Offensive Line On The Mend...

[Angry Pope]

O-line on mend: Sims' hip is OK

By Bill Soliday

ALAMEDA — Being 0-2 didn't exactly go well with Art Shell's morning orange juice. Fearing he was about to lose a second offensive lineman threatened a severe case of acid reflux.

But for a change, the news was good for the Oakland Raiders — as good as it could be for a team that has given up 15 sacks in two games.

Left guard Barry Sims did not have the hip flexor that was originally feared, an injury that could have terminated his season after just two weeks. Instead, he had recovered sufficiently to practice Tuesday.

"It's a big relief," Shell said. "We can't afford to lose any more guys."

Additionally, left tackle Robert Gallery practiced, leaving open the possibility he might be ready for the team's next game.

"He looked pretty good," Shell reported.

Sims, the team's most experienced lineman, had feared the worst.

"I was a little concerned at first at how painful it was," Sims said. "I couldn't do (anything). It was killing me, but today it feels pretty good. It feels 100 times better than it did (Monday)."

The medical conclusion was that Sims had suffered a deep strain early in the Baltimore game Sunday. He managed to play the entire game despite the injury.

"It was just 'finish the game,'" he said. "This is a tough business, and you need to be able to play when you're not 100 percent."

GALLERY'S SHOT: While Sims took part in team drills, Gallery worked out individually at his own request. He has been recovering from a partially torn calf muscle.

"I've got a lot of work to do ... and it's not going to do me any good sitting inside during practice," he said. "If you can't do it all and go 100 (percent), I think it's better to go out and work on technique and stuff. We need to — I need to — come out firing in two weeks."

He labeled his chances of playing against Cleveland on Oct. 1 as 50-50.

"I haven't gone anywhere near game speed," he said. "I'm not near ready to go. I'm just going day to day and am getting as much treatment as I can. The target is tomorrow. I know that's not going to be true, but I'm going to do everything between now and tomorrow to feel better.

"We're just lucky we don't have to play this weekend, so I can be smart about it and re-evaluate next week."

EXTRA POINTS: Shell has the Raiders working a light schedule this week with shorter than usual practices Tuesday through Thursday. The team will get Friday through Sunday off. ... Shell said even with Aaron Brooks out and only two healthy quarterbacks on the roster, the team had yet to decide on whether to sign a third quarterback for insurance until Brooks returned. "We just haven't looked at it yet," Shell said. ... Following what was described as operational problems at the Raiders-Chargers opener, the Oakland Coliseum Joint Venture (OCJV) announced Tuesday that changes had been made, specifically with regard to the parking licensee, Classic Parking. That subcontractor has been terminated, and a team of experts from a premier NFL facility have been flown in to assume responsibility for stadium management and operations. The OCJV issued an apology to fans and the Raiders for issues stemming from understaffing and other operational issues.

 

[Angry Pope]

No serious damage to Sims' hip; Gallery practices


ALAMEDA, Calif. -- The Raiders' beleaguered offensive line finally received some good news when MRI tests performed on guard Barry Sims' hip showed no significant damage, Oakland coach Art Shell said Tuesday.


Sims, who was hurt during the first half of Oakland's loss to Baltimore on Sunday, took part in individual drills at practice and could be back to full strength by the time the Raiders host Cleveland on Oct. 1.

"It surprised me," Shell said. "He said he's sore, but he's a fighter and he pushed his way through. [It's a] big relief. We can't afford to lose any more guys."

In addition to the news on Sims, Oakland also received a boost when left tackle Robert Gallery returned to practice for the first time since suffering a pulled calf muscle in practice on Sept. 13.



The former No. 2 overall draft pick, who was inactive for Oakland's 28-6 loss to the Ravens, only took part in individual drills but said he hopes to rejoin the team in time to play the Browns. The Raiders (0-2) are off this week with a bye.

"I'm not near ready to go, but I don't think it's going to do me any good sitting inside," Gallery said. "Better to work on my stuff and work as hard as I can without jeopardizing my chance of coming back."

The Raiders offensive line has come under scrutiny and heavy criticism after allowing 15 sacks in the first two games of the regular season. Quarterback Aaron Brooks absorbed several jarring hits in Oakland's season-opening loss to San Diego then suffered a strained pectoral muscle in his right (throwing) shoulder against Baltimore after getting hit while trying to recover a fumbled snap.

Brooks is expected to miss two to four weeks, which means backup Andrew Walter will start against Cleveland.

"I think its all written in stone right now, this is where our issue is," Brooks said of Oakland's offensive line. "I think coaches are going to do the best they can to get those guys going and do the best for our team."

It won't matter much who the Raiders have at quarterback, though, as long as the problems with the line continue. Center Jake Grove has been battling shoulder issues while rookie right guard Paul McQuistan was benched in the second half against the Ravens and replaced by sixth-round draft pick Kevin Boothe.

"I think [the criticism] is merited," said Sims, who has started 60 consecutive regular season games for Oakland. "Obviously, we're last in the league in sacks given up. You can never be proud of something like that. We're last in the league in a lot of offensive categories. We need to just all come together and get the job done. Right now, we're not getting the job done."

The Raiders are ranked last in the NFL in total offense, passing offense, first downs, sacks allowed and are 31st out of 32 teams in points scored. They are on pace to shatter the league record for most sacks allowed in a season despite having two Hall of Fame offensive linemen -- Shell and assistant Jackie Slater -- on the coaching staff.

Shell said part of the problem facing the Raiders has been communication among the offensive linemen, something the team began addressing Tuesday.

"It's tough in a loud situation like it was last week," Shell said. "There were plays that we audibled to and all of a sudden you have half the line getting it and half not getting it. So you have to have everybody on the same page and that comes from communication.

"It's tough. I don't like to lose. Losing is part of the game, it's going to happen. I don't like the way that we have lost," he added. "Right now, we've got one area of our team that's not playing well right now. But I truly believe we're going to get this thing turned. I'm a very optimistic person."

 

[Angry Pope]

Sims, Gallery ignore the pain

David White

Wednesday, September 20, 2006


Barry Sims and Robert Gallery are so eager to fix the Raiders' offensive-line problems, they didn't wait to get healthy before getting back to work on them.

Both starters returned to practice Tuesday, aches and all, which was sooner than Raiders coach Art Shell expected. After allowing 15 sacks in the first two games of the season, Sims, the left guard, and Gallery, the left tackle, are in a big hurry to silence their critics.

"I think it's merited," Sims said of the criticism. "Obviously, we're last in the league in sacks given up. You can never be proud of something like that. We're last in the league in a lot of offensive categories."

They're last in total offense, last in passing offense and third-to-last in rushing offense in the 32-team league. All accusing fingers point to an offensive line that hasn't given running back LaMont Jordan any holes or quarterbacks Aaron Brooks and Andrew Walter any time to make throws.

Gallery and Sims know this. That's why they practiced on the first work day of the bye week, when it would have been easy for Sims (hip) and Gallery (calf) to sit out a light workout that lasted an hour.

"I've got a lot of work to do," Gallery said. "I'm not near ready to go, but I don't think it's gonna do me any good sitting inside. Better to work on my stuff and work as hard as I can without jeopardizing my chance of coming back."

Gallery is supposed to miss two-to-four weeks after straining a calf muscle last Wednesday at practice. He says his chances of playing Oct. 1 against the Browns are "50-50."

Sims hurt his hip early in Sunday's game and played through the pain. He doesn't anticipate missing the Cleveland game.

"I didn't want to miss practice," Sims said. "Feels 100 percent better than it did (Monday). This is a tough business and you need to be able to play when you're not 100 percent. I was hurting pretty good, but it's gotten better as it's loosened up."

They're sorry: The Oakland Coliseum Joint Venture, the company hired to operate the stadium, apologized to the Raiders and their fans for problems experienced during the Sept. 11 home opener.

The company, run by Philadelphia-based Spectacor Management Group, responded to complaints that the stadium was understaffed to handle the sellout crowd. Fans experienced delays in parking and entering the gates, and fights in the stands were partially blamed on a lack of ushers.

As a result, Classic Parking was fired and experts from other NFL facilities are being brought to Oakland to help with stadium management and operations.

"(We're) committed to working with the Raiders to provide a first-class stadium environment for its fans," said OCJV President Wes Westley, who is also the president and CEO of SMG.

Briefly: Lions President Matt Millen called Raiders owner Al Davis to inquire about wide receiver Jerry Porter, but no trade offer was made, according to a league source. Porter asked to be traded before the season, but Davis wants him to return his $4 million signing bonus.

 

[Angry Pope]

O-line gets aid: Gallery, Sims back at practice
Sims refuses to let a sore hip sideline him, but a torn calf could be trouble for Gallery.

By Jason Jones - Bee Staff Writer
September 20, 2006

ALAMEDA -- There was finally some good news about the Raiders' offensive line.

Left guard Barry Sims, the unit's veteran and most consistent performer, practiced Tuesday, a day after coach Art Shell feared Sims might be out with a hip injury.

Left tackle Robert Gallery also returned to the field after partially tearing his calf in practice last Wednesday.

Sims has started 60 consecutive regular-season games and said a strained hip muscle wouldn't be enough to keep him out.

And with the way the offensive line has played in two games, Sims doesn't see missing time during the bye week acceptable.

Sims said he had limited movement Monday but was "100 times better" Tuesday and wanted to get on the field.

"I've got work to do," Sims said. "I watched the film, and I'm not happy with everything I see coming out of my game. It's a good opportunity for, a) me to get healthy and, b) to get better, just like everyone else. I didn't want to miss practice. I wanted to continue to get caught up. I'm still behind a little bit from missing games in the preseason. We'll be all right. We're going to get our technique straightened out and we'll be fine."

Shell said the last thing the offensive line needs is Sims to be out.

"Like I've said to Barry many times, 'You're the leader. You're the veteran in this group, so it's important that you lead us within that group,' " Shell said. "So having him out there stabilizes what we are trying to do with our group up front. You look up and see another young guy standing next to you makes you a little uneasy, but having said that, we have some young kids that are going to have to step up and play if they have to."

Gallery took part in individual drills and said it is "50-50" as to whether he would play against Cleveland Oct. 1.

"Obviously, I've got a lot of work to do, we've got a lot of work to do as a line, and it's not going do me any good sitting inside during practice," Gallery said. "If you can't do it all and go 100, I think it's better to go out and work on technique and stuff. We need to, and I need to, come out firing in two weeks."

Sorry, Raider Nation -- The Oakland Coliseum Joint Venture issued an apology Tuesday to the Raiders and fans for stadium operation problems during the season opener against the San Diego Chargers.

McAfee Coliseum was understaffed, which led to long lines getting into the parking lot and stadium, and problems in the stands because of a lack of ushers.

OCJV president Wes Westley has since visited Oakland and said in a statement Classic Parking had been fired.

 

[Chris_77]

I wish I could ignore the pain!

But seriously...

I hope they don't rush Gallery back before he's ready. I'm not fond of him but the last thing we need is his injury becoming more serious.

 

[Crossbones]

Funny thing is Gallery is the best OLman we have and it's not close. Scary, huh?

I think Boothe may have wrestled the RG spot from McNothin'...we'll see.

In sopme respects it does seem to early to panic by making wholesale changes to an already shitty OL but you can't sit there and watch non performers week after week. Other guys should have a chance to step up and I'd say Hulsey and Boothe both deserve a quality look see.

 

[Chris_77]

Funny thing is Gallery is the best OLman we have and it's not close. Scary, huh?

I think Boothe may have wrestled the RG spot from McNothin'...we'll see.

Scary?

More like depressing.

Hopefully Boothe can at least shore up the middle somewhat. In any event, it won't take a genius to predict where we're going this years top 10 pick.

 

[Crossbones]

Scary?

More like depressing.

Hopefully Boothe can at least shore up the middle somewhat. In any event, it won't take a genius to predict where we're going this years top 10 pick.

Yeah -- another DB.

 

[RaiderIVlife]

Scary?

More like depressing.

Hopefully Boothe can at least shore up the middle somewhat. In any event, it won't take a genius to predict where we're going this years top 10 pick.

We clearly need help along the O-line, but I'm still eyeing the best DE (or DT) available when we pick. The other selections can go to our O-line. I really think we're about one solid D-lineman away from being top-10 on defense, so why not finish the job?

Of course it would be nice to know if Andrew Walter is our QB for 2007 and beyond. That would make our draft strategy a bit easier.

As for Boothe, it looks like the door is certainly ajar for him to take the job. McQuistan has been completely outclassed thus far.

I was really hoping to see Hulsey take Grove's job as well, but now that Grove has played in two straight games, I suppose we stick with for continuity sake at this point. Maybe Hulsey can see some action in place of Sims.

As for Gallery, I tend to agree. Hold him out of the Cleveland game and get that thing fully healed. I'm still praying that we're all just judging him too harshly and that he's actually a decent LT with room for further growth. Doesn't appear that way to me, but I'd love to be wrong.

Ideally for me, we would see an open competition between Slaughter & Walker at some point. Walker looks like complete shit out there.

Damn, what a freakin' mess we have for an O-line. Not sure how can effectively evaluate Tom Walsh, Art Shell or the QB's with this crap line in place?

 

[Angry Pope]

For me, my draft strategy is to select the best player at the spot we have.

For example, if we are in the top seven, those players are usually close in value and ability. Based on that, I would select the position that would help us most.

The same would hold true for near the end of the first round rather than at the beginning. Usually there will be a group of players with similar value.

Where we get into trouble is when we select a player for need...Napoleon Harris and others.

What happens if the best player is a position we are already strong in? Then we have a good situation much like our receivers this year. We would then trade one. Of course, it works best when we receive their value in exchange.

That would set up our future with the draft because we would have spare parts of value that we could trade for draft picks. Those draft picks could either be used to move up or to acquire more talented players.

In the end, I don't want to see us pass up a player just because we have some of those at that position already.

 

[Angry Pope]

Gallery wrestling a calf

The prognosis for Robert Gallery's recovery from a calf injury was two to four weeks, and the big left tackle is doing everything he can to make sure his return falls closer to the "two" than the "four."

Tuesday, he surprised coach Art Shell by asking to take part in individual drills at practice. Trainer Rod Martin gave Gallery the go-ahead, so he suited up and pushed some pads around.

"Obviously, I've got a lot of work to do, we got a lot of work to do as a line, and it's not gonna do me any good sitting inside during practice," Gallery said afterward. "If you can't do it all and go 100 (percent), I think it's better to go out and work on technique and stuff. We need to, and I need to, come out firing in two weeks."

The Oakland offensive line, already plagued by ineffectual play - it has yielded 15 sacks in two games - has also had to deal with injuries, to center Jake Grove, left guard Barry Sims and Gallery. Gallery is the only one to miss a game.

He was practicing last Wednesday when his left calf gave out. "Just fired off, came up and fired off on a linebacker in a drill we were doing, and it popped," he said. "So it's definitely not one of those things where it's just kind of nagging. You know when you do it."

Gallery missed one game in his first two seasons, after breaking his fibula in Week 16 last year, and he is intent on missing no more than one this year.

"The target's tomorrow," he said. "I know that ain't gonna be true, but I'm gonna do everything between now and tomorrow to feel better, and I'm gonna do that the next day. We're just lucky we don't have to play this weekend, so I can be smart about it and re-evaluate next week."

Chad Slaughter filled in for Gallery at Baltimore, and had about as much success as the former No. 2 overall draft choice has experienced recently - that is to say, not much. Gallery watched the game and got "mental reps" as the Ravens victimized Slaughter and right tackle Langston Walker.

Gallery acknowledged that opposing defenses - starting with the Browns on Oct. 1 - will be bringing big-time blitz pressure until the Raiders prove they can handle it. But he remains optimistic.

"Actually, if you watch, as ugly as it is, it's been one guy (each play)," he said. "It's not always everybody screwing up. But one guy does, and it seems like everybody takes their turn, instead of all doing it at once. So we can sit and talk about it, or we can fix it

 

[Rupert]

Gallery echoed my sentiments with the final line. These guys are decent. I don't know that Gallery is by far the best OL we have. I don't know that McQuistan is a bust and needs to sit. I'd like to see a little more grunt than we get from Sims, but he's good. Slaughter did a decent job filling in (I challenge someone to show me how much better it would have been with Gallery). Grove has done a very good job out there, but I'd also like a little more grunt than he brings (maybe with time).

The Cleveland game will be a better indicator, but not necessarily a great one.

 

[Crossbones]

I don't think McUgly is a bust by any stretch.

I just think right now he's raw and not ready to be starting in the NFL. Take a seat you ugly MFer.

 

[Angry Pope]

Boothe makes his move

Jerry McDonald

ALAMEDA — So maybe I’d better move Kevin Boothe up a few spaces in my roster rankings.

And the Raiders ought to hold off on those comparisons between Paul McQuistan and Steve Wisniewski for awhile.

Boothe, a rookie sixth-round draft pick from Cornell, has taken over for the strugging McQuistan as the starting right guard at practice this week.

While coach Art Shell wouldn’t commit to Boothe having the job when the Raiders face the Cleveland Browns on Oct. 1, he acknowledged that McQuistan has had a rough time of it through two games.

“Paul is going to be an excellent football player in this league. At times when you put a young kid in there, they’re going to stumble a bit. They’re going to go back and forth. At this time, Paul just has to stay the course and he’s doing that. ”

Boothe, readers of this blog may or may not remember, was ranked No. 53 in terms of value on the 53-man roster by yours truly when the Raiders made their final cuts.

The sage prediction was that it would be a season of being inactive every Sunday while the Raiders worked with a guy from an Ivy League school who was essentially a project player.

That prediction was proved wrong in Week 1 when Boothe emerged in the very first series, playing right guard in a trick formation in which McQuistan was the tight end. He played for McQuistan in the fourth quarter of the Ravens game.

While the smart thing would be to defer to the experts who watch all the film, you wonder how fair this is to McQuistan. He’s installed as the starter from Day 1, people in the building are comparing his mean streak and tenacity to Wisniewski, and then he’s out as a starter after two games.

If he didn’t perform to the level of expectations, that’s fine, but it’s not as if the rest of the line was creating pancakes, either. McQuistan gets to play against what might be the two best, most active defenses the Raiders will face all season. He looks like a rookie and pays for it.

Then Boothe, another rookie, gets to take over in the third game against the Cleveland Browns. Look, the Browns have 370-something pound Ted Washington in the middle of a 3-4 defense so playing guard against Cleveland will be no day at the beached whale.

But you wonder if life will be less complicated against the Browns since their anchor is essentially a stationary target and the left end, Alvin McKinley, isn’t nearly up to the caliber of player McQuistan faced in games 1 and 2.

Of course, it’s possible the Raiders will simply mix and match depending on who is healthy and who is not, with the end result being that both McQuistan and Boothe end up as starters. Both were left tackles in college.

On Wednedsay, Barry Sims practiced for the second straight day at left guard and Robert Gallery increased his work load at left tackle.

Based on their salary cap figures, those two, health permitting, are going nowhere this season. Sims has the second highest cap figure on the Raiders (approximately $7.2 million) and Gallery is No. 3 (approximately $6.8 million). As of last July, only Randy Moss (approxomately $10 million) had a higher cap figure.

If McQuistan were to move outside — as he did in the trick formation in Week 1 — it would likely be outside, where Langston Walker resides.

Two rookies on the right side?

Stay tuned.

 

[Angry Pope]

Signs point to change on O-line

Steve Corkran


ALAMEDA — Raiders coach Art Shell stopped short of saying as much, but every indication points to Kevin Boothe replacing fellow rookie Paul McQuistan at right guard for the Oct.1 game against the Cleveland Browns.

Boothe worked with the starting offense in practice the past two days. He also replaced McQuistan in the second half of Sunday's 28-6 loss to the Baltimore Ravens.

"I'm preparing as I've prepared every week so far, which is expect to go in at any time," Boothe said Wednesday, "because it can happen at any time."

Boothe, 6-foot-5 and 315 pounds, was the second of Oakland's two seventh-round selections in the NFL draft in April. McQuistan went in the third round.

Shell said Boothe has impressed coaches with his work ethic, intelligence and desire.

"His performance level has been growing," Shell said. "He's been really doing well.


When he's in there, you know he's around because he's going to strike you. He has great feet, balance and things like that, so it's been a positive."

EXTRA POINTS: Left tackle Robert Gallery (calf) and left guard Barry Sims (hip) practiced Wednesday. Sims is expected to play against the Browns. Gallery remains "day-to-day," Shell said. ... Cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha (foot) did not practice. He said he expects to play against the Browns. His injury occurred early in Oakland's game against the San Diego Chargers on Sept.11. ... The Raiders are last in the league in turnover differential at minus-6.

 

[Crossbones]

... The Raiders are last in the league in turnover differential at minus-6.

That is a very disturbing stat.

Turnover ratio will tell you more often than not where you are as team.

 

[Angry Pope]

Moving up the depth chart CU grad Boothe earning more playing time with Raiders

Christopher Feaver


ITHACA — It has been a tough beginning to the NFL season for the Oakland Raiders.

After two straight blowout losses, Oakland is considered perhaps the worst team in the league. Television talking heads are saying an 0-16 record is possible.


But almost anonymously, a second-string rookie offensive lineman is making his mark with the Raiders. Kevin Boothe, a sixth-round draft pick out of Cornell, received more than a quarter of playing time at right guard in last Sunday's 28-6 loss to the Baltimore Ravens, replacing fellow rookie Paul McQuistan, a third-round pick from Weber State.

Boothe's performance caught the eye of Raiders head coach Art Shell. And Shell has not yet named a starter at right guard for the Raiders' next game, on Oct. 1 against the Cleveland Browns (The Raiders have a bye this week).
“Kevin did good,” said Shell in the San Francisco Chronicle. “The coaches felt that we needed to take a look at Kevin. Paul was having a few problems, so ... I said, ‘OK.' Not anything against Paul, but we're trying to get better.”

Boothe felt good about his performance.

“Personally, I played OK,” said Boothe in a phone interview Tuesday. “I played about a quarter-and-a-half. It was good to get out there.

“I'm trying to learn as much as possible, and apply everything I learned, on the field.”

Along with Seth Payne, a 10-year veteran nose guard with the Houston Texans, Boothe is one of two Cornell graduates currently playing in the NFL.

He also knows a little bit about playing on a struggling team. As a sophomore in 2003, Boothe was on the Big Red squad that finished 1-9, including an 0-7 mark in the Ivy League. In Kevin's senior year last year, Cornell finished 6-4.

“(The problem is) not paying attention to detail, really,” Boothe said. “One minor thing here, one minor error there. (Oakland) is a lot closer than people might think about getting out of this slump.”

The Oakland offensive line has been getting much of the heat for the Raiders' struggles.

“Whenever you are not playing well, the line bears the brunt of (the responsibility),” he said. “We are working hard to turn it around.”

At Cornell, Boothe was a dominant lineman, earning first-team All-Ivy honors three times, playing both guard and tackle. He is finding it not so easy to dominate in the NFL.

“One thing I quickly realized, unlike college, I'm not going to just bully people around in the NFL,” he said. “I'm not going to get 10-15 pancakes a game. Everybody here is big and strong. And more than that, smart. Everybody studies their opponents intensely on an individual basis. Tendencies, both on a team and individual basis. It's more of a thinking man's game.”

Football is now Boothe's job.

“I don't have to worry about doing term papers, or having class notes or reading to get done,” he said. “This is my job. It's all I have to do. I spend a lot more time, obviously, preparing for opponents and things like that.”

In Oakland's season opener against San Diego, Boothe appeared in a handful of plays at the end of the game, and also was on the Oakland kickoff return special teams unit.

“It was good to get out there, even on special teams,” Boothe said. “Those few plays helped me get adjusted to game speed.

“There is definitely room for improvement. I felt I held my own (last Sunday). It was a good first step.”

 

[Angry Pope]

The mass exodous

ALAMEDA _ Barry Sims was trying to line up tickets to an LPGA golf tournament in Blackhawk. Marques Tuiasosopo was catching a plane to Seattle. Warren Sapp was getting his cable fixed so he could watch television.

The Raiders can’t magically erase a 55-3 deficit and 15 sacks, but they can come back feeling better about themselves.

“You’d be surprised what a few days can do for you,'’ coach Art Shell said Thursday.

The Raiders have the weekend off, one of four teams which drew the first bye after just two games.

Ordinarily, that’s too early. In the case of the Raiders, it might be ideal.

The Raiders had one of the NFL’s longest training camps, starting on July 25, and had a five-game pre-season schedule because of their participation in the Hall of Fame game.

They opened with two brutal, physical opponents and paid the price in body aches and pains, not to mention the scoreboard.

Other than starting quarterback Aaron Brooks, who is out for the Cleveland game Oct. 1 and possibly longer, the Raiders could be at or near full strength when begin preparing in earnest next Wednesday.

Cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha (foot sprain) said he’ll be good to go. Fabian Washington, the other starting corner, is optimistic about how his pulled hamstring is healing.

Left tackle Robert Gallery termed himself at 50-50 earlier in the week, but practiced all three days. He has a chance to be ready.

Gallery will be returning to the facility over the weekend for treatment on his torn calf muscle. Anyone without medical issues is expected to stay away or get away.

“I want them to get away and relax, get with their families, enjoy themselves,'’ Shell said. “And while they’re away I know some of them will be thinking about what they’re supposed to do, how they can get better, how can they help the team get better. And I know that’s going to happen because that’s the nature of an athlete. Get away, enjoy your family, get refreshed and comeback ready to go Monday morning.'’

Shell said the coaching staff will get Saturday and Sunday off. He said his own plans include “honey-do’s'’ as well as visits to the doctor and dentist.

“Plus I’ll probably come in and get some work done,'’ Shell said.

One thing the Raiders apparently won’t be doing is giving a crash course to a new quarterback. They had a visit with Tommy Maddox, but Shell said the Raiders will likely head into the Cleveland game with Andrew Walter and Tuiasosopo, with Ronald Curry as No. 3.

Worth noting . . . Sims and Gallery continued to get in work during practice. Sims’ hip injury, which the Raiders thought might be serious on Monday, is virtually a non-issue . . . . G Paul McQuistan will continue to work at right guard in back of Kevin Boothe but will also see time at other positions, Shell said.

 

[RaiderIVlife]

I've read some rumblings that McQuistan might see some time at RT. Interesting, very interesting...

Kudos to Robert Gallery for remaining in Alameda to rehab.

 

[Angry Pope]

Boothe could get the call
Rookie getting first-team reps as fellow first-year offensive lineman struggles

PHIL BARBER


ALAMEDA - Raiders coach Art Shell knew full well the risks involved in starting a first-year player on the offensive line. And two weeks into the season, he might be close to sending Paul McQuistan to the bench.


But Shell isn't necessarily opting for experience. He acknowledged Wednesday that another rookie is taking the first-team repetitions instead of McQuistan at right guard.

"We're working Kevin Boothe there right now," Shell said.

When asked whether that meant Boothe would start against the Browns on Oct.1, after the bye week, Shell only repeated, "We're working Kevin Boothe there right now."

Both McQuistan and Boothe were acquired in the 2006 draft, the former a third-round choice from small Weber State and the latter a sixth-rounder from even-smaller Cornell. McQuistan was the sensation of the May mini-camp, and was starting by the launch of training camp in late July. Boothe's progress has been quieter.

"All throughout training camp, his performance level has been growing," Shell said of Boothe. "He has great feet, balance and things like that. ... When he pulls, the guys know that when they're on the other side, that he's going to strike them and strike them hard."

For his part, Boothe is trying not to read too much into what may be a trial promotion.

"If we're talking (next) Thursday or Friday and I'm still working exclusively with the ones, I guess I'll expect to start," he said. "But as of right now, I'm just going on as if it's a regular week, just trying to prepare for Cleveland, trying to get better during this bye week."

Although Shell admitted several times recently that McQuistan was struggling in his role as starter, he verbally supported the rookie Wednesday.

"Paul is going to be an excellent football player in this league," Shell said. "At times, when you put a young kid in there, they're going to stumble a bit. They're going to go back and forth. At this time, Paul just has to stay the course, and he's doing that. He's out there working as hard as he's ever worked before."

Boothe saw action for a couple of plays in the opener against the Chargers, but it was exclusively in a "jumbo" package that included three linemen to the right of center. At Baltimore , he replaced McQuistan on the Raiders' first drive of the fourth quarter.

"It was great to get the extensive playing time out of the way," Boothe said. "It was good to get in there and kind of get the jitters out. Once I got out there, football's football."

It has been quite an ascent for Boothe, who grew up in Plantation, Fla., the son of working-class Jamaican immigrants. He dominated the Division I-AA competition at Cornell, but he was viewed as a raw NFL prospect. On Wednesday, he was reminded that he has yet to distinguish himself on the professional level.

When reporters crowded around Boothe's locker to discuss his new responsibilities, he drew the scorn of his locker-room neighbor, running back ReShard Lee.

"Take your crowd and move, Boothe," Lee said, half-joking. "How you gonna take up my locker, Boothe? Excuse me ..."

Lee used his hands to measure off a portion of the bench in front of the rookie's locker.

"It's a foot," he said. "A foot inside your locker. Half your locker belongs to me."

"It's a rookie thing," the sheepish Boothe said, smiling. "I'm sorry, what was the question?"

There are a few: Will Boothe start against the Browns in Week4? Will he do any better than McQuistan? And can he - or anyone - save the Raiders' reeling offensive line?

EXTRA POINTS

LG Barry Sims (hip) practiced again and seems to be fine, but LT Robert Gallery (calf) did a little more than the day before. LB Sam Williams (ankle) and CBs Nnamdi Asomugha (foot) and Fabian Washington (hamstring) all remained out.

As of Wednesday, the Raiders had not worked out any quarterbacks as possible roster fill-ins during Aaron Brooks' recovery from a chest injury. Shell did say that the team had spoken to Tommy Maddox about his availability.