massraider
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8:00 tonight. One hour show devoted to minicamp. No idea how much they'll talk about us.
Raiders Mandatory Mini Camp #1
- Thread starter R4Life
- Start date
8:00 tonight. One hour show devoted to minicamp. No idea how much they'll talk about us.
MasterRaider
‘What Happens In Vegas’ YouTube Show
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Oh ok...so it could be about anybody? But you heard theyll mention us atleast right? So imma tivo it...thanks Mass
R4Life
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Russell's first practice
Posted by Jerry McDonald - NFL Writer on Friday at 2:21 pm
The sun broke through the clouds during JaMarcus Russell's first practice as a Raider, but there was no rainbow or pot of gold.
The gold will come when Russell signs his contract. The rainbows will come when Russell isn't throwing against the wind, as he was Friday morning.
"Hit the cutoff man next time," chided linebackers coach Don Martindale when one deep fling came up short.
Russell, wearing No. 2, operated as the No. 3 quarterback behind Andrew Walter and newly acquired Josh McCown. He never cut loose with the breathtaking long pass, although there were a few mid-range lasers which reached their target in an instant.
He was big, of course,"a monster of a man," as defensive tackle Warren Sapp put it.
Russell's velocity was a hot topic. Sapp took notice of a bullet caught by wide receiver Johnathan Holland.
"I bet he's got some markings on his chest," Sapp said. "If nothing else we're going to learn to catch with our hands or somebody's going to the hospital for some trauma."
"Looks like someone hired a jugs machine and put a torso on it," wide receiver Doug Gabriel said.
Russell, with limited action, showed good mobility and seemed to blend in well with his teammates. None of the quarterbacks were exceptional. Walter, in fact, had interceptions by Thomas Howard and B.J. Ward taken back the other way for what would have been scores.
Minicamp news and notes:
– Derrick Burgess was present and accounted for, wondering what all the "holdout" talk was about. As the team stretched before practice, Kiffin and defensive coordinator Rob Ryan made their way over to Burgess for a few words.
When asked afterward why he didn't attend the voluntary minicamp, Burgess said dryly, "It was voluntary."
– Sapp isn't the man he used to be. The veteran defensive tackle looks slimmer than he has in years, but didn't go into specifics about how much weight he lost.
"I haven't been on a scale in awhile and I'm not looking for one," Sapp said.
– Darnell Bing is a strong safety and changed his number to 29.
Considering he missed all of last season with a neck injury after being drafted by a linebacker, Bing is essentially a rookie.
But longterm, it could provide the Raiders with an opportunity to move smallish strong safety Michael Huff to free safety, a prospect that should make Stuart Schweigert uneasy.
– No one seemed too overly worked up about Randy Moss, positive or negative, although Sapp seemed happy there wouldn't be a distraction similar to the one a feuding Jerry Porter had with Art Shell last season.
"I'm sure we don't want Moss around here not playing, walking around in street clothes with a (middle-finger) shirt on like Porter," Sapp said. "We're in a much better situation. he has a team, we have a team. We cna go play. At least we can take that out of the mix."
– Robert Gallery took every snap with the first team at left tackle. On most plays, he was joined by Paul McQuistan at left guard, Jake Grove at center, Cooper Carlisle at right guard and either Barry Sims or Cornell Green at right tackle.
Sims said it was too early to be concerned with which side he was on or with depth charts.
– Kevin Huntley was taking reps with the first team defense at right end, with Tyler Brayton working at defensive tackle with the second team.
– Among those who did not practice due to injury were tight end Tony Stewart, running back Justin Fargas (both unspecified) and center Adam Treu (recovering from quadriceps surgery). Rookie running back Michael Bush (broken leg) won't be ready until training camp at the earliest.
– No sign of personnel executive Mike Lombardi. The Raiders are interested in NFL Network analyst Mike Mayock, but there is a question of whether Mayock is interested in relocating to the West Coast.
http://www.ibabuzz.com/raidersblog/
Posted by Jerry McDonald - NFL Writer on Friday at 2:21 pm
The sun broke through the clouds during JaMarcus Russell's first practice as a Raider, but there was no rainbow or pot of gold.
The gold will come when Russell signs his contract. The rainbows will come when Russell isn't throwing against the wind, as he was Friday morning.
"Hit the cutoff man next time," chided linebackers coach Don Martindale when one deep fling came up short.
Russell, wearing No. 2, operated as the No. 3 quarterback behind Andrew Walter and newly acquired Josh McCown. He never cut loose with the breathtaking long pass, although there were a few mid-range lasers which reached their target in an instant.
He was big, of course,"a monster of a man," as defensive tackle Warren Sapp put it.
Russell's velocity was a hot topic. Sapp took notice of a bullet caught by wide receiver Johnathan Holland.
"I bet he's got some markings on his chest," Sapp said. "If nothing else we're going to learn to catch with our hands or somebody's going to the hospital for some trauma."
"Looks like someone hired a jugs machine and put a torso on it," wide receiver Doug Gabriel said.
Russell, with limited action, showed good mobility and seemed to blend in well with his teammates. None of the quarterbacks were exceptional. Walter, in fact, had interceptions by Thomas Howard and B.J. Ward taken back the other way for what would have been scores.
Minicamp news and notes:
– Derrick Burgess was present and accounted for, wondering what all the "holdout" talk was about. As the team stretched before practice, Kiffin and defensive coordinator Rob Ryan made their way over to Burgess for a few words.
When asked afterward why he didn't attend the voluntary minicamp, Burgess said dryly, "It was voluntary."
– Sapp isn't the man he used to be. The veteran defensive tackle looks slimmer than he has in years, but didn't go into specifics about how much weight he lost.
"I haven't been on a scale in awhile and I'm not looking for one," Sapp said.
– Darnell Bing is a strong safety and changed his number to 29.
Considering he missed all of last season with a neck injury after being drafted by a linebacker, Bing is essentially a rookie.
But longterm, it could provide the Raiders with an opportunity to move smallish strong safety Michael Huff to free safety, a prospect that should make Stuart Schweigert uneasy.
– No one seemed too overly worked up about Randy Moss, positive or negative, although Sapp seemed happy there wouldn't be a distraction similar to the one a feuding Jerry Porter had with Art Shell last season.
"I'm sure we don't want Moss around here not playing, walking around in street clothes with a (middle-finger) shirt on like Porter," Sapp said. "We're in a much better situation. he has a team, we have a team. We cna go play. At least we can take that out of the mix."
– Robert Gallery took every snap with the first team at left tackle. On most plays, he was joined by Paul McQuistan at left guard, Jake Grove at center, Cooper Carlisle at right guard and either Barry Sims or Cornell Green at right tackle.
Sims said it was too early to be concerned with which side he was on or with depth charts.
– Kevin Huntley was taking reps with the first team defense at right end, with Tyler Brayton working at defensive tackle with the second team.
– Among those who did not practice due to injury were tight end Tony Stewart, running back Justin Fargas (both unspecified) and center Adam Treu (recovering from quadriceps surgery). Rookie running back Michael Bush (broken leg) won't be ready until training camp at the earliest.
– No sign of personnel executive Mike Lombardi. The Raiders are interested in NFL Network analyst Mike Mayock, but there is a question of whether Mayock is interested in relocating to the West Coast.
http://www.ibabuzz.com/raidersblog/
massraider
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Eh, someone else heard that.
But there a limited number of teams that have started their camps, so I am hopeful.
I thought I read 17 teams were having their mandatory post-draft mini-camp this weekend. I would think we would get a little more coverage then the average team considering we got the #1 overall pick in camp and a new head coach.
BigTron
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~ Derrick Burgess and Huntley starting huh? Where is Kelly at? Im so glad Burgess isnt holding out. We should give him a raise just for this reason.
~Bing to safety is a good move as well. The guy just shouldnt be back in coverage. You put him on the line to blitz the QB or you put him in on short yardage situations. With good corners like Aso and Fabs, and Huff back at FS, we can afford to have a safety making plays around the LOS. Just put Stu in on passing downs with Huff.
~Im glad Gallery is still taking the snaps at LT, I refuse to take another "Moss type Loss" on Gallery, he gets yet another chance from me. Grove at C is only because we cant rely on Newberry. I would have thought Coop would be our LG to help Gallery instead of Boothe though?
~ Walter throwing two picks returned to the house makes the J-Rock pick feel even better!
~Bing to safety is a good move as well. The guy just shouldnt be back in coverage. You put him on the line to blitz the QB or you put him in on short yardage situations. With good corners like Aso and Fabs, and Huff back at FS, we can afford to have a safety making plays around the LOS. Just put Stu in on passing downs with Huff.
~Im glad Gallery is still taking the snaps at LT, I refuse to take another "Moss type Loss" on Gallery, he gets yet another chance from me. Grove at C is only because we cant rely on Newberry. I would have thought Coop would be our LG to help Gallery instead of Boothe though?
~ Walter throwing two picks returned to the house makes the J-Rock pick feel even better!
Raidermania12
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Bing at safety is the first Kiffin move i personally dont like. He doesnt cover enough ground to cut it at SS imo. But the USC love i'm sure is factored in.
Not me. I've been wondering if Boothe had the quickness and mobility to fit in a Bronco line scheme ever since Cable was hired. Coop played RG last year and McQ says he feels more comfortable on the left side then right and his play last year at the beginning of the year and at the end seems to support that.
R4Life
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Checking in from Raiders' mini-camp
Football is back. It's a fairly fitful version, with some players going three-quarters speed, others sitting out with minor injuries and plenty of balls hitting the ground. But it's football nonetheless, far removed from the hot air of NFL draft weekend. The Raiders' mandatory mini-camp opened today to the sound of grunts, line calls, plastic pads clattering - and of course Warren Sapp's booming baritone.
I'll be writing plenty about the team over the next couple days. But with one practice in the bag and another slated for 4:15 p.m., here are a few of the things that stood out for me right away.
SOME GUYS HAVE CHANGED POSITION: You knew Barry Sims had moved from guard back to tackle, but he isn't the only one on the move. Tyler Brayton apparently has gone from defensive end to defensive tackle. He was inside on the few plays I witnessed during a previous mini-camp, and he was there again this morning. Brayton doesn't seem bulky enough for tackle, but what do I know? Finally, Darnell Bing, converted from safety to outside linebacker when the Raiders drafted him a year ago, is a safety again.
WE'VE GOT NUMBERS: Bing has a new jersey number (29) to go along with his position. Jerry Porter, of course, has switched from 84 to 81, and it turns out Doug Gabriel has traded in 85 for 80 - previously worn by his mentor, Jerry Rice. As for some of the prominent new guys, quarterback JaMarcus Russell is 2, tight end Zach Miller is 45, defensive end Quentin Moses is 96, quarterback Josh McCown is 12, wide receiver Mike Williams is 17 and running back Michael Bush is 43. (80 & 81 again - a man can dream)
BURGESS IS HERE: Pro Bowl defensive end Derrick Burgess skipped the voluntary camp a couple weeks ago, leading to speculation he would hold out for more money in 2007. He admitted this morning that he wants a raise, but said it would not affect his attendance or effort. Asked why he missed the voluntary camp, he answered, as only Burgess can, "Because it was voluntary."
SAPP IS SLIM: Thirty-four-year-old defensive tackle Warren Sapp looks 20 pounds lighter than last time I saw him - a reversal of the last couple offseasons. He wouldn't say how much weight he has lost: "I haven't seen a scale in awhile and I'm not looking for one."
GALLERY IS ENTRENCHED: At the voluntary camp, Sims and Robert Gallery alternated at left tackle. Today, Gallery got all the work there with the first-team offensive line, while Sims split reps with Cornell Green at right tackle. For the record, Paul McQuistan was at left guard, Jake Grove at center, and Kevin Boothe and Cooper Carlisle shared time at right guard.
HE'S B-I-G: Russell? Sure, he's a monster. But the player who really jumped out was Williams, the receiver acquired Saturday in a trade with Detroit. He was listed at 6-5, 234 pounds with the Lions last year. He looks even heavier, and it's all muscle. Just another reason it was smart to take a chance on him. Of course, with this team's recent history, Williams should be worried he'll be converted to tight end.
Posted May 4, 2007 3:06:27 PM
Permalink: http://raiders.pressdemocrat.com/default.asp?item=591350
Football is back. It's a fairly fitful version, with some players going three-quarters speed, others sitting out with minor injuries and plenty of balls hitting the ground. But it's football nonetheless, far removed from the hot air of NFL draft weekend. The Raiders' mandatory mini-camp opened today to the sound of grunts, line calls, plastic pads clattering - and of course Warren Sapp's booming baritone.
I'll be writing plenty about the team over the next couple days. But with one practice in the bag and another slated for 4:15 p.m., here are a few of the things that stood out for me right away.
SOME GUYS HAVE CHANGED POSITION: You knew Barry Sims had moved from guard back to tackle, but he isn't the only one on the move. Tyler Brayton apparently has gone from defensive end to defensive tackle. He was inside on the few plays I witnessed during a previous mini-camp, and he was there again this morning. Brayton doesn't seem bulky enough for tackle, but what do I know? Finally, Darnell Bing, converted from safety to outside linebacker when the Raiders drafted him a year ago, is a safety again.
WE'VE GOT NUMBERS: Bing has a new jersey number (29) to go along with his position. Jerry Porter, of course, has switched from 84 to 81, and it turns out Doug Gabriel has traded in 85 for 80 - previously worn by his mentor, Jerry Rice. As for some of the prominent new guys, quarterback JaMarcus Russell is 2, tight end Zach Miller is 45, defensive end Quentin Moses is 96, quarterback Josh McCown is 12, wide receiver Mike Williams is 17 and running back Michael Bush is 43. (80 & 81 again - a man can dream)
BURGESS IS HERE: Pro Bowl defensive end Derrick Burgess skipped the voluntary camp a couple weeks ago, leading to speculation he would hold out for more money in 2007. He admitted this morning that he wants a raise, but said it would not affect his attendance or effort. Asked why he missed the voluntary camp, he answered, as only Burgess can, "Because it was voluntary."
SAPP IS SLIM: Thirty-four-year-old defensive tackle Warren Sapp looks 20 pounds lighter than last time I saw him - a reversal of the last couple offseasons. He wouldn't say how much weight he has lost: "I haven't seen a scale in awhile and I'm not looking for one."
GALLERY IS ENTRENCHED: At the voluntary camp, Sims and Robert Gallery alternated at left tackle. Today, Gallery got all the work there with the first-team offensive line, while Sims split reps with Cornell Green at right tackle. For the record, Paul McQuistan was at left guard, Jake Grove at center, and Kevin Boothe and Cooper Carlisle shared time at right guard.
HE'S B-I-G: Russell? Sure, he's a monster. But the player who really jumped out was Williams, the receiver acquired Saturday in a trade with Detroit. He was listed at 6-5, 234 pounds with the Lions last year. He looks even heavier, and it's all muscle. Just another reason it was smart to take a chance on him. Of course, with this team's recent history, Williams should be worried he'll be converted to tight end.
Posted May 4, 2007 3:06:27 PM
Permalink: http://raiders.pressdemocrat.com/default.asp?item=591350
Langlier
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so far so good... lets hope the new 80 and 81 can give us the production of the old 80 and 81
Sapp playing lighter at DT and Brayton playing DT could be interesting. Something I haven't heard yet is who is starting next to sapp... Terd? Kelly?
Huntley starting at RE wont last long IMO... Brayton, Kelly, or Moses will claim it before preseason game 1.
Bigger Mike Williams.
gogo Gallery!
I'm ok with the shifts weve made on OL... though id rather we put Boothe at RT then Green.
Sapp playing lighter at DT and Brayton playing DT could be interesting. Something I haven't heard yet is who is starting next to sapp... Terd? Kelly?
Huntley starting at RE wont last long IMO... Brayton, Kelly, or Moses will claim it before preseason game 1.
Bigger Mike Williams.
gogo Gallery!
I'm ok with the shifts weve made on OL... though id rather we put Boothe at RT then Green.
hawaiianboy
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I'd be surprised if that was a Kiff move... I think at this stage he would defer to Ryan when it comes to the defense... Maybe Ryan saw the same things alot of posters did: a starting free safety that didn't make many plays on the ball and a starting box safety who is going to take a beating playing at around 200 lbs...
Wouldn't surprise me in the least if the plan is indeed to play Huff as an Ed Reed type man free deep safety and Bing as an Adrian Wilson SS/rover type with Schweig moving to a nickle safety role...
With Sapp slimming down and Brayton getting snaps at DT, anybody think we're going to one gap up front?...
Burgess showing up is the best news of the day!!...
hawaiianboy
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John Clayton
ALAMEDA, Calif. -- A year ago, Jerry Porter was buried so deep in coach Art Shell's doghouse he gave up on the chance of getting a few bones.
Shell, trying to re-establish old-style Raider attitude, kicked him out of his office early in the offseason when Porter talked about getting more catches and training in Florida instead of Oakland. As bad as that was, things only went downhill from there for Porter. Shell kept Porter either inactive or suspended. Meanwhile, the Raiders kept losing in an offense that produced only 12 touchdown drives.
Al Davis wanted a change, a complete change. He fired Shell after one season. He replaced old school with high school. Going against the odds, Shell hired 31-year-old Lane Kiffin, who last year spent his weekdays recruiting high school athletes and his Saturdays calling plays for Pete Carroll's USC offense.
Raiders QB JaMarcus Russell flashed his strong arm on his first day as a pro.The most noticeable difference as Kiffin held his first post-draft practice is the noise and energy on the field. Shell tried to bring back Raider professionalism and accountability. Kiffin wants tempo.
Offensive line coach Tom Cable kept the offensive linemen moving and blocking constantly during drill work Friday. Players moved seamlessly from drill to drill. During seven-on-seven and team drills, waves of receiver assistants chased receivers down the field, critiquing their blocking or route running.
No one had time to rest on his laurels. When you go 2-14, there are no laurels to rest on.
"Anything different from what we had last year is a welcome change," Porter said. "It's a breath of fresh air."
For Porter, it was great just to break a sweat. He described Kiffin's practices as "fast, fast, fast, fast and fast. Just when you think you think you are slowing down, you go faster."
Porter has to go back to the Jon Gruden days in 2001 to recall this type of tempo in practice. For Porter and the Raiders, 2006 was a nightmare. It was so bad, the veteran receiver tried to erase the entire season from his mind.
"I don't remember last year," Porter said. "You keep saying the words [last year], and it doesn't even register to me."
Porter went for the total makeover. He changed his number to 81, Tim Brown's old jersey number. Instead of being an inactive afterthought, he has moved into being the No. 1 receiver in Kiffin's new offense now that Randy Moss has been traded to the Patriots.
Shell tried to bring back the vertical-stretch offense to Oakland, but it didn't pan out. Poor blocking didn't give Aaron Brooks or Andrew Walter enough time to set up and throw passes. Porter was constantly being disciplined. Moss was unmotivated. He became so down on the game of football he was willing to take a $7 million pay cut to leave Oakland and join the Patriots.
But there is a different feel to this team. Kiffin has brought in a fresh approach. Who knows whether it will work, but change was needed. Even defensive players such as Warren Sapp have picked up on the energy. Sapp likes what he sees so far. More than anything, he likes not seeing the bad images of the 2006 season.
"Well, I'm sure we don't have Randy Moss around not playing," Sapp said. "We don't have someone walking around in street clothes ... like Porter. We're in a much better situation. We have a team. We can go play. At least, we can take that out of the mix. I waited 13 years to get the No. 1 pick in the draft and have a No. 1 receiver [Moss] walking around all day not playing and the second best receiver [Porter] on the team not playing.
"Trust me, I went through enough last year with that. Give me somebody who's going to play and let's play."
Sapp didn't change his No. 99, but he did change his body. He looks thinner, though he wouldn't specify how much weight he's lost. During Friday's practice, the 34-year-old defensive tackle was moving around like he was 20-something.
Aside from Kiffin's youthful approach to the practices, all eyes were on first-round choice JaMarcus Russell. The 6-foot-5 LSU quarterback has a rifle for an arm. Though many of his passes may not have gone to the right spot, Russell wowed teammates and observers with tight spirals that looked as though they were fired out of a bazooka.
Russell was running third team behind Walter and Josh McCown, but it's pretty clear the Raiders don't regret selecting him. Russell has good command in the huddle even though he rushed some of his early calls. After all, it was only his first day as a pro.
Porter didn't get a chance to catch any passes from Russell, but at least he was on the field. Kiffin told the team that all starting jobs are open. As the highest-paid and most talented receiver on the team, Porter felt revived.
It is a new season with a new coach and a new quarterback in development. The Raiders felt as though they needed a fresh start, and life around the team is different with a 31-year-old head coach. The reviews are positive and now there is hope for a change.
John Clayton is a senior writer for ESPN.com.
ALAMEDA, Calif. -- A year ago, Jerry Porter was buried so deep in coach Art Shell's doghouse he gave up on the chance of getting a few bones.
Shell, trying to re-establish old-style Raider attitude, kicked him out of his office early in the offseason when Porter talked about getting more catches and training in Florida instead of Oakland. As bad as that was, things only went downhill from there for Porter. Shell kept Porter either inactive or suspended. Meanwhile, the Raiders kept losing in an offense that produced only 12 touchdown drives.
Al Davis wanted a change, a complete change. He fired Shell after one season. He replaced old school with high school. Going against the odds, Shell hired 31-year-old Lane Kiffin, who last year spent his weekdays recruiting high school athletes and his Saturdays calling plays for Pete Carroll's USC offense.
Raiders QB JaMarcus Russell flashed his strong arm on his first day as a pro.The most noticeable difference as Kiffin held his first post-draft practice is the noise and energy on the field. Shell tried to bring back Raider professionalism and accountability. Kiffin wants tempo.
Offensive line coach Tom Cable kept the offensive linemen moving and blocking constantly during drill work Friday. Players moved seamlessly from drill to drill. During seven-on-seven and team drills, waves of receiver assistants chased receivers down the field, critiquing their blocking or route running.
No one had time to rest on his laurels. When you go 2-14, there are no laurels to rest on.
"Anything different from what we had last year is a welcome change," Porter said. "It's a breath of fresh air."
For Porter, it was great just to break a sweat. He described Kiffin's practices as "fast, fast, fast, fast and fast. Just when you think you think you are slowing down, you go faster."
Porter has to go back to the Jon Gruden days in 2001 to recall this type of tempo in practice. For Porter and the Raiders, 2006 was a nightmare. It was so bad, the veteran receiver tried to erase the entire season from his mind.
"I don't remember last year," Porter said. "You keep saying the words [last year], and it doesn't even register to me."
Porter went for the total makeover. He changed his number to 81, Tim Brown's old jersey number. Instead of being an inactive afterthought, he has moved into being the No. 1 receiver in Kiffin's new offense now that Randy Moss has been traded to the Patriots.
Shell tried to bring back the vertical-stretch offense to Oakland, but it didn't pan out. Poor blocking didn't give Aaron Brooks or Andrew Walter enough time to set up and throw passes. Porter was constantly being disciplined. Moss was unmotivated. He became so down on the game of football he was willing to take a $7 million pay cut to leave Oakland and join the Patriots.
But there is a different feel to this team. Kiffin has brought in a fresh approach. Who knows whether it will work, but change was needed. Even defensive players such as Warren Sapp have picked up on the energy. Sapp likes what he sees so far. More than anything, he likes not seeing the bad images of the 2006 season.
"Well, I'm sure we don't have Randy Moss around not playing," Sapp said. "We don't have someone walking around in street clothes ... like Porter. We're in a much better situation. We have a team. We can go play. At least, we can take that out of the mix. I waited 13 years to get the No. 1 pick in the draft and have a No. 1 receiver [Moss] walking around all day not playing and the second best receiver [Porter] on the team not playing.
"Trust me, I went through enough last year with that. Give me somebody who's going to play and let's play."
Sapp didn't change his No. 99, but he did change his body. He looks thinner, though he wouldn't specify how much weight he's lost. During Friday's practice, the 34-year-old defensive tackle was moving around like he was 20-something.
Aside from Kiffin's youthful approach to the practices, all eyes were on first-round choice JaMarcus Russell. The 6-foot-5 LSU quarterback has a rifle for an arm. Though many of his passes may not have gone to the right spot, Russell wowed teammates and observers with tight spirals that looked as though they were fired out of a bazooka.
Russell was running third team behind Walter and Josh McCown, but it's pretty clear the Raiders don't regret selecting him. Russell has good command in the huddle even though he rushed some of his early calls. After all, it was only his first day as a pro.
Porter didn't get a chance to catch any passes from Russell, but at least he was on the field. Kiffin told the team that all starting jobs are open. As the highest-paid and most talented receiver on the team, Porter felt revived.
It is a new season with a new coach and a new quarterback in development. The Raiders felt as though they needed a fresh start, and life around the team is different with a 31-year-old head coach. The reviews are positive and now there is hope for a change.
John Clayton is a senior writer for ESPN.com.
R4Life
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Russell Makes Impression on Raiders
JaMarcus Russell dropped back and fired a pass though tight coverage that hit fellow rookie Johnathan Holland between the 1 and the 8 on his jersey. The top pick with the rocket arm made an immediate impression on the Oakland Raiders in his first practice Friday.
"I think that kid, 18, is in there getting a rubdown," defensive tackle Warren Sapp said. "Caught that square-in, I bet he’s got some markings on his chest. If nothing else, we’re going to learn to catch with our hands or somebody’s going to the hospital for some trauma. That kid’s got a live arm so let’s have some fun with it."
Russell’s first day of practice showed off the inconsistencies that almost all rookies have when they make the transition to the NFL. He was able to drill spirals through tight coverage, but also fumbled two snaps from center, overthrew Jerry Porter on a deep pass down the sideline and missed the target on some shorter throws.
Even though he didn’t get a chance to heave the ball 80 yards like he supposedly is able, Russell’s strong arm was the talk of the day among his new teammates.
"It looks like someone hired a JUGS machine and put a jersey on it," Porter said. "Man, he can throw the ball. I see why he’s the first overall."
Despite the enthusiasm surrounding Russell’s arrival, the Raiders are planning to bring him along gradually and they had him working behind Andrew Walter and Josh McCown in most drills. After almost every throw, one of his coaches or McCown pulled Russell aside to give him a quick piece of advice.
"That speaks to his character. He’s a kid who wants to learn," McCown said. "When you get special players like that who have the talent and the will to learn, that’s when you get greatness. The sky’s the limit for him if he maintains this attitude and continues to learn and be open to grow. I think you’ll see him develop rather quickly."
McCown is the most experienced quarterback on the Raiders’ roster, having made 22 career starts before being acquired in a draft-day trade from Detroit last weekend. Walter struggled in his first season, going 2-6 as a starter and committing 22 turnovers while throwing just three touchdown passes.
But the two know they are just keeping the starting seat warm until Russell is ready to take over.
"He’s special. He’s gifted, no question about it," McCown said. "Now it’s just about honing his skills. ... We need to help him hone those skills and help him develop into a big-time quarterback because the skills are all there. The arm is unbelievable. He’s a terrific kid and he’s fun to be around. I look forward to working with him."
Russell went 25-4 as LSU’s starting quarterback, capping his career by throwing for 332 yards and two TDs in a 41-14 Sugar Bowl win over Notre Dame. He finished his career with the Tigers by throwing the second most touchdown passes (52) and having the second highest completion percentage (61.9 percent) in school history.
That success combined with a 6-foot-6, 260-pound frame and a rocket arm made Russell the Raiders’ choice with the No. 1 pick last week. The Raiders are building their future around the 21-year-old quarterback, hoping he will help transform an offense that scored just 12 touchdowns last season on the way to a 2-14 record.
But his teammates are tempering expectations.
"I think we’ll have to have realistic goals for the guy. Everyone else is going to put a lot of pressure on him," receiver Ronald Curry said. "It’s just the first day. The playbook is small for everybody. It’s tailored down. I don’t think you can get a true indication of what he can do right now."
http://www.kstp.com/article/stories/S77483.shtml?cat=138
JaMarcus Russell dropped back and fired a pass though tight coverage that hit fellow rookie Johnathan Holland between the 1 and the 8 on his jersey. The top pick with the rocket arm made an immediate impression on the Oakland Raiders in his first practice Friday.
"I think that kid, 18, is in there getting a rubdown," defensive tackle Warren Sapp said. "Caught that square-in, I bet he’s got some markings on his chest. If nothing else, we’re going to learn to catch with our hands or somebody’s going to the hospital for some trauma. That kid’s got a live arm so let’s have some fun with it."
Russell’s first day of practice showed off the inconsistencies that almost all rookies have when they make the transition to the NFL. He was able to drill spirals through tight coverage, but also fumbled two snaps from center, overthrew Jerry Porter on a deep pass down the sideline and missed the target on some shorter throws.
Even though he didn’t get a chance to heave the ball 80 yards like he supposedly is able, Russell’s strong arm was the talk of the day among his new teammates.
"It looks like someone hired a JUGS machine and put a jersey on it," Porter said. "Man, he can throw the ball. I see why he’s the first overall."
Despite the enthusiasm surrounding Russell’s arrival, the Raiders are planning to bring him along gradually and they had him working behind Andrew Walter and Josh McCown in most drills. After almost every throw, one of his coaches or McCown pulled Russell aside to give him a quick piece of advice.
"That speaks to his character. He’s a kid who wants to learn," McCown said. "When you get special players like that who have the talent and the will to learn, that’s when you get greatness. The sky’s the limit for him if he maintains this attitude and continues to learn and be open to grow. I think you’ll see him develop rather quickly."
McCown is the most experienced quarterback on the Raiders’ roster, having made 22 career starts before being acquired in a draft-day trade from Detroit last weekend. Walter struggled in his first season, going 2-6 as a starter and committing 22 turnovers while throwing just three touchdown passes.
But the two know they are just keeping the starting seat warm until Russell is ready to take over.
"He’s special. He’s gifted, no question about it," McCown said. "Now it’s just about honing his skills. ... We need to help him hone those skills and help him develop into a big-time quarterback because the skills are all there. The arm is unbelievable. He’s a terrific kid and he’s fun to be around. I look forward to working with him."
Russell went 25-4 as LSU’s starting quarterback, capping his career by throwing for 332 yards and two TDs in a 41-14 Sugar Bowl win over Notre Dame. He finished his career with the Tigers by throwing the second most touchdown passes (52) and having the second highest completion percentage (61.9 percent) in school history.
That success combined with a 6-foot-6, 260-pound frame and a rocket arm made Russell the Raiders’ choice with the No. 1 pick last week. The Raiders are building their future around the 21-year-old quarterback, hoping he will help transform an offense that scored just 12 touchdowns last season on the way to a 2-14 record.
But his teammates are tempering expectations.
"I think we’ll have to have realistic goals for the guy. Everyone else is going to put a lot of pressure on him," receiver Ronald Curry said. "It’s just the first day. The playbook is small for everybody. It’s tailored down. I don’t think you can get a true indication of what he can do right now."
http://www.kstp.com/article/stories/S77483.shtml?cat=138
massraider
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Love, absolutely love McCown's comments. Caught him on NFLN, and he was talking about tuoring him. He knows why he's here.
Raidermania12
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I disagree. I think the position of personnel is left to either Davis or Kiff. Or more well put, if its not a big change, Ryan will probably be ok with it. I think he's a company guy. Probably of of the best company guy DC's I've ever seen. But as long as the changes arent major, i personally think he doesnt resist them.
Boothe put up sloth like numbers at the combine last year. This might not be the offensive line scheme for him.
R4Life
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Q&A with Warren Sapp
May 4, 2007
Tony Gonzales
The Oakland Raiders kicked off a three-day mandatory Mini-Camp at the team's Alameda, Calif., facility. DT Warren Sapp. spoke to the media after this morning's practice session.
Q: Have you seen JaMarcus Russell?
Warren Sapp.: I haven’t seen much of him, other than seeing a shadow of him when he walks by here. Other than that, he looks to be a pretty good looking kid.
Q: How is the excitement around here?
Warren Sapp.: You’ve got the wrong guy to talk about excitement. Over my 12 years in this thing I’ve learned to temper it right now. Put yourself in a position where each day you get a little better. Right now is our first step. So far, so good.
Q: Are you optimistic about presence of JaMarcus Russell?
Warren Sapp.: Like I said, it’s early. It’s May, we play football in September.
Q: You look good coming into camp. What kind of off-season training did you do?
Warren Sapp.: The off-season? You mean football season. It’s what I do.
Q: This is the lightest you’ve been since you’ve been here. How much weight did you lose?
Warren Sapp.: Yes, it’s the lightest I’ve been. I don’t know how much I’ve lost. I haven’t seen a scale in the locker room; not looking for one. I feel better when I wake up in the morning. It’s a lot easier to get out of bed. Other than that, I just want to be in good physical condition to come in this thing and go. I looked at the schedule and we have to go to Miami at the end of September. I know what the Florida weather is like. I’m gonna spread the word. Florida weather is nothing to play with if you play football. It’s not like this (weather) here because I’ve been in it the last two months.
Q: What’s it like to look around and know every single guy on your side of the football?
Warren Sapp.: It’s always good whenever you’ve got a unit that’s been together that’s building on something special. That’s what we feel like we had last year. With everybody coming back, everybody being more experienced with it (the defensive system), knowing the system, Rob (Defensive Coordinator Rob Ryan) can be less sporadic with what he’ll call. He knows what we do well and how we do it well. That’s the one thing about Rob; Rob’s always been good at analyzing what we did, week in and week out, come in with a base plan and go after people and attack them. We’ve got the horses to do it, so let’s go. He’s looked at his schemes; the simplest stuff we run is our most effective.
Q: Are you happy with the additions on offense?
Warren Sapp.: I’m happy with the philosophy. Everybody’s talking on one line, one frame of thought, one way of being taught. We’re on the same page.
Q: Any thoughts on JaMarcus Russell?
Warren Sapp.: He’s a monster of a man, I’ll give him that. This game has a great way of humbling you, but this kid’s working, and he has a good attitude. He’s not shy. That’s what I like about him, he’s not shy. And he throws a good ball.
Q: What about that big arm?
Warren Sapp.: If nothing else, we’re going to learn how to catch with our hands around here, or someone’s going to the hospital for some trauma. That kid’s got a live arm. Let’s have fun with it.
http://www.raiders.com/Common/Article.aspx?id=21024
May 4, 2007
Tony Gonzales
The Oakland Raiders kicked off a three-day mandatory Mini-Camp at the team's Alameda, Calif., facility. DT Warren Sapp. spoke to the media after this morning's practice session.
Q: Have you seen JaMarcus Russell?
Warren Sapp.: I haven’t seen much of him, other than seeing a shadow of him when he walks by here. Other than that, he looks to be a pretty good looking kid.
Q: How is the excitement around here?
Warren Sapp.: You’ve got the wrong guy to talk about excitement. Over my 12 years in this thing I’ve learned to temper it right now. Put yourself in a position where each day you get a little better. Right now is our first step. So far, so good.
Q: Are you optimistic about presence of JaMarcus Russell?
Warren Sapp.: Like I said, it’s early. It’s May, we play football in September.
Q: You look good coming into camp. What kind of off-season training did you do?
Warren Sapp.: The off-season? You mean football season. It’s what I do.
Q: This is the lightest you’ve been since you’ve been here. How much weight did you lose?
Warren Sapp.: Yes, it’s the lightest I’ve been. I don’t know how much I’ve lost. I haven’t seen a scale in the locker room; not looking for one. I feel better when I wake up in the morning. It’s a lot easier to get out of bed. Other than that, I just want to be in good physical condition to come in this thing and go. I looked at the schedule and we have to go to Miami at the end of September. I know what the Florida weather is like. I’m gonna spread the word. Florida weather is nothing to play with if you play football. It’s not like this (weather) here because I’ve been in it the last two months.
Q: What’s it like to look around and know every single guy on your side of the football?
Warren Sapp.: It’s always good whenever you’ve got a unit that’s been together that’s building on something special. That’s what we feel like we had last year. With everybody coming back, everybody being more experienced with it (the defensive system), knowing the system, Rob (Defensive Coordinator Rob Ryan) can be less sporadic with what he’ll call. He knows what we do well and how we do it well. That’s the one thing about Rob; Rob’s always been good at analyzing what we did, week in and week out, come in with a base plan and go after people and attack them. We’ve got the horses to do it, so let’s go. He’s looked at his schemes; the simplest stuff we run is our most effective.
Q: Are you happy with the additions on offense?
Warren Sapp.: I’m happy with the philosophy. Everybody’s talking on one line, one frame of thought, one way of being taught. We’re on the same page.
Q: Any thoughts on JaMarcus Russell?
Warren Sapp.: He’s a monster of a man, I’ll give him that. This game has a great way of humbling you, but this kid’s working, and he has a good attitude. He’s not shy. That’s what I like about him, he’s not shy. And he throws a good ball.
Q: What about that big arm?
Warren Sapp.: If nothing else, we’re going to learn how to catch with our hands around here, or someone’s going to the hospital for some trauma. That kid’s got a live arm. Let’s have fun with it.
http://www.raiders.com/Common/Article.aspx?id=21024