, with the offense wearing white jerseys and black shorts and the defense dressed in black jerseys and black shorts.
The quarterbacks and kickers are in red jerseys — in other words, they are off limits to defenders, in particular pass rushers, and anyone else.
It was the start of a long day for the Raiders, who got taped and dressed at 7 a.m. There were position meetings in the afternoon, a second practice was scheduled for 4:20 p.m., dinner from 6 to 8 p.m., a special teams meeting from 7:30 to 8:15 p.m., a team meeting at 8:15 p.m., and offense and defense meetings from 8:30 to 10 p.m. Curfew and bed check was at 11 p.m.
They’ll awake today and do it all over again — football, meetings, football, meetings.
“We’re rejuvenated,” said cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha. “Guys are just happy to be here and start all over again and build off what we finished with last year. It feels good.”
The Raiders are in two-a-days for the first four days of camp, their 14th year in Napa. At the start, players were grouped with their position coaches, and there was non-stop football activity throughout the morning. It was also a non-contact practice.
Quarterbacks threw to running backs and receivers, linemen hit sleds, and there was even some offense vs. defense.
“There isn’t any competition right now,” said Cable.
“This is getting us back into the routine of camp and getting our brains back where they’re supposed to be. We’ll start all of that come Monday.”
Camp will surely take on a different look and feel when the pads come on. Everything changes at that point, said Cable.
“When you throw pads on, you add that combative part of it,” said Cable, who was wearing a shirt that read, “Wanted: 53 men committed to one purpose.”
Cable said it was a “good start to the morning in terms of how we approached it with the learning and everything. Everybody getting the reps and getting all that work is really, really good. I’m pleased to see the carry-over — that jumped out at me right away, from mini-camp and OTAs.”
But the stakes are sure to be even more important when all the gear goes on.
“You’ve got to start to harden your team and develop your toughness and your competitiveness,” said Cable, who is directing his first camp as the team’s head coach.
JaMarcus Russell got the first reps at quarterback. He was followed by Jeff Garcia, then Bruce Gradkowski and Charlie Frye.
Tight end Zach Miller said Russell has come a long way since being a rookie.
“He’s a better player than he was two years ago,” said Miller, who has 100 receptions for 1,222 yards and four touchdowns in two seasons.
“Just through the season last year, I feel really comfortable with JaMarcus as our quarterback because him and I have a great connection out there. I really feel good about him leading us this year.”
Since it’s a closed camp, the only access granted is to reporters — and there was a large turnout yesterday, consisting of writers and TV crews from throughout the Bay Area.
They looked on as Greg Ellis, a veteran who was signed over the offseason, took his spot at defensive end.
Ellis was selected to the 2007 Pro Bowl after tallying a career-high 12.5 sacks.
“Greg’s a veteran, he’s a real pro, he’s taking information, he’s studying it, he really came in very, very prepared. We signed him for a purpose, to come in here and play for us,” said Cable.
Ellis said he wants to find his role and provide leadership on defense.
“We’ve got a good shot at this thing here,” said Ellis.
“I told Michael Irvin one day on his radio show, ‘What better place to start, to be a part of turning something around, getting on the right track, than Oakland?’
“I want to bring my skill level here. I want to be able to get to the quarterback. That’s one thing that I’m going to need to be able to do.”
Raiders Notebook
• Running back Darren McFadden said he’s more comfortable with the playbook this year than he was in 2008.
“I’m fresh, 100 percent, ready to get out there and play ball now,” said McFadden. “I can go out there at full speed with it.”
• Wide receiver Javon Walker is listed on the physically-unable-to-perform list following offseason knee surgery. He can be activated at any time.
• Defensive end Derrick Burgess was a no-show, missing his second straight day of camp.
“He’s not here. I’m not going to discuss that,” said Cable.
For most of the Oakland Raiders, the first few days of training camp under coach Tom Cable are like nothing they've been through before as football players.
Quarterbacks are forbidden to pass the ball in seven-on-seven drills. They practice barking out audibles in the corner of the field while their teammates do other drills. The whistle blows almost as soon as the ball is handed off as coaches make sure each player is in the right spot. And then the process repeats itself.
"It seemed like it was weird at first when he talked about the concept, but you go through it and it's a great concept," linebacker Isaiah Ekejiuba said. "We're doing a lot of learning, get all the mistakes out the way."
The Raiders spent Saturday participating in their third straight day of what Cable has called a "learning-intensive" approach to football, eschewing pads, contact and running actual plays in favor of drilling fundamentals in this outdoor classroom in wine country.
Fullback Lorenzo Neal told Cable he hadn't seen anything like it in 17 years in the NFL. The approach is in stark contrast to what the Raiders' cross-bay rivals are doing under coach Mike Singletary. The 49ers opened camp Saturday with two contact practices in pads as Singletary tries to instill a physical mentality with his team.
Cable says there is plenty of time for hitting later in camp, in preseason games and the regular season. So for the first four days of his camp, he's focusing on the mental part of the game.
"When you hand them a set of pads and it's time to go do that, they get into that part of it rather easily. That's the way they're wired," Cable said. "Remember now, the NFL season starts now and it hopefully ends sometime in February for you. The human body can only take so many car crashes."
For the Raiders, those crashes won't begin until Monday, the fifth day of training camp. For now, they have one more day of drills that may look mundane but are ones Cable says are vital for the Raiders to reverse a six-year slide of losing.
In seven-on-seven passing drills, the quarterbacks drop back, survey the field as receivers run their patterns, then stop without making a pass. JaMarcus Russell pleaded with his coaches to be able to show off that strong arm of his to no avail, although defensive coordinator John Marshall did shout out at one point, "It's time for a pick."
Later in practice, the quarterbacks line up near a fence, calling signals and taking simulated snaps. They bark out audibles, hand signals and all, as quarterbacks coach Paul Hackett calls out different defensive looks.
Defenders practice their run fits, going to a particular spot to fill a gap in the defense even though no plays are being run.
Then when the team lines up for 11-on-11 drills, the quarterback takes the snap and hands off the ball, only for a whistle to blow after the blockers and defenders take just a step. That's repeated over and over again, as coaches watch footwork and other small details.
"You're really trying to get their mind into the who and the how part," Cable said. "When you throw pads on, you add that combative part of it, and that really changes everything. ... You've trained them, and now it's just handling it the right way."
Cable says one benefit of the approach that he first used as a college coach at Idaho is that younger players can get more practice time as the first and second teams are on separate fields, with no fear of injuries.
The players say the back-to-basics drills have been helpful, reinforcing what they learned in offseason workouts and allowing them to get back up to speed without the risk of injury.
"I think it's great," offensive lineman Mario Henderson said. "In my opinion, at camp when you get out the first day, you sometimes are not really focused on trying to do the right things. You're just focused on going out there and trying to win the starting job. Sometimes that can be bad because you are going fast, but you're not really doing your assignments. Now we have four days where we get everything down pat so then when it comes time Monday to earn a job, it's not your assignments slowing you down."
While the players like the approach, they're also eager to put on the pads and hit each other like football players again.
"They are like, `Come on coach, let's go play,'" Cable said.
Quarterbacks are forbidden to pass the ball in seven-on-seven drills. They practice barking out audibles in the corner of the field while their teammates do other drills. The whistle blows almost as soon as the ball is handed off as coaches make sure each player is in the right spot. And then the process repeats itself.
"It seemed like it was weird at first when he talked about the concept, but you go through it and it's a great concept," linebacker Isaiah Ekejiuba said. "We're doing a lot of learning, get all the mistakes out the way."
The Raiders spent Saturday participating in their third straight day of what Cable has called a "learning-intensive" approach to football, eschewing pads, contact and running actual plays in favor of drilling fundamentals in this outdoor classroom in wine country.
Fullback Lorenzo Neal told Cable he hadn't seen anything like it in 17 years in the NFL. The approach is in stark contrast to what the Raiders' cross-bay rivals are doing under coach Mike Singletary. The 49ers opened camp Saturday with two contact practices in pads as Singletary tries to instill a physical mentality with his team.
Cable says there is plenty of time for hitting later in camp, in preseason games and the regular season. So for the first four days of his camp, he's focusing on the mental part of the game.
"When you hand them a set of pads and it's time to go do that, they get into that part of it rather easily. That's the way they're wired," Cable said. "Remember now, the NFL season starts now and it hopefully ends sometime in February for you. The human body can only take so many car crashes."
For the Raiders, those crashes won't begin until Monday, the fifth day of training camp. For now, they have one more day of drills that may look mundane but are ones Cable says are vital for the Raiders to reverse a six-year slide of losing.
In seven-on-seven passing drills, the quarterbacks drop back, survey the field as receivers run their patterns, then stop without making a pass. JaMarcus Russell pleaded with his coaches to be able to show off that strong arm of his to no avail, although defensive coordinator John Marshall did shout out at one point, "It's time for a pick."
Later in practice, the quarterbacks line up near a fence, calling signals and taking simulated snaps. They bark out audibles, hand signals and all, as quarterbacks coach Paul Hackett calls out different defensive looks.
Defenders practice their run fits, going to a particular spot to fill a gap in the defense even though no plays are being run.
Then when the team lines up for 11-on-11 drills, the quarterback takes the snap and hands off the ball, only for a whistle to blow after the blockers and defenders take just a step. That's repeated over and over again, as coaches watch footwork and other small details.
"You're really trying to get their mind into the who and the how part," Cable said. "When you throw pads on, you add that combative part of it, and that really changes everything. ... You've trained them, and now it's just handling it the right way."
Cable says one benefit of the approach that he first used as a college coach at Idaho is that younger players can get more practice time as the first and second teams are on separate fields, with no fear of injuries.
The players say the back-to-basics drills have been helpful, reinforcing what they learned in offseason workouts and allowing them to get back up to speed without the risk of injury.
"I think it's great," offensive lineman Mario Henderson said. "In my opinion, at camp when you get out the first day, you sometimes are not really focused on trying to do the right things. You're just focused on going out there and trying to win the starting job. Sometimes that can be bad because you are going fast, but you're not really doing your assignments. Now we have four days where we get everything down pat so then when it comes time Monday to earn a job, it's not your assignments slowing you down."
While the players like the approach, they're also eager to put on the pads and hit each other like football players again.
"They are like, `Come on coach, let's go play,'" Cable said.
With the Raiders training camp in Napa now open and progressing with the "learning phase" of camp, before the pads go on Monday and the "full contact phase" begins, we can already see that Coach Cable has set up some very interesting position battles in camp.
Competition in July and August is always multifaceted, as either to push the incumbent starter or to really assess who is the the better player to fill an open spot by proving themselves the best before the real games begin. As all of the NFL training camps promote competition for those reasons, the Raiders have positional competition at some expected places and some that are unexpected.
Star-divide
While theoretically every roster spot is up for grabs, we know that baring injury, Nnamdi, Lechler, Janikowski, Gallery and Zach Miller are locks to start at their positions. The rest of the roster remains an open competition, though areas like wide receiver and running back will always remain fluid due to situational demands, the focus of this story are the position battles that I think are the most intriguing:
* Michael Huff vs. Hiram Eugene: The battle at free safety between the incumbent starter Eugene and the recently-in-the-dog-house-trying-to-avoid-the-bust-label Huff. Eugene is a serviceable safety, not great, but enough until someone else better comes along. Huff, who was benched last year, and has come nowhere near to playing up to expectations, has been fully endorsed by none other than Nnamdi Asomugha, who has gone on the record as saying that Huff will have a breakout year. A statement like that from Nnamdi should not be taken lightly. So far in the three years that Huff has been on the team, he has displayed an incredible ability to take terrible angles and not know how to tackle. Much has been stated about Rob Ryan's misuse of Huff and his lack of teaching skills, so now that we have a teacher in the position of defensive coordinator, we will soon see if Huff really has the stuff.
* Stanford Routt vs. Chris Johnson: The two corners are vying for the starting position opposite Nnamdi. This is a surprise as CJ was given a 4 year contract extension in the offseason and was assumed to have the starting position locked down. Not so, according to Cable who has stated that there is a "pretty good battle going on there". Routt, who is now coming into his fifth year with the Raiders after being drafted in the 2nd round in 2005, has the Raiders speed and has improved with his instincts each year. He has been used primarily as a nickle back, but now is being given the opportunity to start. CJ, kind of came out of nowhere and made the best of his opportunity when taking over for the failed DeAngelo Hall. Johnson has great speed and instincts as well, so the winner at this position will be well deserved and the "loser" will be the nickle corner. But the real winner will be the Raiders defense as they will employ three corners that will very difficult to pass on.
* Ricky Brown vs. Kirk Morrison: The position battle at the MIKE position now has some intriguing qualities. The Raiders have either grown tired of the inconsistent play of Morrison in the middle or they are preparing for his potential departure at the end of the season. Brown, who is a high energy player and has bulked up to 240lbs for the competition is being given every opportunity to unseat Morrison by Cable. Many have thought that Morrison has been miscast at the MIKE and would be better suited to play at SAM. Whether or not this is being considered by Cable, Marshall and Haluchak is to still be determined, but to be sure, the linebacking play last year was completely underwhelming and the Raiders are finally putting the attention to this position that is required and not accepting the status quo.
* Trevor Scott vs. Jay Richardson: Two years ago Trevor Scott was playing tight end for the University of Buffalo and now he has a chance to compete for a starting position on the defensive line. Scott who came on strong last season displaying great speed and ability to get to the quarterback has taken this opportunity very seriously. He has bulked up and dedicated himself through study and learning technique to improve his game and in particular has made a concerted effort to improve his play against the run to be able to be an every down defensive end. On the other hand, Richardson, the incumbent, despite his perfect size for the position has displayed none of those characteristics that Scott is possessing. Hopefully this competition will motivate Richardson and upgrade his play, otherwise Richardson may find that he won't even make the team as rookie Matt Shaughnessy mat well surpass him.
* Jeff Garcia vs. JaMarcus Russell: This is a competition that just won't go away, despite the "almost" full assurance from Cable that the starting job is Russell's. The Raiders may have signed Russell to be a veteran backup/mentor to Russell, but Garcia will have none of that. He fully considers himself to be a starting quarterback and is determined to not only battle Russell for the position, but to actually be the starter on opening night.This is the beginning of Russell's third year but this is the first time that Russell is actually being challenged for the starting position. For this season, only good things for the Raiders and their fans can come from this competition, as either Russell will be pushed to reach his potential or Garcia will be the signal caller. The Raiders plans for the quarterback position for 2010 and beyond will be determined in a large part from this competition.
Well, there it is folks, those are the intriguing camp battles that I see so far early into camp. More will probably materialize as camp progresses into the preseason, but as of now, these are some good ones to follow. What are the interesting camp battles to you and what results are you looking for from camp competition?
Competition in July and August is always multifaceted, as either to push the incumbent starter or to really assess who is the the better player to fill an open spot by proving themselves the best before the real games begin. As all of the NFL training camps promote competition for those reasons, the Raiders have positional competition at some expected places and some that are unexpected.
Star-divide
While theoretically every roster spot is up for grabs, we know that baring injury, Nnamdi, Lechler, Janikowski, Gallery and Zach Miller are locks to start at their positions. The rest of the roster remains an open competition, though areas like wide receiver and running back will always remain fluid due to situational demands, the focus of this story are the position battles that I think are the most intriguing:
* Michael Huff vs. Hiram Eugene: The battle at free safety between the incumbent starter Eugene and the recently-in-the-dog-house-trying-to-avoid-the-bust-label Huff. Eugene is a serviceable safety, not great, but enough until someone else better comes along. Huff, who was benched last year, and has come nowhere near to playing up to expectations, has been fully endorsed by none other than Nnamdi Asomugha, who has gone on the record as saying that Huff will have a breakout year. A statement like that from Nnamdi should not be taken lightly. So far in the three years that Huff has been on the team, he has displayed an incredible ability to take terrible angles and not know how to tackle. Much has been stated about Rob Ryan's misuse of Huff and his lack of teaching skills, so now that we have a teacher in the position of defensive coordinator, we will soon see if Huff really has the stuff.
* Stanford Routt vs. Chris Johnson: The two corners are vying for the starting position opposite Nnamdi. This is a surprise as CJ was given a 4 year contract extension in the offseason and was assumed to have the starting position locked down. Not so, according to Cable who has stated that there is a "pretty good battle going on there". Routt, who is now coming into his fifth year with the Raiders after being drafted in the 2nd round in 2005, has the Raiders speed and has improved with his instincts each year. He has been used primarily as a nickle back, but now is being given the opportunity to start. CJ, kind of came out of nowhere and made the best of his opportunity when taking over for the failed DeAngelo Hall. Johnson has great speed and instincts as well, so the winner at this position will be well deserved and the "loser" will be the nickle corner. But the real winner will be the Raiders defense as they will employ three corners that will very difficult to pass on.
* Ricky Brown vs. Kirk Morrison: The position battle at the MIKE position now has some intriguing qualities. The Raiders have either grown tired of the inconsistent play of Morrison in the middle or they are preparing for his potential departure at the end of the season. Brown, who is a high energy player and has bulked up to 240lbs for the competition is being given every opportunity to unseat Morrison by Cable. Many have thought that Morrison has been miscast at the MIKE and would be better suited to play at SAM. Whether or not this is being considered by Cable, Marshall and Haluchak is to still be determined, but to be sure, the linebacking play last year was completely underwhelming and the Raiders are finally putting the attention to this position that is required and not accepting the status quo.
* Trevor Scott vs. Jay Richardson: Two years ago Trevor Scott was playing tight end for the University of Buffalo and now he has a chance to compete for a starting position on the defensive line. Scott who came on strong last season displaying great speed and ability to get to the quarterback has taken this opportunity very seriously. He has bulked up and dedicated himself through study and learning technique to improve his game and in particular has made a concerted effort to improve his play against the run to be able to be an every down defensive end. On the other hand, Richardson, the incumbent, despite his perfect size for the position has displayed none of those characteristics that Scott is possessing. Hopefully this competition will motivate Richardson and upgrade his play, otherwise Richardson may find that he won't even make the team as rookie Matt Shaughnessy mat well surpass him.
* Jeff Garcia vs. JaMarcus Russell: This is a competition that just won't go away, despite the "almost" full assurance from Cable that the starting job is Russell's. The Raiders may have signed Russell to be a veteran backup/mentor to Russell, but Garcia will have none of that. He fully considers himself to be a starting quarterback and is determined to not only battle Russell for the position, but to actually be the starter on opening night.This is the beginning of Russell's third year but this is the first time that Russell is actually being challenged for the starting position. For this season, only good things for the Raiders and their fans can come from this competition, as either Russell will be pushed to reach his potential or Garcia will be the signal caller. The Raiders plans for the quarterback position for 2010 and beyond will be determined in a large part from this competition.
Well, there it is folks, those are the intriguing camp battles that I see so far early into camp. More will probably materialize as camp progresses into the preseason, but as of now, these are some good ones to follow. What are the interesting camp battles to you and what results are you looking for from camp competition?
After the opening practice for Oakland Raiders training camp, a day that not only was lacking in contact, it was focused on the mental side of the ball with few plays ran to completetion and fewer passes thrown, head coach Tom Cable faced the local media.
It was impossible to say how much progress has or hasn't been made, because the plays were blown dead right after the ball was snapped. This was done because Cable wanted them to work on the mental aspects of the game and their presnap communication.
You just want to see if both sides of the ball can make the right communication and the right adjustment for what’s in front of him.
This is an important if under-appreciated aspect of a winning team. These fundamental portions of the game were seriously lacking in the past. If the Raiders can shore up that portion of their game, it should easily be good for at least one more win.
Coach Cable had high praise for defensive end Greg Ellis:
The transition back to [4-3 end from 3-4] has been very good. Greg is a veteran, you hear me use the phrase “A real pro” he was only there for a couple of days, but he’s taking information and he is studying and he came in very prepared.
This should ease the sting from the inexplicable Derrick Burgess holdout. Cable refused to address the Burgess situation, but Ellis provides a veteran replacement who will not be hard pressed to match Burgess's recent production. Unlike the terminally sullen Burgess, Ellis will be looking for a fresh start with the Raiders and should have the production to match.
Cable is stressing a renewed intensity now that training camp has started. This was something that was conspicuous by its absence during the earlier minicamp:
I think OTAs and minicamp is a lot like going to Disneyland. You get through it and enjoy it, and you are learning and all that. This is like the US Open, every shot counts. Every practice, every rep. Even today, this afternoon, the next three days, every rep counts. You’re learning something. You’re getting back. You’re getting your mind upright. Your dotting your I’s and crossing your t’s. If you will, its important. Its much different.
The season is now fast approaching, and he has to get them ready to do battle. He is still focusing on the mental aspect of the game, but Cable is a firm believer that focusing on the mental makes it easier once the contact is introduced:
You got to start to harden your team and develop your toughness and competitiveness. Its one thing to run around in the spring and summer in a helmet in shorts, and you’re really trying to get their mind in the who and the how. You throw pads on and you add that combative part of it. That really changes everything. The more dialed in you can get the mind and you know the competitiveness and the intensity and the juices start flowing all that contact is put in it. You’ve trained them.
The next three practices are once again going to be "mental" practices without pads on, so that they can get their minds right and the mental aspect of the game down pat. Come Monday, they will put the pads on, and all of the Raider Nation hopes this combination will have the Raiders dialed in come opening night.
It was impossible to say how much progress has or hasn't been made, because the plays were blown dead right after the ball was snapped. This was done because Cable wanted them to work on the mental aspects of the game and their presnap communication.
You just want to see if both sides of the ball can make the right communication and the right adjustment for what’s in front of him.
This is an important if under-appreciated aspect of a winning team. These fundamental portions of the game were seriously lacking in the past. If the Raiders can shore up that portion of their game, it should easily be good for at least one more win.
Coach Cable had high praise for defensive end Greg Ellis:
The transition back to [4-3 end from 3-4] has been very good. Greg is a veteran, you hear me use the phrase “A real pro” he was only there for a couple of days, but he’s taking information and he is studying and he came in very prepared.
This should ease the sting from the inexplicable Derrick Burgess holdout. Cable refused to address the Burgess situation, but Ellis provides a veteran replacement who will not be hard pressed to match Burgess's recent production. Unlike the terminally sullen Burgess, Ellis will be looking for a fresh start with the Raiders and should have the production to match.
Cable is stressing a renewed intensity now that training camp has started. This was something that was conspicuous by its absence during the earlier minicamp:
I think OTAs and minicamp is a lot like going to Disneyland. You get through it and enjoy it, and you are learning and all that. This is like the US Open, every shot counts. Every practice, every rep. Even today, this afternoon, the next three days, every rep counts. You’re learning something. You’re getting back. You’re getting your mind upright. Your dotting your I’s and crossing your t’s. If you will, its important. Its much different.
The season is now fast approaching, and he has to get them ready to do battle. He is still focusing on the mental aspect of the game, but Cable is a firm believer that focusing on the mental makes it easier once the contact is introduced:
You got to start to harden your team and develop your toughness and competitiveness. Its one thing to run around in the spring and summer in a helmet in shorts, and you’re really trying to get their mind in the who and the how. You throw pads on and you add that combative part of it. That really changes everything. The more dialed in you can get the mind and you know the competitiveness and the intensity and the juices start flowing all that contact is put in it. You’ve trained them.
The next three practices are once again going to be "mental" practices without pads on, so that they can get their minds right and the mental aspect of the game down pat. Come Monday, they will put the pads on, and all of the Raider Nation hopes this combination will have the Raiders dialed in come opening night.
After the second day of "teaching practices" Tom Cable once again faced the local media.
Cable has said that his new and different approach has drawn positive feedback from his players:
Lorenzo Neal said to me, "You know in 17 years, I've never seen anything like this, but I can't believe how much we're getting out of it," you know just in our talks, in our room, or in meetings, or whatever, it's a chance to really sort it out and work through it before all of a sudden you put the combative part into it, which will start on Monday."
This is unique because we don't have the stress, we don't get beat up, we're really learning and relearning, and for the veterans there's some review obviously, but there's little details. Everything comes up. Something came up today with Cooper Carlisle and Cornell Green that they've probably had 4-5 other times in the last two years but bang it happened again today. It's just a chance to talk it through, reteach and just kind of solidify it in their brains, OK, we got it.
In addition to focusing on the basics, this manner of running camp gives the players a chance to get acclimated to being in camp once again, or as Cable said yesterday, to get their minds right:
We're getting enough of that and again, if you remember, part of this is the routine too of a two-a-day, and the whole process of getting taped, in meetings, and getting out of bed and back to bed, and all those sort of things. So, we feel like we're accomplishing exactly what we set out to do.
As of now, there are no updates on the Derrick Burgess situation, and Tom Cable would not devote time to Burgess except to say that there are no updates. Darren McFadden, has been lining up at receiver, and Cable would speak on this use of McFadden:
You know, a lot's been talked about with that, but if you look at us the last six weeks of the season and particularly the last three weeks, we used him more in that role, extensively in the last two weeks, and it seemed to really compliment everybody, it opened everybody up. I think it adds a lot to us and he's a guy that there's no question has to get a number of touches in a ballgame and he helps everybody around him.
Coach Cable talked about the level of competition at wide receiver, and how there were several qualified players fighting for that last spot:
The No. 1 thing is catching the ball and making plays. There's no question we've emphasized the need and the importance of improving our passing game. I think it will really come down to who can do that, who can make plays catching the ball, getting open and run after the catch. All those things go into that position.
He praised fourth round pick Louis Murphy:
He's a guy that came out of a good program and is very passionate about playing the game. For him, it's just learning our offense, a new system for him and just keep doing it but he's progressing very well.
Cable has said that his new and different approach has drawn positive feedback from his players:
Lorenzo Neal said to me, "You know in 17 years, I've never seen anything like this, but I can't believe how much we're getting out of it," you know just in our talks, in our room, or in meetings, or whatever, it's a chance to really sort it out and work through it before all of a sudden you put the combative part into it, which will start on Monday."
This is unique because we don't have the stress, we don't get beat up, we're really learning and relearning, and for the veterans there's some review obviously, but there's little details. Everything comes up. Something came up today with Cooper Carlisle and Cornell Green that they've probably had 4-5 other times in the last two years but bang it happened again today. It's just a chance to talk it through, reteach and just kind of solidify it in their brains, OK, we got it.
In addition to focusing on the basics, this manner of running camp gives the players a chance to get acclimated to being in camp once again, or as Cable said yesterday, to get their minds right:
We're getting enough of that and again, if you remember, part of this is the routine too of a two-a-day, and the whole process of getting taped, in meetings, and getting out of bed and back to bed, and all those sort of things. So, we feel like we're accomplishing exactly what we set out to do.
As of now, there are no updates on the Derrick Burgess situation, and Tom Cable would not devote time to Burgess except to say that there are no updates. Darren McFadden, has been lining up at receiver, and Cable would speak on this use of McFadden:
You know, a lot's been talked about with that, but if you look at us the last six weeks of the season and particularly the last three weeks, we used him more in that role, extensively in the last two weeks, and it seemed to really compliment everybody, it opened everybody up. I think it adds a lot to us and he's a guy that there's no question has to get a number of touches in a ballgame and he helps everybody around him.
Coach Cable talked about the level of competition at wide receiver, and how there were several qualified players fighting for that last spot:
The No. 1 thing is catching the ball and making plays. There's no question we've emphasized the need and the importance of improving our passing game. I think it will really come down to who can do that, who can make plays catching the ball, getting open and run after the catch. All those things go into that position.
He praised fourth round pick Louis Murphy:
He's a guy that came out of a good program and is very passionate about playing the game. For him, it's just learning our offense, a new system for him and just keep doing it but he's progressing very well.
Practice was a little more interesting this evening, but don't get too excited -- it was still filled with plenty of 'intense learning'. So, while the coaches were still getting the Raiders mentally prepared for Monday, there wasn't a whole lot going on the field that kept your average viewer, (namely me), excited about watching.
Al Davis wasn't seen on the field today, but his son Mark Davis was. The younger Davis has been at nearly every practice since Thursday. He may have been at all of them, I just can't recall accurately enough to make that statement, but I have seen him frequently watching from the sidelines.
Al Davis wasn't seen on the field today, but his son Mark Davis was. The younger Davis has been at nearly every practice since Thursday. He may have been at all of them, I just can't recall accurately enough to make that statement, but I have seen him frequently watching from the sidelines.
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