Huff is shuffling around
By Jason Jones
Published 12:01 am PDT Saturday, July 1, 2006
ALAMEDA -- Michael Huff said he likes the idea of not worrying about what position he plays, instead focusing on just playing football.
And NFL.com apparently agrees with the Raiders' first-round draft pick. The Web site has Huff's position listed as "none," while Raiders.com lists him at cornerback.
Neither description is necessarily wrong. Huff is going to be asked to play all over the secondary, which suits him fine.
"I love doing it all," said Huff, who was the seventh overall pick from Texas. "If it's just being deep at free safety, lining up and covering the slot or blitzing, I love doing it all."
If Huff settles in at safety, he could join a list of young stars at the position who have emerged in recent seasons.
Teams have benefited from the do-it-all safety who is a ball hawk in pass coverage, a disrupter of the run game and an extra pass rusher when needed.
Baltimore rewarded Ed Reed on Tuesday with a six-year contract extension worth a reported $40 million, including $15 million guaranteed.
Troy Polamalu stars for Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh. Roy Williams is the face of Dallas' defense, and Rodney Harrison's versatility was vital to New England's last two Super Bowl teams.
Huff has spent the offseason learning multiple spots in the Raiders' secondary and said he understands his skills are important to the defense's progress.
"If they come out with three receivers, we don't have to bring in another corner to cover the slot -- I can do that," Huff said. "I can play in the box. I think it helps the defense more."
Help up front? There were reports that the Raiders were bringing in free-agent defensive tackle Grady Jackson for a visit, but that may not happen.
Jackson, 33, played for Oakland from 1997 to 2001, but his return would go against Oakland's plan of rebuilding around veteran Warren Sapp with young players.
The Raiders like third-year pro Tommy Kelly. They also like the potential of fourth-year pro Terdell Sands and second-year player Anttaj Hawthorne.
The Raiders also signed former Green Bay defensive tackle Donnell Washington this week.
A third-round draft pick from Clemson in 2004, Washington never played in a regular-season game because of injury and conditioning issues, and was cut by the Packers on June 9.
Same old Al
Sapp recently appeared on Fox Sports Radio and discussed a conversation with owner Al Davis, who said he enjoyed watching the NFL combine from home.
Davis was not present at the Raiders' mandatory minicamp in May, and he used a walker to get around practices last season. Coach Art Shell said in May that Davis is still breaking down film and providing insight, and would be around when players report for training camp.
"You're talking about one of the sharpest football minds you'll ever come around," Sapp said of Davis. "And he was like: 'I watched it on the TV, and it was wonderful. I don't think I'll ever go back.' "
Davis has been a combine fixture for years, and Sapp, like most observers, was stunned at the notion Davis would contemplate watching the combine on television.
"For Al Davis to say he's going to sit at home when the combine comes up is like sacrilegious," Sapp said. "That's like a (Miami) 'Cane putting on a (Florida) Gator helmet or something."
