Oakland Raiders Preseason Camp: Hue Jackson Adresses Roster Moves, Team Speed, Wide Receivers

Week one of the NFL season is just days away for the Oakland Raiders. With preseason practices wrapping up in the near future, head coach Hue Jackson discussed a few issues with the local media.

Steve Corkran of the Contra Costa Times has a few quotes from earlier Monday:

When the Raiders resume practice Wednesday, they will welcome back veteran safety Matt Giordano. He was re-signed Tuesday, at the expense of veteran running back Michael Bennett.

"He's played the game at a very high level," Jackson said of Giordano. "He's played on some very good, quality teams. He's a great worker, has good range. He plays safety and can fill in on special teams, so he has some value.”"

As far as Giordano goes, keeping the safety appears to be a solid move. The 28-year old is reportedly a great teammate and goes the extra mile whenever need be. His versatility should also benefit the team, especially with the secondary looking spotty in the preseason.

It's no secret that Raiders managing general partner Al Davis covets speed above all else.
This year's team just might feature a collection of fast players that is unmatched in Raiders history. The key is, putting that speed to work for the Raiders and getting it to translate into more plays made.

...

"It's like we can have a track meet on the field with the guys we have out there," McFadden said. "It's not just about having speed. Guys have to be able to go out there and make plays. One thing we want to do is focus on making plays."

...

"You see me smiling, right?" Jackson said. "I'm very happy, very excited, about our football team. This is the team I envisioned we had the capability of being when this thing all started. The fun part is, now they're all healthy, almost all. You get to play with them a little bit and find out they are what I know they are. They're starting to showcase that."

As Corkran mentions, this 2011-12 Raiders team has a chance to be among the most athletic and speed-oriented teams in history. It remains to be seen if this speed with translate to the field, but if it does -- and the players use it to their advantage -- Oakland could cause a lot of problems for secondaries all around the league. It sounds like the coaching staff is ready and committed to using all of this speed in the games, as well.

Jackson still isn't prepared to announce who his starting wide receivers are going to be Monday night.
Based on performance in practice and exhibition games, it's clear cut that rookie Denarius Moore and Derek Hagan deserve to start against the Broncos.

Regardless of which players start the season, one thing is apparent: the Raiders have a ton of depth at wide receiver. Assuming guys like Jacoby Ford and Darrius Heyward-Bey are able to stay healthy and make strides from last season, quite a few players could be given the chance to emerge in 2011. 

Stay tuned to SB Nation Bay Area for our complete coverage of the Raiders. For more news and information, check out Silver and Black Nation.

Oakland Raiders Set Practice Squad

According to Contra Costa Times blogger Steve Corkran the Oakland Raiders have filled out the rest of their eight practice squad spots as the week of the roster shifts continues. The Silver and Black had a number of players sitting on the bubble, but as Corkran tweeted in a series of tweets, we find which players made the active roster and which ones made the practice squad- those players are as follows:

• Kevin Brock- practice squad
• Alex Parsons- practice squad
• Manase Tonga- practice squad 
• Eddie McGee- practice squad 
• Jamie Cumbie- practice squad 
• Mason Brodine- practice squad 
• Jeremy Leman- practice squad 
• Ricky Brown- signed to active roster 
• Sterling Moore- practice squad

With the practice squad set, Oakland can focus on putting their finishing touches on their active roster, and get ready for their first week meeting with the Denver Broncos on Monday Night Football. 

For more in depth discussion and analysis of everything Silver and Black, head on over to Silver and Black Pride to get in on the action and get your voice heard!

Oakland Raiders Roster Cuts Surprise and Confuse the Raider Nation

The Oakland Raiders followed an uneventful cut on Tuesday with a head scratcher on Saturday.

Among others, the Raiders cut Stevie Brown, Trent Edwards, Lito Sheppard and Daniel Loper. Most people figured that there would be some notable names in Saturday’s list of roster cuts for the Raiders, but not these names.

The Raiders also cut all of their depth at cornerback by cutting Jeremy Ware, Walter McFadden, Lito Sheppard and Sterling Moore. This leaves Joe Porter, Chris Johnson, Stanford Routt, Demarcus Van Dyke and Chimdi Chekwa as the only cornerbacks on the team. If Chimdi Checkwa ends up being moved to safety, that leaves only four cornerbacks.

This move likely shows that the Raiders are finally realizing just how bad the cornerback situation in Oakland is. After Chris Johnson and Stanford Routt, the Raiders really had no viable options. Second year players Jeremy Ware and Walter McFadden looked like they took a step backwards this year and rookies Demarcus Van Dyke and Chimdi Checkwa are still very raw.

I expect camp stand out Sterling Moore, who was an undrafted free agent, to be signed to the practice squad if not signed by another team. He played well in camp and the preseason but is a long term project.

With other teams cutting their own notable names, the Raiders must try and sign a veteran cornerback before the season starts. Joselio Hanson, who was cut by the Eagles as a result of their overload at the cornerback position, immediately comes to mind. He played a decent amount of man coverage in Philly and is an NFL caliber nickel back.

Many Raiders fans were probably shocked the most by the cuts of second year safety Stevie Brown and guard Daniel Loper.

It was thought that Stevie Brown could compete for playing time this season after having a decent rookie season. Brown was certainly raw, but had that ball hawk mentality and instinct that leads to big plays in the secondary.

Daniel Loper was a back up guard for the Raiders last season who did a good job filling in for Robert Gallery when he was injured. At the time, some thought that after Gallery returned, he should move to right guard and replace the struggling Cooper Carlisle. With Gallery’s departure, he was considered a favorite to take the starting LG position. However, with Wisniwski moving to LG and Carlisle having a strong preseason, Hue Jackson must have decided that Loper was expendable.

Finally, perhaps the most shocking cut was quarterback Trent Edwards. Brought in during the offseason to compete with Kyle Boller for the backup position, but was never able to really out shine Boller. Despite that fact, with Terrelle Pryor suspended for the first five games of the season, this leaves the Raiders with only two quarterbacks to start the season.

These cuts leave the Raiders with a lot of holes on their roster. Hopefully, Al Davis and Hue Jackson are combing the cut lists of other teams in order to fill out this team before week one.

Oakland Raiders Roster Cuts: Trent Edwards, Shaun Bodiford, Matt Giordano Among Final Cuts

The Oakland Raiders made their final cuts Saturday afternoon to get down to the 53-player limit, and finally announced them Saturday evening. The most notable cut was former Bills third round pick Trent Edwards who was competing with Kyle Boller for the backup QB position behind Jason Campbell.

In addition to Edwards, the Raiders released five other vested veterans who immediately become free agents, as opposed to going on the waiver wire. These players include WR Shaun Bodiford, DB Matt Giordano, guard Daniel Loper, CB Lito Sheppard and LB Sam Williams. The Raiders also waived a host of players including defensive backs Walter McFadden, Jeremy Ware, and Sterling Moore, WR Chad Jackson, and running back Manase Tonga among others.

The Raiders made one other roster move, moving Terrelle Pryor onto the Reserve/Suspended list where he will sit out the first five games of the NFL season. The NFL hasn’t exactly “suspended” Pryor, but we all know that’s basically what is going on.

For more on the Raiders roster cuts, head over to Silver & Black Pride to join the discussion.

NFL Roster Cuts: Oakland Raiders Release Trent Edwards, Sam Williams

The Oakland Raiders have been extremely quiet about their final roster cuts, but word is slowly starting to leak out. Adam Schefter tweeted that the Raiders have released backup QB Trent Edwards and reserve outside linebacker Sam Williams.

The decision to release Edwards leaves the team with three quarterbacks on the roster: Jason Campbell, Kyle Boller and Terrelle Pryor. While Pryor is suspended to start the season one has to wonder if the Raiders will sign a third quarterback to provide relief in case of injury. Of course, if that were the case why get rid of Edwards? While Edwards is not a phenomenal quarterback, he is a fairly solid option as a second or third quarterback.

Sam Williams was listed as the primary middle linebacker backup to Rolando McClain, but the nine year veteran couldn’t hold down the position. It will be interesting to see what reserve linebackers the Raiders do decide hang on to when they finally announce their 53-man roster.

Raiders Cut Cornerbacks Lito Sheppard, Walter McFadden

The Oakland Raiders have cut cornerbacks Lito Sheppard and Walter McFadden, according to Aaron Wilson. Sheppard is a veteran at his position while McFadden is entering his second year.

Sheppard has been in the NFL for nine years now and signed with the Raiders just ten days ago. He spent the first seven seasons (2002-2008) with the Philadelphia Eagles before one-year stints with the New York Jets (2009) and Minnesota Vikings (2010). The 30-year-old, however, did not make the cut with the Raiders this year and will have to look elsewhere for employment.

McFadden, meanwhile, spent his rookie season last year with the Raiders and only played in four games. He had five tackles during that time. The Raiders apparently did not see enough in the young player in training camp to keep him on board, and McFadden will have to

The Raiders, along with the other 31 NFL teams, will continue to make last-minute roster changes as the 2011 season approaches. 

Terrelle Pryor: The Victim of Overzealous Reporting And A Questionable Test

Terrelly Pryor has unjustly been put through the ringer this week over alleged reports that he scored a 7 on his wonderlic test, prompting us to take a look at why he took to much heat and whether or not the score even matters.

2011 NFL Prop Bets: Oakland Raiders Players

Oakland Raiders Roster Cuts: Will the Raiders Continue to be Patient with Chaz Schilens?

On Saturday, when rosters will need to be trimmed for the final time before the regular season, Chaz Schilens will present probably the biggest decision for Hue Jackson. Should the Raiders continue being patient with the perennially injured wide receiver, or should they cut ties and move on from the player once thought to be the next number one receiver in Oakland.

The topic is one that raises a lot of passion in the Raider Nation as Schilens, despite his lack of time spent on the field, has become a fan favorite in recent years. However, as the injuries continue to come, many have become frustrated and are ready to move on from Schilens.

In previous seasons, Schilens’ roster spot was safe because the Raiders were so thin at the wide receiver position. This year is different. With Jacoby Ford coming off a great rookie campaign, veteran Derek Hagan tearing up the preseason and rookie Denarius Moore looking like he is a true play maker, the Raiders can really get by without Schilens if they need to.

While his injuries have been frustrating, there is still a very good chance that the Raiders hang on to Schilens this year. Schilens is on the last year of his rookie contract, and being a seventh round pick, that means he is making very little money. Thus, keeping him on the team is not a major blow to the salary cap.

The Raiders will likely hang on to Schilens and see if he can stay healthy and contribute this season. If he does, he may be resigned in the off season. If he doesn’t, this may be the last season that Schilens will be wearing Silver and Black.

Oakland Raiders Preseason: Jacoby Ford Best Kick Returner In Football, According To Coach

The Oakland Raiders are making their final preparations for the upcoming season. One of the positions left up for grabs was the kick returner. While multiple players have tried their hand this preseason, one player has stuck out to head coach Hue Jackson.

Raiders reporter Paul Gutierrez of CSN Bay Area has the report:

"I got one guy in my mind and he's the best in football," Raiders coach Hue Jackson said this week. "His name is Jacoby Ford."

Gutierrez weighs in on the situation as well:

Agree or disagree, Ford has also been conspicuous by his absence. He has been sidelined since July 30 with a broken left hand, suffered on the first day of padded hitting in training camp.

Jackson's praise had to feel good to Ford, considering he has yet to play in an exhibition this summer, though he did dress and take part in pregame warmups Sunday at the O.co Coliseum.

The injury concerns will continually be present until he can prove otherwise, but assuming Ford can stay healthy in 2011, he could be primed for a big season.

As for Jacoby's thoughts on the praise?

"He's giving me the kudos; I'll accept it," Ford said. "That's just the kind of confidence he has in me. I've got his back and he's got mine. We just kind of complement each other that way."

If for some reason Ford was not able to handle the kick returning duties, Shaun Bodiford, Nick Miller, Denarius Moore, Chad Jackson and Taiwan Jones all handled the position in the preseason. None of these players have too much experience in the regular season, but the coaching staff can at least feel confident in the amount of depth the team currently has. 

For more Raiders coverage, check out Silver and Black Pride and join in on the discussion.

TE Kevin Boss Plans To Be Ready For Season Opener Despite Sprained MCL

Oakland Raiders tight end Kevin Boss has begun doing some light running and workouts again after spraining his MCL, and plans on being ready for the team’s season opener on September 12 according to Jerry McDonald of the Oakland Tribune.

Boss was injured during the Raiders’ preseason match with the San Francisco 49ers back on August 20, and has been making sure to take it easy ever since. Boss feels well enough to begin his rehab, though he won’t have a lot of time to get ready for their meeting with the Broncos at INVESCO field week one.

“It’s definitely frustrating, but trying to look at the bright side of it, it could have been a lot worse,” Boss said. “Luckily my leg wasn’t planted.”

Boss joined the team as a free agent this summer, looking to fill the shoes of pro-bowl TE Zach Miller, now with the Seattle Seahawks. Oakland will definitely be in need of him come week one, as he may have some of the best hands on the squad.

For more on the Raiders, head on over to Silver and Black Pride to get in on the discussion.

Oakland Raiders Rookie Chimdi Chekwa Could be Moving to Safety

The Oakland Raiders selected cornerback Chimdi Chekwa in the fourth round of the 2011 NFL Draft, only one round after selecting cornerback Demarcus Van Dyke.

So far, because of injuries, the Raiders have not been able to see much of Chekwa on the field. However, despite that, coach Hue Jackson may already have a plan for Chekwa. Reports have come out that Chekwa has been splitting time in practice between cornerback and safety.

However, unlike safety’s Tyvon Branch and Michael Huff, who have also been splitting time between safety and cornerback, Chekwa could be moved to safety permanently.

For Huff and Branch, the practice at both positions is likely because the Raiders will be trying out a number of options as their nickel corner. Rookie Demarcus Van Dyke has shown that he is not ready to be the Raiders full time nickelback, so Jackson and his coaching staff are exploring other options.

For Chekwa, the move appears to have more to do with where the Raiders think he will fit best. Sure, there are injury issues at the safety position with Hiram Eugene and Mike Mitchell, but it wouldn’t make sense to move a player from one unit in need of help (cornerbacks) to another in need of help (safety) unless there were long term goals in mind.

It is highly unlikely that Chekwa will see much playing time his rookie season regardless of which position the Raiders decide to place him at. Hopefully, the move is a sign that Chekwa will one day be able to excel at the safety position, as opposed to a sign that the Raiders have already given up hope on him as a cornerback.

Oakland Raiders Save the Tough Roster Decisions for After the Last Preseason Game

Some teams made big splashes with their roster moves this week (Dallas cutting a five time pro bowler comes to mind), but the Raiders chose to go another route. Rather than cutting notable names this week, the Raiders opted to simply cut those players who really had no chance of making the 53 man roster in the first place. Of those cut, only Josh Bullocks is notable and only because he is a six year veteran that the Raiders signed after the injury to Hiram Eugene.

When the next cut is made, however, the Raiders will have some serious decisions to make. Specifically, the Raiders have some tough decisions with regards to their cornerbacks, runningbacks and wide receivers. All three of these positions still have a very large number of players signed:

9 cornerbacks
7 runningbacks
11 wide receivers

There is simply no way the team goes into the season with those numbers at those positions. Cornerback will likely be the most intriguing position to watch. The Raiders are very weak at the position after losing Nnamdi Asomugha and are struggling to find players deserving of playing time.

Expect players on the bubble to get a good amount of playing time against the Seahawks on Friday. In order for those players on the bubble to assure themselves of a roster spot, they had better make the most out of this final chance.

Oakland Raiders Roster Cuts 2011: No Big Surprises

The Raiders cut their roster down by nine players Tuesday morning by waiving six, injury waiving one, and placing two players on the injured reserve. The moves were reported by Oakland Tribute beat writer Jerry McDonald, and are as follows:

Waived:
FB Bryson Kelly
OL Ben Lamaak
WR Damola Adeniji
WR Steve Goulet
S Josh Bullocks
DT Derrick Hill 

Injured / Waived:

OL Lou Eliades

Placed on Injured Reserve:

G Alan Pelc
LB Travis Goethel

Josh Bullocks was signed as a veteran two weeks ago as an apparent special teams contributor,  but apparently didn't show enough in camp to warrant a roster spot. Wide receiver Steve Goulet, center Ben Lamaak, fullback Bryson Kelly, offensive lineman Lou Eliades, and defensive tackle Derek Hill were all signed by the Raiders as undrafted free agents this season. Damola Adeniji had spent some time with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers before signing with the Raiders.

For more on the Raiders, check out Silver & Black Pride.    

Oakland Raiders Presented with an Interesting Option for their Offensive Line

If the regular season were to start today, the Oakland Raiders would be starting Samson Satele at the center position. This despite the fact that the Raiders were not in a big rush to re-sign the two year starter, not getting around to offering him a contract until early August. This is also despite the fact that the Raiders have attempted to replace Satele with a rookie two seasons in a row.

If you recall, the Raiders started Jared Veldheer, now the starting left tackle, at the center position for the season opener in 2010. However, Veldheer struggled at the position and the Raiders opted to play him at his natural position and give the starting job back to Satele. Then, the Raiders drafted Stefan Wisniewski in this year’s draft and he was almost immediately penciled in as the starting center. However, after a rough training camp at center, the Raiders opted to move Wisniewski to guard and bring back Satele for another season.

It is clear that Satele does not fit into Hue Jacksons power blocking scheme. In fact, the reason the Dolphins were so anxious to get rid of Satele was because he was too undersized to handle bigger nose tackles.

Though it is rather late in the preseason, the Raiders now have an option to replace Satele should they choose to go that route. The Cowboys cut former pro bowl center Andre Gurode earlier this week, despite the fact that he played in the pro bowl this past year.

Many believed that Gurode did not belong in the pro bowl, but the fact of the matter is, he played well enough to be considered, which is more than can be said of Satele. Gurode is an upgrade in terms of size, experience and play prompting Bill Williamson of ESPN to suggest that he would be a good fit in Oakland.

It is rather late in the game to be adding a starting center to your team, but should the Raiders choose to go and get Gurode, it would represent an upgrade to the offensive line that fans have been clammoring for all off season.

Oakland Raiders Roster Cuts Projection: No Big Surprises Expected for Raiders First Set of Cuts

NFL rosters must be cut down from 90 players to 80 players by Tuesday afternoon. In previous years, teams were required to drop the roster to 75 at this point, but after the lockout, the number was moved to 80.

As the Raiders prepare for the first round of cuts, fans in the Raider Nation will not likely be surprised by anyone. As I began to look at the list and try to read the unreadable mind of Al Davis, I realized that it shouldn’t be too hard. I soon realized that there are more than ten names on the list that even the die hard Raiders fan would not recognize.

Thus, I put together a list of fifteen players who are highly likely to be cut by Tuesday afternoon:

Bryson Kelly (FB)
James McCluskey (FB)
Damola Adeniji (WR)
Shawn Bayes (WR)
Steve Goulet (WR)
Eddie McGee (WR)
Brock, Kevin (TE)
Eliades, Lou (T)
Wand, Seth (T)
Lamaak, Ben (OL)
Hill, Derrick (DT)
Francis, Chris (LB)
Hill, Tommie (DE)
Kelly, Bryson (RB)
Pakulak, Glenn (P)

None of those names will really excite or surprise anyone, so to avoid this post being too boring, I prepared a smaller list of notable names that I would not be surprised to see cut by Tuesday.

Louis Rankin
Michael Bennett
Nick Miller
Walter McFadden

Michael Bennett and Louis Rankin are both looking at not making the team. With the addition of Taiwan Jones, the Raiders now have three runningbacks who will be competing for playing time. The other notable runningback, Rock Cartwright is far too valuable on special teams to be in the same position as these two.

Wide receiver Nick Miller also finds himself on the bubble as the result of incoming rookie phenom Denarius Moore and veteran Derek Hagan having great preseasons. He also did not help his case on Sunday when he muffed the opening kick off out of bounds at the nine yard line.

Finally, second year player Walter McFadden has had a horrendous preseason and could find himself on the bubble. While the Raiders are thin at the cornerback position, with the signing of Lito Sheppard, the Raiders have a large number of cornerbacks on the roster, even if not many of them are ready to play.

Raiders Rookie Denarius Moore Getting The Headlines, But Veteran Derek Hagan Could Lead Receiving Corps

The Oakland Raiders have struggled to find consistency at the wide receiver position in recent years. Now it looks as though veteran Derek Hagan will be able to provide the Raiders with some of that stability while also proving to be a good role model for the young receiving corps. For more on the Raiders, check out Silver & Black Pride.

Terrelle Pryor To Play Preseason Finale vs. Seahawks

The "Terrelle Pryor in the NFL" show begins this weekend when the Oakland Raiders take on the Seattle Seahawks this Friday at Qwest Field. NBC's Sunday Night Football confirmed that Pryor will not play tonight, but should be ready for action to take up scrub duty in the finale of the NFL preseason.

Pryor is clearly a project quarterback this season. His role is to take snaps and learn how to operate in a pro-style system after being tossed around in Ohio State. There's no denying Pryor's athleticism, but in almost every other facet of the pro game he is a work in progress. Pryor must work on his ability to make all the throws on the field as well as operating effectively under center.

Trent Edwards and Kyle Boller will be the primary backups to Jason Campbell and should see the early snaps in Friday's game, but Pryor should be the guy who sees most of the second half action. And look on the bright side, depressed NFL fan: If Pryor vs. Josh Portis is happening for long periods of time on your TV screen, you know the football regular season is just around the corner.

To discuss the Raiders, check out Silver and Black Pride. To discuss the Seahawks, head to Field Gulls.

Oakland Raiders Preseason Camp: Terrelle Pryor Shaky, McFadden Best Player At Camp

The Oakland Raiders preseason camp is slowly starting to conclude as the season nears. Jerry McDonald of The Oakland Tribune filled fans in with a few updates over Twitter. Here are a few of the more notable tweets:

BLTN Raiders notes: Pryor was shaky passing the ball today. No way around it. Perspective is in order. His first practice with new team.

/Al Davis calls press conference, moves Pryor to long-snapper after bad first day of practice.

Just kidding.

BLTN Raiders notes: Whether he plays in preseason or not, Jacoby Ford looks all the way back. Great post pattern TD from JC today.

Ford has always had the talent to become a solid wide receiver for Oakland. Good to see him playing well in camp.

BLTN Raiders notes: Most outstanding player in Raiders camp _ Darren McFadden. Doesn't matter how much he practices. No one else close.

Not too much of a shocker.

BLTN Raiders notes: Most outstanding newcomer _ WR Denarius Moore . . . yeah, he's tailed off some of late, but at this point could start.

It's probably in the team's best interest to go ahead and start him. What's it going to hurt?

BLTN Raiders notes: Best competition _ not a lot of legitimate competition,but Boller vs. Edwards as No. 2 QB up for grabs.

The best thing about the quarterback "controversy" in Oakland: No Tim Tebow.

BLTN Raiders notes: Most encouraging team-wide sign: Passing game is better _ even without Zach Miller. 

I guess this is a good sign, but 1) it's not like it could get much worse and 2) we'll have to wait and see how the team actually performs in a real game before confirming a big statement like this. Let's all hope it's true, though.

For more Raiders coverage, be sure to check out Silver and Black Pride.

Lito Sheppard Has Signed With The Oakland Raiders

In a move that has been overshadowed by the signing of Terrelle Pryor, today, the Oakland Raiders, have shored up their defensive backfield by signing veteran defensive back, Lito Sheppard, who will reportedly be in Napa as early as today..

Sheppard is a former All-Pro and two time Pro Bowl defensive back with the Philadelphia Eagles. At 30 years of age he will be looked upon as another veteran in the defensive backfield.

In his career, Sheppard has tallied 19 interceptions while defending 82 others.

In desperate need of a nickle back with starting experience and a defensive back who can be counted on to play on either side, Sheppard, is a wise pick-up, as he has done both in his career.

This acquisition has already made the Oakland Raiders a better team at 10AM PST than they were at 10 AM EST.

This also shows that veteran players are willing to come to the Raiders again. A couple of years ago, a veteran corner, like Sheppard, would have openly passed on coming to Oakland.

(Lito's last name, Sheppard, was misspelled as "Shepherd" in the official release, so please excuse any misspellings of his name)

Oakland Raiders Training Camp 2011: Taiwan Jones to Have His Own Package of Plays to Take Advantage of His Speed

Denarious Moore has been the rookie that everyone has been talking about this preseason. After impressing viewers in training camp, Moore continued to impress in his first two preseason games, leading many to dub him the steal of the 2011 draft.

However, one must wonder, had speedy runningback Taiwan Jones been healthy up to this point, would he have stolen Moore’s thunder?

Jones returned to practice this week, and has been impressing everyone with his speed, including Darren McFadden, a guy with some speed of his own. On a number of plays, Jones was seen hitting the hole hard before kicking it into a whole other gear as he left the Raiders’ speedy secondary in the dust on his way to the endzone.

In fact, Jones has been so impressive that there are already reports out that the Raiders will have a special package of plays designed specifically for him. Hue Jackson and the Raiders want to be able to make use of his blazing speed and give defensive coordinators yet another player to worry about.

In typical Raiders fashion, Oakland is building a team that is full of incredible athletes that will create headaches for defensive coordinators around the league. Just imagine for a second if you will. It is third down, four yards to go and the Raiders’ offensive package is set up as follows:

Halfback: Taiwan Jones
Fullback: Marcel Reece
WR1: Jacoby Ford
WR2: Denarius Moore
Slot Receiver: Darren McFadden (the Raiders have lined him up in the slot before, and personally, I think they should do it more often considering the depth at the RB position.)

If all five of those guys are on the field at the same time, I do not think there is a single team in the NFL with enough athleticism on its defense to adequately account for every one of them.

Jones will probably not get a whole lot of touches each game his rookie season, but it is good to know that the Raiders do plan on getting the ball in his hands so he can put that explosive speed to work.

Oakland Raiders Training Camp 2011: Terrelle Pryor Still Not Under Contract, Still Not in Camp

This is rather disconcerting. Terrelle Pryor was taken by the Raiders on Monday in the NFL’s supplemental draft. It is now Thursday morning and Pryor is still not signed to a contract, and has yet to practice with the team.

With the new rookie wage scale, this sort of thing really should not happen. It especially shouldn’t happen with a third round pick. It definitely should never happen when that pick only has two weeks to practice with the team before serving a five week suspension.

Why the Raiders and Pryor haven’t been able to reach an agreement is truly beyond me. Normally, my first inclination would be to blame it on the fact that Pryor is being represented by Drew Rosenhaus, but again, with the new rookie wage scale, even Rosenhaus cannot be the obstacle to signing a contract that he previously was.

By all means, Pryor should have been signed by the end of the day Monday and should have been in camp by Tuesday morning. Instead, as of Wednesday evening, Pryor had yet to even travel to the west coast.

I know the situations really are not comparable, but Raiders fans cannot help but remember the long hold out that resulted the last time Oakland drafted a quarterback. Jamarcus Russell took months to sign, including a six week holdout, and after all of that, turned out to be the biggest draft bust in NFL history.

Again, I know these two situations are not the same, and the players are not the same people, but still, as a Raider fan, this makes me very uncomfortable.

Oakland Raiders Training Camp 2011: Raiders Could Bring Back Former Starter Kirk Morrison

With the injury to linebacker Travis Goethel, the Raiders are likely going to bring in a veteran linebacker to fill the void that Goethel created. While the Raiders have already been linked to former Seattle Seahawks linebacker Lofa Tatupu this off season, John Clayton of ESPN brought up the possibility that the Raiders would bring back Kirk Morrison, just one year after trading him to the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Morrison is an Oakland native and started for the Raiders for a number of years, often leading the team in tackles in the process. However, unhappy with its run defense, Oakland decided it needed to find bigger linebackers, drafting Rolando McClain and trading for Kamerion Wimbley before last season. This meant Kirk Morrison and Thomas Howard would lose their starting roles. Morrison was traded to the Jaguars while Howard was a back up last season before leaving in free agency this offseason.

Bringing Morrison back would likely be a smart move for the Raiders. His experience with the team, work ethic and high level of intelligence would enable him to adjust to the Raiders easier than a completely new face like Tatupu. It also doesn’t hurt that Morrison was a fan favorite when he played in Oakland.

Though, with that being said, I may be a little biased considering I went to high school with the guy (he wouldn’t remember me, but I sure remember being hit by him in practice) and am a big fan of his.

Oakland Raiders Training Camp 2011: Travis Goethel Out for the Season

Travis Goethal is starting to look like the defensive version of Chaz Schilens. Like Schilens, Goethel is a late round draft pick that has made a serious push for a starting role despite his status as a late round pick. Unfortunately, also like Schilens, Goethel has been unable to live p to his potential and secure a starting role due to injuries.

Last year, Goethel was very impressive in the preseason and looked like he was in line to get serious playing time as a rookie. However, the Raiders were not able to get a very good look at Goethel his rookie year because he suffered a back injury that kept him off the field for half of the season.

This preseason, a healthy Goethel was once again making an impression on the Raiders coaching staff. Goethel is a natural middle linebacker, but has been so impressive, the Raiders have considered playing him at outside linebacker opposite Kamerion Wimbley.

Once again, just as it looked like Goethel was ready to snatch the starting outside linebacker job from Quentin Groves, disaster struck. Last night, news came out that Goethel would miss the entire 2011 season with a knee injury suffered in practice this week.

While most in the NFL may not know who Goethel is, any Raiders fan can tell you that this is a big loss for the team.

Oakland Raider Training Camp Notes 2011: Terelle Pryor Can Practice And Play In Pre-Season

Just in case any of you were wondering, here are the terms of Terelle Pryor’s suspension: (From Yahoo)

Per the terms of the suspension, Pryor could play in the preseason, though he can only visit the team’s facility during the suspension; he can’t practice and he will not be placed on the Raiders’ active roster until Week 6.

This is a double silver lining:

"Pryor could play in the preseason"

1) With the suspension not being immediate, Terelle Pryor, can practice with the team and get into the playbook for the rest of the Pre-Season. For a developmental player, this means that he may be able to run a few plays this year. If he had to join the team in Week 6 his options would be considerably limited.

"He will not be placed on the Raiders’ active roster until Week 6."

Basically, the Raiders will have 5 weeks to choose between Boller and Edwards. Hopefully, a lot will be learned about Pryor over those five weeks by how he handles himself and how well he prepares.

Oakland Raiders Training Camp 2011: Darren McFadden, Jacoby Ford and Trevor Scott Return to Practice

The Raiders have been plagued by injuries ever since the lockout ended. It seemed like a day could not go by without word of another Raider being injured and missing time. Finally, there was good news on the injury front as three players vital to the success of the Raiders returned to practice this week.

Runningback Darren McFadden, wide receiver Jacoby Ford and defensive end Trevor Scott all returned to practice this week, giving Hue Jackson the chance to start using some of his best players again.

McFadden and Ford were both injured in camp, with McFadden suffering a broken orbital bone and Ford suffering a broken hand. Scott, on the other hand, has been out since he was injured in a game against the Steelers last season.

These guys will likely not see much, if any, playing time in the remaining preseason games. The game against the New Orleans Saints might be a little too soon for them to see any action, and starters rarely play much, if at all in the final preseason game of the year. Jackson may choose to give them a few reps this weekend or the next, but in all likelihood, he will keep them out of harm’s way so they will be ready for the regular season opener against Denver.

Another player who returned to practice this week could very well see a significant amount of playing time over the final two preseason games. Rookie runningback Taiwan Jones returned to practice this week after spending most of training camp hampered with a hamstring. Jones returned to practice last week, but was unable to fully participate. It looks like he is fully participating this week, which means that Raiders fans could get a look at the speedy back this weekend.

Late-Round Draft Picks Moore, Ausberry Making Strong Impressions At Camp, On The Field For Raiders

The Oakland Raiders may have done better than any other team at finding talent late in the 2011 NFL Draft. The Raiders' fifth and seventh round picks -Denarius Moore and David Ausberry, respectively- are turning heads during camp and providing the Raiders with some quality young receivers.

Moore has performed very well during camp, repeatedly using good body control to get position on defenders and running his route well. He caught two passes on three targets during the Raiders' 17-3 preseason loss to the San Francisco 49ers for a total of 28 yards. Only Darrius Heyward-Bay and Derek Hagan recorded more yards than Moore during the game.

Ausberry, meanwhile, was drafted with the 241^st overall pick of the 2011 Draft. He played tight end at USC but had an underwhelming college career. Now, though, he seems to be finding his stride at the right time. Ausberry's quickness and speed has made him a quarterback favorite during practice. Though he went catchless in the Raiders' most recent game against the 49ers, he had an impressive touchdown grab during the Raiders' first preseason game against the Arizona Cardinals.

The front office must be ecstatic right now with these two late-round picks. Both players have shown plenty of potential and could become big parts of the Raiders' passing game moving forward.

AUDIO: Zach Miller Expected More From Oakland Raiders

John Mara Whines About Current Raiders/Former Giants TE Kevin Boss On ESPN Radio

Oakland Raiders Training Camp 2011: Louis Murphy, Samson Satele and Chris Johnson All Injured

As if injuries to key players like Jacob Ford and Darren McFadden wasn't bad enough, the Raiders look like they will be missing three more starters when the play the San Francisco 49ers this weekend.

Projected starting cornerback Chris Johnson, center Samson Satele and wide receiver Louis Murphy were all injured in practice this week. Johnson underwent an undisclosed medical procedure and the Raiders expect him to be back by the season opener in Denver. Satele was seen leaving the Raiders practice facility on his way to get an x-ray for his leg. It is unknown how serious Satele's injury is but coach Hue Jackson claimed the x-rays were precautionary and that it was not a serious injury. Finally, Louis Murphy also underwent an undisclosed medical procedure and is expected to miss the season opener in Denver.

Any injury is bad, but these three couldn't have come at worse positions.

The Raiders secondary was already weaker with the departure of Nnamdi Asomugha. Add to that the injuries to Hiram Eugene and Zack Etheridge and things looked serious. Now, starting corner Chris Johnson is also injured, meaning rookie Demarcus Van Dyke or second year players Walter McFadden or Jeremy Ware will need to step up in order to fill in opposite Stanford Routt.

Offensive line, once again, is the biggest hole on this Raiders team. Things started to look promising with the re-signing of Samson Satele. This meant that the Raiders would have their center position covered by a third year starter on the team, and they would be able to move Stefan Wisniewski to right guard, making the most out of a line with limited resources. Now, with Satele down, Wisniewski will be taking more snaps at center and the right guard position becomes a big question mark again. Hopefully Satele's injury is not too serious.

Much like many other positions, the wide receiver position has been ravaged with injuries. Darrius Heyward-Bey was injured early in training camp but is back now. Jacoby Ford suffered a broken hand and will hopefully be back by the opening game. Chaz Schilens injured his knee in the first preseason game against the Cardinals and is week to week. Now, it looks like the Raiders will have to do without Murphy for a good amount of time. He is expected to miss the remaining three preseason games and at least one regular season game. The Raiders wide receiving corps is very thin at the moment, but fans and coaches alike must be singing thanks for rookie Denarius Moore. While the injuries at the wide receiver position are certainly concerning, the fact that Moore will see additional time in the preseason is a great thing in my book.

Oakland Raider Training Camp 2011: Oakland Raiders Are Five Million Under the Cap

Through the willing restructuring of some large contracts and a few grains of Mr. Davis’ Salary Cap Dust, the Oakland Raiders, who many in the media criticized for their cap management, find themselves looking at a few key injuries and a little more than five million dollars left to fill in the gaps.

The team put some of that to work by signing two safeties to compete for Hiram Eugene’s spot on Special Teams and in the defensive Backfield.

The quality of players signed says something about the new culture in Oakland that has been solidified by Jason Campbell, Hue Jackson, Richard Seymour and Rolando McClain.

With players wanting to come to Oakland and a few million to spend, I would look for the team to sign “their” guys when they become available after August 30th (First round of Cuts) or even all the way up until the last day to sign free agents.

Here is a link to the Cap Numbers For Every Team

2011 NFL Free Agency: Oakland Raiders Sign Two Veteran Safeties

With back up safety and special teams star Hiram Eugene looking like he could miss a substantial portion of the 2011 NFL Season, the Oakland Raiders have signed two journeymen safeties in an attempt to fill the void.

The Raiders announced via their twitter page, that they had signed Matt Giordano and Josh Bullocks. Both safeties have been in the league since 2005, primarily playing as back ups.

Matt Giodano's name should ring a bell for Bay Area natives as he was an impactful player at Cal before going to the NFL. Giordano was a fourth round draft pick by the Indianapolis Colts back in 2005. He was a back up safety and special teams player with the Colts and earned a Super Bowl ring as a member of the 2006 squad that defeated the Chicago Bears. Giordano has also spent time with the Green Bay Packers, Atlanta Falcons and New Orleans Saints.

Josh Bullocks was also drafted in 2005, but was a much bigger prospect at the time. Bullocks was chosen in the second round by the New Orleans Saints. He played for the Saints until 2008, appearing in 62 games, and starting in 49 of those games. Bullocks never lived up to his second round draft status but has been able to be a consistent NFL back up. Bullocks also spent one season with the Chicago Bears.

Neither of these guys is going to push for a starting job in Oakland, but they could add some valuable depth to the Raiders secondary. Giordano in particular, is a very interesting signing. He has ties to the Bay Area because of Cal and will likely add to the team both in his play, as well as with his experience. Girodano has experience with very good quality teams in the NFL and not only has playoff experience, but also has Super Bowl experience.

Losing a guy like Hiram Eugene is never a good thing, but give credit to the Raiders for immediately going out and finding potential replacements who have NFL experience and could step right into the back up role.

Oakland Raiders Practice Hard, Rookie WR Moore Continues To Impress In Training Camp

The Oakland Raiders have responded well in training camp following their 24-18 loss in the preseason opener to the Arizona Cardinals. Though it was a preseason game, the team seems to have returned to practice with increased spirit and passion.

Sunday showcased one of the most physical practices for the Raiders. With safety Hiram Eugene likely lost for the season with a dislocated hip, a key focus for the day was trying out possible replacements for the punt team. Shawn Bayes, Shaun Bodiford and Chad Jackson all got looks on Sunday, and the Raiders will continue their search over the next few days in hopes of finding Eugene's replacement.

The team then focused in on interception drills with their cornerbacks. The Raiders' enhanced spirit was on full display when rookie Chimdi Chekwa willed himself to practice for the first time since his shoulder popped out on the first day of practice.

Another rookie, Denarius Moore, continues to impress with catch after catch. On Sunday, he brought down three impressive grabs to the tune of applause by Raiders fans. The fifth-round draft pick can't really be considered a one-hit wonder as he was during the first few days of training camp: Moore has continued to produce even as training camp has gone on and even during the first preseason game. He recorded more receptions than any other receiver during Thursday's game against the Cardinals, putting up 37 yards on three receptions.

All in all, the Raiders had one of their more intense practices thus far on Sunday, and they will look to continually make improvements before Saturday's preseason match-up against the San Francisco 49ers.

Oakland Raiders Training Camp 2011: Is Denarius Moore the Best Player on the Raiders?

Denarius Moore is something special.

When I saw the way Moore moved in the pre-season game against the Cardinals, it reminded me of the first time I saw DeSean Jackson when he was a freshman at Cal. I am not saying that Moore is the next DeSean Jackson, but he has that same impressive ability to make the first guy miss and the speed to make him pay for missing.

At first, I held back from actually making this comment to anyone because I knew that I would come across as an overzealous fan. Something that is entirely possible considering the Oakland Raiders’ struggles in recent years. I feel comfortable revealing my feelings now because I am not the only person to think that Denarius Moore really could be a special talent.

Steve Corkran of the Oakland Tribune had this to say about Moore in training camp:

Every day, Moore not only is the best wide receiver on the field, oftentimes he is the best player, period. It has reached the point where this isn’t some one-week wonder, flash in the pan or fluke. The man can flat out play.Denarius Moore is something special.

When I saw the way Moore moved in the pre-season game against the Cardinals, it reminded me of the first time I saw DeSean Jackson when he was a freshman at Cal. I am not saying that Moore is the next DeSean Jackson, but he has that same impressive ability to make the first guy miss and the speed to make him pay for missing.

At first, I held back from actually making this comment to anyone because I knew that I would come across as an overzealous fan. Something that is entirely possible considering the Oakland Raiders’ struggles in recent years. I feel comfortable revealing my feelings now because I am not the only person to think that Denarius Moore really could be a special talent.

Steve Corkran of the Oakland Tribune had this to say about Moore in training camp:

Every day, Moore not only is the best wide receiver on the field, oftentimes he is the best player, period. It has reached the point where this isn’t some one-week wonder, flash in the pan or fluke. The man can flat out play.

For a rookie picked in the fifth round to make any positive impression in training camp is difficult. For him to be called the best player on the field is beyond impressive. The word is out, Denarius Moore is something special.

As the preseason goes on, we will get to see just how special he is. Moore’s performance against the Cardinals has forced Hue Jackson’s hand, he must get the ball into this kid’s hands and see exactly what he can do. Moore could very well be making an argument to be a starter as rookie and the only way to see if he is the real deal is to get him involved early in games when the first team defense is still on the field.

Oakland Raiders Injury Report: Hiram Eugene Requires Hip Surgery

The Oakland Raiders have suffered their first significant injury early in the 2010-11 season. Hiram Eugene will require hip surgery after dislocating it when Deuce Lutui fell on him in the opening preseason game against the Cardinals. The Raiders have precious little secondary depth behind Tyvon Branch and Michael Huff, placing more pressure on Mike Mitchell and Stevie Brown to hold up the backline.

John Clayton of ESPN speculates that Eugene "could be" out for the season*. This is great journalism right there, using the word "could" to speculate on something to get off the hook if Eugene comes back in a few weeks. John Clayton also reports that Eugene "could be" at In-N-Out right now*, and "could be" ordering a Double-Double with Animal style fries, and "could be" doing it with two Maxim 100 models draped on either arm*. These reports may or may not be

*Only one of the reports above was actually tweeted by John Clayton. But John Clayton "could be" considering Tweeting about any of these things!

For more on the Raiders, go to Silver and Black Pride.

Oakland Raiders Training Camp 2011: How Many Reps Will The Starters Get?

In a normal year, being that this is game one of the Pre-Season, I would expect for the starters to play the first one or two possessions before giving way to the young players and veterans that are trying to stick with the team.

The 2011 Pre-Season is not quite an ordinary season. With only a dozen practices under their belts, it would make sense for the starters to either NOT play at all or play the first half.

Interestingly enough, the Raiders are a team that is 95% the same in the starters category, while Arizona will be breaking a new quarterback into the offense.

If the Cardinals leave their starters in against some of the unproven Raider defenders that would give the Raiders brass a chance to see how the 500 young corners competing for three spots look against a first team instead of against the goon squad that they usually try to impress the boss against.

Either way, I expect this pre-season to be quite different than in years past.

NFL Training Camp 2011: Michael Bush Turning Heads at Raiders Camp

Some speculated that Oakland Raiders running back Michael Bush would take a little while to get back into the flow of things after missing the first week of training camp as a restricted free agent. But since he has arrived with the Silver and Black, Bush has done nothing but impress. 

Head coach Hue Jackson was one of the most impressed up in Napa: 

"He looks awesome to me...looks lean to me, he looks quicker, he looks faster, and he still has that explosion. He's still come down hill on you and put that right elbow on you. So I'm excited to watch him play because he is one of the better players on our team and when he's carried the ball for us he's done some marvelous things."

Bush is preparing for the team's first preseason matchup on Thursday, and feels the Silver and Black have a great opportunity to take down the AFC West:

"To me, every year is open. We made a pretty strong statement last year, so if we can just pick up where we left off. I mean, it's been a lot of changes through the division with players and stuff like that but we kind of kept a lot of the players we had from last year so I think we'll be fine."

But if you had any doubt he was ready, Bush just has one thing to say:

"You call it, I'll haul it."

For more on the Raiders, head on over to Silver and Black Pride to get your fix.

Oakland Raiders Training Camp 2011: Oakland Raiders On the Bubble

Withe the unveiling of the intermediate depth chart yesterday, the Oakland Raiders announced to the team and the media who has moved up and who has moved down the depth chart.

In a very bold move, they released these details on their website: Complete List HERE

Some new names are making their ways up the list while others, like Darius Heyward-Bey, seem to be entrenched although they have barely practiced.

So, here is a look at some names that may move up or down after Thursday Night

Sterling Moore – DB – UDRFA – SMU: Originally from Oakland, Sterling looked up to Charles Woodson as a young football player. After attending Laney College, Moore transferred to SMU. Out of the entire Undrafted Rookie Free Agent Class, Moore has stood up the tallest, although he is probably only five-foot-ten.

In practice, he has shown an exceptional nose for the ball, intercepting two passes, and has been better in coverage than anyone not named CJ or Routt. he is the perfect size to play nickle and dime in this League and his play on Thursday may begin his ascent past Walter McFadden and Jeremy Ware and Joe Porter. It may come down to special team performance in deciding who will be in the last 5-6 corners kept on the roster.

Nick Miller – WR – Oakland Raiders: There may not be one player on the team from last year who has more to lose or gain on Thursday than Nick Miller. he has admittedly had a sub par camp and there are some very talented players nipping at his heels.

Camp sensation, Denarius Moore, already fifth on the WR depth chart, has flown by Nick and the newly signed Derek Hagan is not leaving any room for Miller to drop any more passes. Also in the unfortunate camp for Miller is that he was out of practice yesterday and may not be available on Thursday.

Quentin Groves – OLB – Oakland Raiders: It is quite easy to say that there has not been an Oakland defender, rookie or otherwise who has had a worse camp than Quentin Groves. He has been laid out by a running back (McFadden), blown past ball carriers without touching them and continues to arm tackle the air on most plays.

Ben LaMaak – UDRFA – Iowa State: If there has been an under the radar flier in camp that landed in a high spot on the depth chart it is Ben LaMaak. Currently listed as the back-up LG may have a chance to make this team. It really depends on how he plays on special teams because you can be sure that Wiz will kick over to LG if he loses out on the starting C job.

Some of these questions will be answered on Thursday, but, I am sure that many of these stories will take the entire three weeks to play out before the initial wave of cuts.

Oakland Raiders Preseason Depth Chart: Darrius Heyward-Bey Listed As Starting WR

When you first look at the Oakland Raiders first depth chart of the 2011 NFL preseason, nothing much jumps out at you. (Thanks to Jerry McDonald for the Oakland Tribune for finding this info!) The defensive starters looks exactly how it should look.

DE - Lamarr Houston

DT - Richard Seymour

DT - Tommy Kelly

DE - Matt Shaugnessey

OLB - Quentin Groves

MLB - Rolando McClain

OLB - Kamerion Wimbley

SS- Tyvon Branch

FS - Michael Huff

CB - Stanford Routt

CB - Chris Johnson

Moving on to the special teams...

K - Sebastian Janikowski

P - Shane Lechler

LS - Jon Condo

KR - Jacoby Ford

PR - Nick Miller

Seems solid, all's in order. Now, you turn to the offense...

QB - Jason Campbell

RB - Darren McFadden

FB - Marcel Reece

WR- Jacoby Ford

TE - Kevin Boss

RT - Khalif Barnes

RG - Cooper Carlisle

C - Samson Satele

LG - Daniel Loper

LT - Jared Veldheer

Not too bad. Everything looks like it's right in ord--

Wait a second.

Is that...

Oh no...

WR - Darrius Heyward-Bey

No.

NO.

NOOOOOO!!!!

For more analysis of the Raiders depth chart, go to Silver and Black Pride.

2011 NFL Over/Under Win Totals: 49ers At 7.5, Raiders At 6.5

Oakland Raiders Training Camp 2011: Satele Has The Upper Hand On Stefen Wisniewski

On the day that Stefen Wisniewski was drafted by the Oakland Raiders he was crowned the “Starting Center”. Now, ten days into training camp, the young Wisniewski is fighting to start at Center OR Left Guard.

As Hue Jackson has, recently, been quick to point out, “(Stefen) was the only center on our roster when he was selected”. It is worth noting that he only mentioned this after Samson Satele’s first complete practice, where, by the end of practice it was clear to everyone on the sidelines that Satele is the best option at this point.

Three times this Summer, Stefen has rolled a shotgun snap and twice, he and Boller have put the ball on the ground from under center.

This has caused the team to look at Wisniewski as a potential LG and he has been battling Daniel Loper for playing time at Guard for the past three practices.

This all seems to be playing out the way that Samson detailed it when speaking with reporters last Friday:

“Like I told the other reporter, if he’s the man, he’s the man, you know, I’ll back him up. If I’m the man then, you know, he may be starting at Left Guard or backing up both positions. So, let the best man win.”

A this point, it looks like Samson is the “Best Man”, but, don’t count young Stefen out, he is working hard and I am sure that we have not seen the last of him at Center.

Jason Campbell Is Hitting His Stride In Oakland

From the day that Jason Campbell was drafted out of Auburn, the sky has been the limit for the former #17 from Washington.

After being bounced around from coordinator to coordinator and subsequently being traded to the Oakland Raiders, Campbell was seen as a solid person and a bit of an underachiever.

All of that started to change last season, when, after being booed off of the field and replaced by journeyman, Bruce Gradkowski, he came back to lead an Oakland Raider victory in San Diego with three consecutive scoring plays to start the game.

For the last five games of the season, Jason Campbell’s stats were impressive (1,065 yards, 6 TD, 2 INT, 1 rushing TD), but, not as impressive as the never say die attitude that he instilled in his teammates. The team went 3-2 during that span and could have very easily been 5-0 with their only losses being a game that they threw away at the end against Jacksonville and a five point loss to the Colts.

In training camp, his former teammate Rock Catrwright has mentioned Jason’s growth, as has his former Offensive Lineman, Stephon Heyer:

“Jason has gotten better over time. His pocket presence and his huddle presence is definitely better than it used to be. It looks like he’s more of a leader, he’s comfortable and I can see that more now than ever”

When asked about taking a leadership role with young Denarius Moore, Jason commented:

“I want to make sure that everyone understands how this offense can be successful this year if we put our whole mindset into it and we understand what we’re doing. We understand that we’ve got a lot of young guys on this team, but, I told them, I said ’You’re a bunch of young talented guys that can make a lot of things happen’.

“Each day, It seems like our passing game is getting better and better. It was exciting to see that today because a lot of the guys who were running routes and making plays weren’t even our starters, so, that means that they are picking it up, so if someone does go down during the year, someone can step in there and get the job done”

If Jason Campbell continues this progression, he may soon prove to be the franchise quarterback that Oakland has been missing since Rich Gannon retired. Time will tell.

Justin Smiley Has Decided To Call It A Career

Offensive Tackle, Justin Smiley showed up in Oakland Raider Training Camp on Wednesday and by Saturday afternoon he’d decided to call it quits.

On Wednesday, Justin spoke of his motivations to prove that he wasn’t done. He’d passed his exit physical last season and his entrance physical for Jacksonville this year. He seemed to have a bit of a chip on his shoulder after being cut for a young draft pick.

But, by Saturday, there was a missing name and number on the roster that the media receives every day at camp, 51, Justin Smiley.

This prompted one reporter to ask Hue Jackson about Smiley after the session, to which Jackson responded:

“Well, Justin Smiley has made a decision to retire. He has. And, what a man. He came in to see me today and said ‘coach I just, this is just not for me right now’ and I respect that. The great thing about this place is, I told you, this is hard work. Everybody can’t do this. If your mind and body is not ready to do this on a daily basis, it’s tough. And he said ‘coach thanks for the opportunity but my heart’s just not in it anymore, football, so nothing against you or the Raiders but I just can’t do this anymore.’ And I respect that”

After two days of nonstop two hour practices and meetings until 10PM, Smiley realized that he just didn’t have what it took to take the punishment one more time.

Smiley had a solid career with the San Francisco Forty Niners, but, was set back by injuries in each of the past two years in Miami and Jacksonville.

One has to wonder if Mike Singletary’s Nut-Cracker took it’s toll on another, once promising career.

This leaves, Daniel Loper, Cooper Carlisle, Stefen Wisniewski, Roy Schuening and Ben Lamaak as the only healthy Guards in camp.

Langston Walker is still unsigned, Bruce Campbell is not back on the field yet and Stephon Heyer has one career start at Guard.

Raiders Training Camp: Michael Bush Signs Tender, Reports To Camp

The Oakland Raiders took care of some key business on Saturday as they finally convinced running back Michael Bush to report to camp on his restricted free agency tender. Bush was tendered at a first- and third-round level in March, although there were questions whether he would be restricted under the new CBA. Bush lost a year of accrued time because he spent his rookie season on the Non-Football Injury List, and thus has only three accrued years.

The return of Bush is significant given Darren McFadden’s current eye injury. McFadden is out approximately two weeks with the injury, which means he’ll probably miss the first two preseason games. Bush will take the first team snaps those two games. Last season McFadden carried the ball 223 times while Bush had 158 carries. McFadden has yet to have a full 16-game season, so it will be interesting to see how the Raiders work Bush into the rotation in 2011.

Raiders Training Camp: Darren McFadden Out One-Two Weeks With Eye Injury

The Oakland Raiders have already suffered some bad luck in training camp early on with Jacoby Ford breaking his left hand. Running back/return specialist Darren McFadden apparently got nicked up during a practice yesterday and missed some time. And it turns out it's more serious than that. Vittorio Tarfur of the San Francisco Chronicle reports that Raiders head coach Hue Jackson confirmed that McFadden has suffered a fracture to the orbital bone and he will be out for at least two weeks.

It's uncertain how McFadden sustained the injury, but Tarfur suggests that the injury might have been sustained when taking a huge block on a blitz pickup from safety Quentin Groves. It was McFadden's last practice play. The Raiders might now be inclined to move quickly to get Michael Bush back under contract with McFadden out and Taiwan Jones riding the bicycle.

For more on Raiders training camp, go to Silver and Black Pride.

Jacoby Ford Breaks Left Hand At Oakland Raiders Training Camp

Oakland Raiders head coach Hue Jackson planned for all-around spectacular athlete Jacoby Ford to be a big part of his offense and special teams this season. Jackson told Vittorio Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle that he planned to feature Ford so much that he would be a "household name" sometime this season. Ford's future did look bright, as he returned three kickoffs for touchdowns last year and was named AFC Special Teams Player of the Month last November (when he returned two).

Then he had to go and break his hand. Why'd you have to go and do something like that Jacoby?

Paul Gutierrez of CSN California reports Ford broke his left hand in practice, which probably means he'll be out for at least a few weeks. Unless it's a severe hand injury, it's pretty likely that Ford should be back in time for at least most of the season. But how much catching up will he have to do? It's a good thing he's really really fast.

For more on the Raiders training camp, Silver and Black Pride is where to go.

Raiders Training Camp 2011: Darrius Heyward-Bey Sits Out Practice With Foot Injury

Darrius Heyward-Bey, a starter at the wide receiver position last season, sat out thursday’s practice with a foot injury. While no one with the Raiders would give any details on the injury, Coach Hue Jackson did note that DHB may be back sooner rather than later.

Raiders defensive end, Trevor Scott is currently on the physically unable to perform list due to the knee injury which ended his season early last year. Now, news has surfaced that second year offensive lineman Bruce Campbell has an undisclosed injury that will likely land him on the PUP list as well.

While it is good to know that DHB’s injury does not appear to be that serious, it is critical that he be able to start practicing soon. DHB will be entering his third year in the league and needless to say, his first two years were pretty big disappointments.

While Al Davis and the Raiders might give DHB one more shot at the starting position, if he is not able to seriously pick up his level of play, he could be riding the bench before the end of the season.

Raiders Training Camp 2011: Bruce Campbell Fails Physical, Position Up In Air

Just about a week after talking about how great he felt on Eyes Radio, Bruce Campbell has reportedly failed a physical and is heading to the physically-unable-to-perform list. According to Vittorio Tafur, Campbell isn't yet on the list (Trevor Scott is on the list, still recovering from last season's knee ligament injury) but "probably will be."

Campbell is set to play tackle this upcoming season. Or perhaps he's set to play right guard. Or maybe ... well, it's actually unclear at this point. Most had assumed that Campbell would get a look at the right tackle position, but that he would eventually settle at right guard, where Cooper Carlisle played in 2010. Of course, it was never that simple, since Chuck Carroll of Football News Now reported that Campbell had confirmed the position switch to right tackle on July 21st.

 That's all well and good, except for the fact that Jerry McDonald has now tweeted that Campbell doesn't know which position he'll play:

OL Bruce Campbell says he hasn't heard what position he'll be playing. Played some T at Atlanta camp. Will play anywhere. Prefers OT

Chalk it up to new head coach Hue Jackson not wanting to make any decisions prematurely. Campbell would be happy anywhere, and just might be suited for tackle, but that's something they really need to discover in training camp and practice, not a conclusion they come to while sitting on the couch.

Either way, he's not going to be playing any position until that injury — whatever it is — clears up. 

Raiders Training Camp 2011: New CBA Rules Impacting Practices

The Oakland Raiders begin training camp on Wednesday with players reporting to Napa for physical examinations. The new CBA specifically addresses issues of player health as it relates to training camp and practice time. These issues will impact the Raiders and the rest of the NFL as they begin their somewhat limited preparations for the upcoming season.

The new CBA requires teams report no more than 16 days before each team’s first preseason game. That provides 15 days of practice and one day solely for physical examinations and other non-practice activities. The second and third day of training camp cannot have pads or contact. Those days would be Thursday and Friday for the Raiders.

One of the big changes is the removal of two-a-days. Teams are no longer allowed to conduct multiple padded practices in a single day. Instead, teams are allowed one padded practice limited to three hours with any second practice up to a four hour limit being a walk through.

It’s worth noting that free agents signed by the team, even their own, are required to report with their team but are not allowed to take part in physical workouts until the official start of the league year, which is expected to land on August 4. Prior to that date, signed free agents (again, including their own re-signed free agents) can be required to attend meetings, classroom instruction and any other non-physical activities scheduled during the training camp. They are not allowed to participate in on-field activities, workouts, weight training, or other physical activities. These restrictions do not apply to drafted or undrafted rookies who are under contract at any point.

Oakland Raiders 2011 Preseason Schedule Begins August 11

The Oakland Raiders are set to report to training camp in Napa Wednesday morning, 16 days ahead of their first preseason game on August 11. The new CBA mandates teams not have required reporting until 16 days before the start of a team's first exhibition game. That includes 15 days of practice plus one day for physical examinations, which the Raiders will conduct on Wednesday.

In the meantime, the NFL re-released the 2011 preseason schedule, including nationally televised games. The Raiders will kick things off Thursday August 11 at home in the newly re-named O.Co Coliseum. They make one national television appearance this preseason as they will be on NBC's Sunday Night Football telecast when they head to Baltimore to face the Ravens. The Raiders three non-national games will be broadcast on local television on to be determined stations. They can be heard via radio on Live 105 (105.3 KITS-FM).

Thursday, August 11 vs. Pittsburgh Steelers (7:00 p.m.)

Saturday, August 20 at Indianapolis Colts (5:00 p.m.)

Sunday, August 28 at Baltimore Ravens (5:00 p.m., NBC)

Friday, September 2 vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7:30 p.m.)

The Raiders will open their regular season on Monday Night Football, September 12 against the Denver Broncos on ESPN.

For more on the Raiders, visit Silver & Black Pride.

Oakland Raiders 2011 Training Camp: Players Report Wednesday

The Oakland Raiders announced that their players will be expected to arrive in Napa for the start of 2011 training camp on Wednesday July 27. Players began arriving Tuesday at the team's facility in Alameda with plans to head up to Napa with the team or on their own. The Raiders will provide players under contract with a bus to Napa Wednesday morning. Once the players arrive they'll spend the day undergoing physicals, receiving playbooks, meeting with their position coaches, and settling into their home for the next month.

The team has scheduled its first practice for 3:30pm on Thursday, with afternoon practices apparently being the norm through next Monday. What will be interesting for the Raiders is the fact that their free agents cannot practice with the team until August 4 when the CBA is likely to be officially ratified. Until then, even if players have agreed to terms they will be unable to engage in physical workouts. Although the Raiders expect to lose Nnamdi Asomugha when free agency opens on Friday, they also have guys like Zach Miller and Michael Bush who won't be in attendance early on. One would imagine the Raiders are working furiously to get deals worked out with Miller and Bush.

We'll be here over the course of Raiders training camp with news updates, injuries and of course, roster cuts. We'll have individual game streams for each preseason game, but otherwise training camp will be covered right here. For more in-depth coverage of the Raiders, swing by Silver and Black Pride.