Training Camp - Day 10

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Training camp, Day 10

Posted by Jerry McDonald - NFL Writer on Sunday at 6:26 pm

News and notes, sights and sounds from Sunday's practice:

– Saturday's scrimmage was followed up by a light practice in soft pads heading into a morning/night double session Monday.

Coach Lane Kiffin said he gleaned some things from the scrimmage format, although he wasn't about to disclose what they were.

"There's different plays being called or different defenses being run. It's thes ame stuff you do every day, but all of a sudden some guys get in a different format and you find something out," Kiffin said. "Obviously, I'm not going to go into individuals, but we'll just take it all into account."

– There appeared to be no glaring changes in the practice rotation or reduction in practice reps for any players based on the scrimmage performance. Andrew Walter and Josh McCown got the most work at quarterback, with both getting work with the first team. Daunte Culpepper's reps continue to increase.

– McCown and Walter each threw one interception, with Nnamdi Asomugha getting one off McCown and rookie free agent Marquice Cole stealing a forced wobbler from Walter. Both came on balls forced into coverage.

Up to the interception, Walter seemed better than he was Satruday, although he did get a pep talk from Jerry Porter at one point after being called for a sack.

Walter did connect with tight end Tony Stewart for a nice gain, with Stewart tipping the ball at the top of his leap and coming down with the catch.

– From right to left, the first-team defensive (with left end Derrick Burgess still being absent) consisted of Quintin Moses, Warren Sapp, Terdell Sands and Tommy Kelly.

– Rookie free agent Jesse Boone began jawing with Sapp during a drill, at one point telling him, "Have you got a problem with me?" When Sapp kept talking, Boone said `C'mon, buckle up, let's go.'

The two were separated after a hockey-style scrum, with Sapp yelling, `I promise you this is not over."

After a brief conversation with line coach Keith Millard, Sapp left the drill when the Raiders went to team sessions.

Following practice, after Kiffin had talked to the team in the middle of the field, Sapp kept his promise. It wasn't over. He went after Boone and the two were again separated.

– Wide receiver Ronald Curry reached up for a spectacular one-handed catch from McCown in the back of the end zone reminiscent of the one he made against the Broncos in Denver in 2004.

Curry caught a second touchdown pass in the end zone on a quick slant from Culpepper, who can throw the occasionally crisply-timed passes which look like the ones he threw for Minnesota in 2004.

– Antoher promising moment for Culpepper _ breaking outside, rolling right and hitting tight end Zach Miller for a nice gain.

– Running back LaMont Jordan missed another practice, but Kiffin sounded unconcerned, saying Jordan could play if was a game day. He said Saturday's scrimmage was most important for those players for which the staff does not have adequate information.

Jordan, Kiffin said, should participate in one of two practices Monday.

– Kiffin had high words of praise for running back Adimchinobe Echemandu, who is known as "Joe" to the coaching staff.

"Joe has had a really good camp," Kiffin said. "Actually, we used a phrase two nights ago to our coaches that he might be the surprise player of the camp, as far as coming in and doing things right and really working extremely hard running the ball and taking care of it."

– Tight end John Madsen, a free agent find a year ago, is having an even better camp this season and from a distance appears to be a lock alongside rookie Zach Miller at tight end, with Stewart and Fred Wakefield competing for the third spot.

Wakefield's receiving has been inconsistent, but as a former offensive and defensive lineman, he could be useful in short-yardage.

– This year's frookie ree agent find? Undrafted Northwestern corner Marquice Cole could be leading the pack. Cole has held up well in coverage and made more than his share of plays.

"On the first day, Willie Brown, he wasn’t drafted, he made the Hall of Fame, he always tells everybody, ‘Never give up,’ He wasn’t drafted and you see what type of career he had," Cole said.

– During one drill when quarterbacks were practicing footwork and then unleashing hard passes to the sideline, assistant coach Curtis Fuller had consecutive throws from Walter and McCown clank off his hands.

"There's a reason why you got into coaching," offensive coordinator Greg Knapp said to Fuller.

– Returning to practice Sunday were cornerback Duane Starks, safety B.J. Ward, wide receiver and wide receiver Johnnie Morant

– With Carolina having signed linebacker Jon Beeson and Kansas City inking wide receiver Dwayne Bowe, JaMarcus Russell is one of only three first-round picks who has not signed a contract.

The others are New York Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis at No. 14 and Cleveland quarterback Brady Quinn at No. 22.

Kiffin had no progress report on negotiatons with Russell.

– No way does a skilled negotiator allow the "option bonus" issue to be the lone reason Russell is not in camp. There are ways to write behavioral clauses into contracts which would enable to the club to recover money if Russell wasn't quite the character study they built him up to be.

Whenever a player or an owner says it's not about money, rest assured it's about money.
 
August 05, 2007

Sunday's practice report

NAPA - LaMont Jordan's status with the Raiders was a question mark much of the spring until he agreed to a pay cut to stay with the team.

Then the Raiders drafted Michael Bush. They also signed Dominic Rhodes.

And during training camp, Adimchinobe Echemandu has been the surprise of camp, according to coach Lane Kiffin. Echemandu has looked the best among all the backs in camp.

But Jordan, he's been in and out of practice with a bad back. It bothered him last season, too.

Jordan sat out Saturday's practice and was out today. Kiffin said there's still the preseason to evaluate veterans, but one has to wonder what Kiffin is thinking about Jordan.

Kiffin loves to say "everything you do counts" and right now there isn't a lot on the field that counts for Jordan during training camp.

The team would take a cap hit letting Jordan go. Also, there's Rhodes four-game suspension to start the season.

Would Kiffin be comfortable with Echemandu and Justin Fargas as his top-2 tailbacks going into the season?

I wouldn't put it past him.

As of now, Jordan hasn't done enough things that count on the field to be the unquestioned No. 1 running back. Jordan would tell you he is the starter.

Kiffin said if there was a game to be played, Jordan could play, balky back withstanding.

There's a game coming up - the preseason opener at home against Arizona this Saturday.

That would be a nice time for Jordan to show Kiffin he can show up when it counts.

--Jason Jones
 
After leading Atlanta to rush title, coach has hope for Oakland

The Associated Press

08/05/2007


NAPA, Calif.—Tom Cable, hired by the Oakland Raiders in the offseason, is trying to make over what was the NFL's worst offensive line in 2006, a unit that allowed a league-high 72 sacks and produced just 12 offensive touchdowns.

"There's a lot of work to do, let's just call it like it is," Cable said. "You've got some guys who've got talent (and) you've got guys who have very little belief in themselves ... so you really have to start over with them."

Cable, 42, is the Raiders' fourth line coach in four years but the first to use cut-blocking schemes. He learned the style from one of the league's top line coaches, Alex Gibbs, the former line coach in Denver and Atlanta who served as a consultant to Cable and the Falcons last year.

Atlanta led the NFL in rushing in 2006 under Cable's guidance, though that was hardly news. The Falcons have been the league's top rushing team since 2003, largely in part due to quarterback Michael Vick's scrambling ability.

But with Cable, Atlanta rushed for 2,939 yards, the most by an NFL team since 1978 when New England set the league record with 3,165.

Counter that with the Raiders, who gained 1,519 yards on the ground and were 29th in rushing in '06.

Like Kiffin, Cable doesn't mince words on the practice field and regularly admonishes younger players for their mistakes.

"If you're a rookie or a young guy, he's going to do that to you, period," center Jeremy Newberry said. "As you learn to work all that time, work consistently, he won't ride you like that. That's his way of getting people motivated. If you aren't mentally tough enough to take that, then you aren't mentally tough enough to play in this game anyway. If that bothers you and you can't deal with that, then it's probably the wrong game for you."

The Raiders aren't counting on just Cable to turn things around. They added free agents Newberry, Cooper Carlisle and Cornell Green to the line. They also moved former tackle Robert Gallery, the No. 2 overall pick in 2004, to left guard.

Carlisle is slated to start at right guard, while Green is penciled in at right tackle. Newberry -- who calls Cable the best offensive line coach he's ever worked with -- is currently backing up Grove, though if Newberry's knees hold up he's expected to win the starting job.

But Cable's biggest project has been trying to rebuild Gallery's confidence. Since coming into the league amid much hype, the 6-foot-7, 325-pounder has struggled to find his way. He bounced around from both tackle spots with little success and now is trying to find a home at guard.

"The guy is a hell of a talent," Cable said. "The guy has done everything and then some that I've asked so I'm very excited for him personally because I know what he's been through. I know what everybody thinks about the guy. All he can do know is go out, prove them wrong and play."

Notes:@The Raiders signed free agent kicker Tyler Fredrickson.
 
Coach Kiffin Camp Q&A: Day 10

August 5, 2007

Head Coach Lane Kiffin addressed the media after the Raiders afternoon practice on Day 10. Coach Kiffin talked about the play of wide receiver Ronald Curry. and running back Adimchinobe Echemandu..

Kiffin: Today, coming off of the scrimmage yesterday, where we got a lot of really good work done, we put them in a situation as close to a game as we could create as far as the kicking game going on, guys on the sidelines, substitutions; playing at a high speed to see what individual players gave us. What you see right there is a difference. Even though there are no different plays being called, there are no different defenses being run, it’s the same stuff that they do every day, but all of a sudden you know some guys get in a different format and you find something out about guys. I’m obviously not going to go into individuals, but you know we’re just taking it all into account. As far as today, the lighter practice, we wore the soft pads and we’ll come back into two-a-days tomorrow.

Q: Did you see some better decision making as far as throws and such today after yesterday?

Kiffin: Well two days ago really was when it was bad. Yesterday we threw one interception to Chris Carr., but it was the day before when we really were in trouble. We see better decision making going on right here and I think you guys see it too, guys tucking the ball and running with it as opposed to throwing a ball up or forcing it downfield.

Q: Coach, can you talk about Ronald Curry. and how he has looked in practice, and what you’re looking for from him this year?

Kiffin: Yeah, Ronald is competing to be our starting flanker and he has done a lot of really good things. [He] really catches the ball extremely well [and he is] a really consistent catcher. I have challenged him to go to a level of great consistency. He should be out here and the quarterback should be able to put on a blindfold and throw to him, that’s how consistent he needs to be to be a great player for us, and he has responded extremely well. I can’t say enough great things about him.

Q: What kind of camp has this been for [Adimchinobe] Echemandu?

Kiffin: Joe has had a really good camp. Actually, we used a phrase just a few nights ago to the coaches that he might be the surprise player of the camp as far as coming in and doing things right and working really hard in running the ball and taking care of it. He has a ways to go with some other stuff, [like] picking up the whole playbook and challenging him that way, but I’ve been very pleased with his performance.

Q: Where was [Marquice] Cole on your draft board? He’s had some pretty good practices.

Kiffin: Yeah, he sure has. He is a guy that worked through some injuries in college and does have great speed and played extremely well. We thought that he’d be a free agent or a late seventh round pick, but we were pleased that he was sitting there and pleased that he chose us, because at that point, players do have a choice. It’s not like getting drafted. They get to go to whichever team calls them.

Q: There are a couple of guys like that that skip through the draft and make teams.

Kiffin: There are, and that’s a credit to our scouts and our coaches for researching, digging in, and not cutting off at player 50 at their position group and keep going. That’s really how it happens.
 
Raiders training camp

News from the practice field and more each day while the Oakland Raiders train in Napa

Sunday, Aug. 5, 7:30 p.m.

I got quite a surprise on my way out to training camp Sunday morning at Redwood Middle School.

First off, I noticed that the towers — which are used to tape practices — were not up. I also didn’t hear any of the typical sounds — helmets and pads popping, coaches barking out instructions, whistles to stop plays — from inside the Napa Valley complex.

Then as I made my way inside the Napa Valley Marriott, I noticed that a few of the offensive lineman were playing ping pong outside team meeting rooms. This is the first year that I’ve seen ping pong tables at camp.

Within a few minutes of arriving, I found out that the practice schedule had changed. The Raiders moved their workout on Day No. 10 to 2:40 p.m. in the afternoon.

The Raiders had only one practice Sunday, a lighter practice in the mid afternoon in soft pads that came after Saturday’s scrimmage. The 14th practice of camp was conducted in unusually cool temperatures with overcast skies and windy weather and wrapped up with a short team meeting in the center of the field.

The team still kept busy, as following an 8:30 a.m. wakeup call, there was a special teams meeting at 10 a.m., team offense and defense meetings at 10:45 a.m., and a special teams walk through at 2:25 p.m. Another special teams meeting (7 p.m.) and team offense and defense meetings (7:45 p.m.) were planned for Sunday evening. There was a curfew/bed check at 11:15 p.m.

Head coach Lane Kiffin said the team got in a lot of really good work Saturday.

“We put them in a situation as close to a game as we could,” complete with the kicking game, substitutions and players performing at a high speed, he said. It was designed to “see what individual players gave us.”

Kiffin said: “What you see right there is that it is a difference. All of a sudden guys get in a different format and you find something out about some guys. We just take it all into account.”

There was light contact yesterday, and as always, quarterbacks wearing red jerseys are off limits to defenders.

Defensive linemen and offensive linemen went 1-on-1 in drills.

The Raiders — who start the preseason at home Saturday against the Arizona Cardinals in a 7 p.m. kickoff — are still without JaMarcus Russell, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2007 NFL Draft. Russell is unsigned and at home in Mobile, Ala.

“I have all the faith in the world in our (negotiating) team back in Oakland, that they’re doing the right thing for us,” said Kiffin.

The Raiders resume two-a-day practices today at 8:45 a.m. and 7 p.m.
 
Raidermania12 said:
photo number 21=damn
Click to expand...


Damn, how he going to do my boy Ike like that?... Looks like a peel back block on a return by Higgins... Proves that even Superman needs to keep his head on a swivel or he's going to get decleated...
 
Kevin Huntley Could Start --
Mon Aug 6, 2007 --from FFMastermind.com

The Sacramento Bee reports Oakland Raiders DE Kevin Huntley, who was one of the surprises of last year's training camp, could wind up earning a starting job. He made the team in part because of his pass-rushing skills, and he looked like a potential starter before this year's training camp. Huntley has been working more with the second team while rookie DE Quentin Moses takes first-team reps at right defensive end. "He's playing the run well for us, but he's got to pass rush better," Kiffin said of Huntley. "And he's working on that, he understands it, and he knows that's where he needs to improve his game now." Huntley spent most of the offseason working on run defense at the urging of defensive-line coach Keith Millard. Along the way, Huntley admittedly neglected pass rushing. "(Kiffin) wants to see me consistently beat guys," Huntley said. "Not every once in a while, not every other pass rush."
 
Newberry legging it out

Center 'gives it another shot' after knee surgeries

Tom FitzGerald

Monday, August 6, 2007


To listen to Jeremy Newberry, you wonder if he regrets having but two knees to sacrifice to the sport that he loves.

He admits he thinks about former NFL players like ex-Raider Jim Otto, who recently had a leg amputated.

"It's a consideration, especially since I have small children (ages 3 and 1)," the center said Sunday after emerging from the weight room at the Raiders' training camp in Napa. "I know I'll probably need a knee replacement someday. ... I want to play more than I want to be healthy right now."

Newberry, 31, signed with the Raiders on March 6, the latest in a line of former 49er stalwarts, including Ronnie Lott and Jerry Rice, to make the late-career migration to the other side of the bay.

With a heavily tattooed right arm and a couple of motorcycles, including a Harley, Newberry might seem like more of a fit in the Raiders' culture than the 49ers'. He thinks such talk is an exaggeration.

"Back in the day, there used to be more roughnecks, I guess, on the Raiders," he said. "Now there's a pretty good mix of them on all the teams around the league."

A lot of his pals are Raiders' fans, but he wasn't one of them when he grew up in Antioch and went to Cal. He was a 49ers fan and wound up starting 90 games in nine years with them. He was twice voted to the Pro Bowl.

His knee problems started to catch up with him 2004, when he played just one game. He has had seven knee operations in all, including microfracture surgery on each knee in 2005 and '06. He missed six games in '05 and all of last season.

Microfracture surgery entails creating tiny fractures in the bones of the knee, causing cartilage to be restored. Newberry puts it a little less delicately. "They take a pick or drill and break your bone in multiple places," he said. "Scar tissue forms on the bone and acts like a cartilage. It's not the most comfortable thing."

Newberry mulled retirement, but said he still wanted to play and was willing to put up with the pain. He didn't want his career to end with a whimper, by spending his final year on injured reserve.

He kept training and found, to his surprise, that he could run and bicycle without the usual ache in his knees.

"I figured I'd give it another shot," he said. "I'm really glad I did."

The 49ers didn't offer him another contract. He said about a half-dozen teams were interested in him, but he signed a one-year, $1.5 million deal with the Raiders because he didn't want to leave the Bay Area.

He also wanted to play for offensive line coach Tom Cable, who had coached him at Cal and was on the Denver staff before joining new head coach Lane Kiffin in Oakland.

Newberry says Cable has mellowed considerably since his Cal days, but "he's still as fiery as you'll find in this league." In Berkeley, if blockers were using their helmets and facemasks to ward off pass rushers, he said, Cable had the blockers take their helmets off. "One kid went face first and split his head wide open," Newberry said.

The Raiders got him to help buttress a line that surrendered an NFL-worst 72 sacks last year. After dabbling at guard during a minicamp, Newberry is strictly a center now, battling three-year starter Jake Grove.

"I've just got to stay healthy and continue to play like I've played in the past, and I think I'll be all right," Newberry said.

Kiffin, only a year older than Newberry, marvels that he goes though individual drills "like he's the youngest guy there."

The coach values Newberry's leadership highly.

"Coaches can't do everything," Kiffin said. "You need some players that can take charge sometimes when you're not around, and he's that type of guy."

Newberry is confident his skills haven't waned. "I know I can still do it," he said. "I can play as well as I have in the past. The only thing is, it takes longer to recover. I have to be smart during the week and not try to push myself."

Briefly: Sunday's signings of receiver Dwayne Bowe by Kansas City and linebacker Jon Beason by Carolina leaves just three unsigned first-round draft picks, including the Raiders' top pick (and No. 1 overall) JaMarcus Russell. ... Safety B.J. Ward, who had missed three days of practice, was back after nursing a back injury. ... So was fourth-round draft pick John Bowie, a cornerback who had been out with an Achilles problem, but cornerback Stanford Routt remains sidelined with a knee injury. ... Marquice Cole, a free-agent cornerback from Northwestern, provided one the highlights of an unusually chilly practice by making an acrobatic interception. ... Another was a juggling catch by Ronald Curry in the back of the end zone during an 11-on-11 drill. ... The Raiders signed former Cal punter/kicker Tyler Fredrickson. He was 1-for-1 on field goal tries from 44 yards. "We needed another leg as we get closer to preseason," Kiffin said.
 
Raiders Notebook: Coaches from Mexico and Sweden to join Raiders’ summer staff

MARTY JAMES

Monday, August 06, 2007

For the fourth straight year, the Oakland Raiders training camp will have an international flavor as the Silver and Black have invited two international coaches to join head coach Lane Kiffin’s staff during summer workouts at the team’s Napa Valley complex.

Alfredo Flores, a native of Monterrey, Mexico, spent 17 years with the Arboledas Raiders team, where he obtained several championships and individual recognitions. He received a full scholarship from ITESM Campus Estado de Mexico University, which turned into a successful college career. He became a full-time offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for his alma mater, a position he currently holds.

Larry Lisher, a native of Los Angeles, has actively contributed to developing American football in his second country: Sweden. In 2000 and 2001, Lisher served as a player/coach for the Norrköping Panthers and during 2004 he was a player/coach for the Södertälje Truckers.

Both coaches will join the staff this week, the Raiders said.

In 2005, Lishey retired as a player and moved to Stockholm to become a defensive and special team’s coordinator for Djurgärden, one of Scandinavia’s largest and most recognizable institutions.

The Raiders reach an international audience through the team’s official web properties in English, Spanish, Chinese, German, Japanese and Tagalog.

• Rathman on staff

New to the Raiders’ coaching staff this year is Tom Rathman, the team’s running backs coach.

As an NFL player, Rathman helped the San Francisco 49ers capture two world championships (Super Bowl XXIII and XXIV) and seven NFC West titles. In 1989, he led all NFL running backs in receiving with 73 receptions for 616 yards. He played his final season in the NFL with the Los Angeles Raiders in 1994. Rathman finished his NFL career with 2,020 rushing yards, and 320 receptions for 2,684 yards and 34 touchdowns. He played for nine years.

“What you get with Tom Rathman is a dynamic competitor — he was as a player and he is as a coach,” head coach Lane Kiffin said. “He’s taken to coaching the way he did as a player. If you watch him out there, he coaches every play.

“In the offseason he’s out there as much as he can with the young guys. He couldn’t be more serious about being a great coach. He’s got a lot left. This is a guy that people are going to look at very soon to be a coordinator in the league as well.”

Rathman has been an NFL assistant for nine seasons, most recently coaching running backs for the Detroit Lions from 2003-05. He served in the same capacity for the 49ers from 1997-02.

A three-year letterman at Nebraska, Rathman rushed for 1,425 yards and averaged over 6 yards per carry. He entered the NFL as a third round pick by San Francisco in 1986.

Prior to beginning his NFL coaching career with San Francisco, the Grand Island, Neb., native coached running backs at Serra High School-San Mateo in 1995 and helped rebuild the Menlo College program by serving as the offensive coordinator in 1996.

• Day 10 of camp

The Raiders had only one practice on Sunday, a lighter session in the mid afternoon in soft pads that came after Saturday’s scrimmage. The 14th overall practice of camp was conducted in unusually cooler temperatures with overcast skies and windy weather and wrapped up with a short team meeting in the center of the field.

The team still kept busy, as following an 8:30 a.m. wakeup call, there was a special teams meeting at 10 a.m., team offense and defense meetings at 10:45 a.m., and a special teams walk through at 2:25 p.m. Another special teams meeting (7 p.m.) and team offense and defense meetings (7:45 p.m.) were planned for Sunday evening. There was a curfew/bed check at 11:15 p.m.

Head coach Lane Kiffin said the team got in a lot of really good work Saturday.

“We put them in a situation as close to a game as we could,” complete with the kicking game, substitutions and players performing at a high speed, he said. It was designed to “see what individual players gave us.”

Kiffin said: “What you see right there is that it is a difference. All of a sudden guys get in a different format and you find something out about some guys. We just take it all into account.”

There was light contact yesterday. As always, quarterbacks wearing red jerseys are off limits to defenders.

Defensive linemen and offensive linemen went 1-on-1 in drills.

The Raiders — who start the preseason at home Saturday against the Arizona Cardinals with a 7 p.m. kickoff — are still without JaMarcus Russell, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2007 NFL Draft. Russell is unsigned and at home in Mobile, Ala.

“I have all the faith in the world in our (negotiating) team back in Oakland, that they’re doing the right thing for us,” said Kiffin.

The Raiders — who signed free agent kicker Tyler Fredrickson — resume two-a-day practices today at 8:45 a.m. and 7 p.m.
 
Curry: Quite a catch

Flanker wants to improve, even on 62-catch season

MARTY JAMES

Monday, August 06, 2007

Rookie coach Lane Kiffin is challenging Ronald Curry to take his game to another level of consistency.

The Oakland Raiders’ flanker is taking the boss’ request to heart.

“I think he’s a great coach. He doesn’t take slouching from anybody,” said Curry. “He holds everybody accountable the same way, regardless of who you are. I think he brings what we’ve been needing here for the last four years.”

Curry comes off a 62-catch season, his biggest year in the NFL. The 2006 season for Curry wasn’t just highlighted by impressive statistics (727 receiving yards, 11.7 yards per catch, one touchdown), but also by being honored with the Raiders’ Ed Block Courage Award.

Curry earned the award — which is named in honor of Ed Block, the longtime head athletic trainer of the Baltimore Colts who was a pioneer in his profession and a respected humanitarian — by overcoming a season-ending torn Achilles tendon injury in 2005 and returning to the playing field.

Each March in Baltimore, the Ed Block Courage Award Foundation honors those recipients from every team in the NFL who have been chosen for this distinguished honor. Courage Award recipients embody everything that is positive about professional athletes as they serve as inspirations in their locker rooms as well as constructive role models in their communities. They are often players who have overcome devastating injuries or tragedies in their personal lives to return to the NFL.

The accolade has become one of the most important honors presented to a player in the NFL each year. Curry received the award along with the other recipients at the 29th annual Ed Block Courage Awards Dinner. The Foundation serves to also raise awareness of abused children.

The recipients were selected by their teammates for displaying a commitment to the principles of courage and sportsmanship.

“I take pride in everything I do,” Curry said after a practice last week at the Raiders’ Napa Valley training camp complex at Redwood Middle School. “It’s how people look at you. If I go out there and work hard, my productivity is going to speak for itself. I’m out there to make plays and I take pride in doing that.”

Curry, a seventh-round pick who is in his sixth year, has been sharp and productive in camp for the Raiders, who are putting in a new offense under Kiffin. In Sunday’s mid-afternoon practice, Curry made a very nice catch for a touchdown in the back of the end zone from Josh McCown. He also caught a short TD pass from Daunte Culpepper.

“He’s done a lot of really good things,” said Kiffin. “He really catches the ball extremely well, a very consistent catcher.

“The quarterbacks should be able to put a blindfold on him and throw to him. That’s how consistent he needs to be to be a great player for us.”

Curry, who has played in 46 league games, is working each day in camp to become familiar and to also develop a trust with the team’s three quarterbacks — Culpepper, McCown and Andrew Walter.

If and when JaMarcus Russell, the team’s No. 1 overall selection in the draft, comes to terms and agrees on a contract, Curry and the rest of the receivers will need to get on the same page as the rookie quarterback.

“He’s responded extremely well,” Kiffin said of Curry, from Hampton, Va. “I can’t say enough good things about him.”

Curry played in 12 league games with three starts before suffering a season-ending Achilles tendon injury against Kansas City on Dec. 5, 2004. He saw action in the first two games of the season before tearing his Achilles tendon and prematurely ending his season in 2005.

But Curry came back last year in a big way. His season featured:

• Catching 11 passes for 106 yards Dec. 23 against Kansas City.

• Catching nine passes for 87 yards Dec. 17 against St. Louis.

• Catching eight passes for 99 yards and a touchdown vs. Cincinnati Dec. 10.

• Catching five passes for 47 yards Dec. 31 against the New York Jets.

• Catching five passes for 85 yards in a game Nov. 6 against Kansas City.

“I think it was just the opportunity of playing,” said Curry. “I think you hit different levels in your career — the first for me was just making the team and then playing and now starting. I just can’t wait to hear my name called over the loudspeaker as a starter for the Oakland Raiders — Ronald Curry.”

He has 119 career receptions for 1,449 yards and seven TDs.

“Just to be playing the game of football and being a starter, that’s what you play the game for. Coming out here and not being a starter or being a third receiver, not playing as much as I could ... once I was on the field I took advantage of that,” he said. “All of my hard work is finally paying off.”

Growing up, Curry said he learned at a very young age that if you want something bad enough, “you’ve got to go out there and take it, you’ve got to work hard for it. And once you get it, try your best not to give it up. That’s just the way I was raised.”

He said that’s how he lives his life.

He was a two-sport athlete (football-basketball) at North Carolina. In football, he holds school career records with 4,987 yards passing and 6,236 yards in total offense. In basketball, he was the starting point guard on Carolina’s ACC regular season championship team in 1999.

Curry led Hampton High School to three consecutive football state championships. Hampton was 13-0 his last year and posted a state record 40 consecutive wins.

He’s already projecting an improved look for the Raiders.

“We’re just trying to build something within. I know we’re going to be better than last year. You’ve got to go out there and make plays — that’s what we’re here for. I think as long as we don’t turn the ball over and we execute on offense, I think the sky’s the limit for us.”
 
Preseason will help solve puzzle

Many questions remain as Raiders prep for Cards

Steve Corkran

08/06/2007


NAPA — Raiders coach Lane Kiffin and his offensive and defensive coordinators make a concerted effort to rotate players in and out of the projected starting units, with only the offensive line remaining intact.

Coupled with injuries to players such as defensive end Derrick Burgess, it is difficult to get a feel for how the Raiders starting lineup will look against the Arizona Cardinals on Saturday night, let alone Sept. 9 in the regular-season opener against the Detroit Lions.

That is expected to change Tuesday when the Raiders release their depth chart for the first time. Also, Burgess is expected back around that time.

Between now and Saturday, Kiffin has to decide whether to start incumbent Andrew Walter or Josh McCown at quarterback — recently signed Daunte Culpepper hasn't had enough time to learn the offense to be considered — whether rookie Quentin Moses or Kevin Huntley is the best option at right defensive end, whether Jon Condo or Chris Morris is the best option at long-snapper, and just how much and where to play safety Donovin Darius.

Saturday's game also provides Kiffin his first shot at seeing how well Cornell Green fits in at right offensive tackle, how well his offensive line has grasped coach Tom Cable's zone-blocking scheme, and presiding over a team in his first game as a head coach.

SURPRISE, SURPRISE, SURPRISE: Running back Adimchinobe Echemandu figured to get a great shot at earning a roster spot and perhaps playing time in light of the four-game suspension to running back Dominic Rhodes.

Echemandu has seized the opportunity by outshining his fellow running backs through the first 10 days of training camp.

"Joe has had a really good camp," Kiffin said of the player who once went by that name. "Actually, we used a phrase two nights ago to our coaches, that he might be the surprise player of the camp, as far as coming in and doing things right and really working extremely hard running the ball and taking care of it.

"He's got a ways to go with some other stuff, picking up the whole playbook and challenging him that way, but we've been very pleased with his performance."

Rhodes is allowed to practice and participate in Oakland's four exhibition games. His suspension runs from Sept. 1 through Oakland's fourth regular-season game Sept. 30.

Therefore, the Raiders likely will keep Echemandu on their 53-man roster at least until Rhodes returns, perhaps longer if Echemandu continues carving out a niche.


PLAY OF THE DAY: Wide receiver Ronald Curry batted a pass from McCown into the air, then caught it as he was falling to the ground in the back of the end zone. He managed to keep his feet in bounds, as well.

GOING GLOBAL: The Raiders this week are hosting coach Alfredo Flores (Mexico), representative Larry Lishey (Sweden) and kicker Li Chaoran at training camp as part of the far-reaching efforts of their multicultural initiatives. This marks the fourth straight year the Raiders have invited foreign players and coaches into their camp.

In addition, on Wednesday the Raiders are hosting: L.A. Williams, the Raiders Navajo radio broadcaster; Marcia Peshlakai, a KTNN representative; Angel Dinamita and Armando Botello, Raiders Spanish radio broadcasters; and their multilingual Internet contributors.

EXTRA POINTS: The Raiders signed former Cal player Tyler Fredrickson to assist punter Shane Lechler and kicker Sebastian Janikowski with the kicking chores during the exhibition games. He has spent time in training camp with the Seattle Seahawks, Denver Broncos and Dallas Cowboys. ... Receiver Johnnie Morant (undisclosed), defensive back B.J. Ward (back) and cornerback Duane Starks (hamstring) returned to practice. ... Kiffin said he didn't have anything to report about the ongoing contract negotiations with No. 1 pick JaMarcus Russell, who missed his 14th practice Sunday.
 
jatfly said:
Kevin Huntley Could Start --
Mon Aug 6, 2007 --from FFMastermind.com

The Sacramento Bee reports Oakland Raiders DE Kevin Huntley, who was one of the surprises of last year's training camp, could wind up earning a starting job. He made the team in part because of his pass-rushing skills, and he looked like a potential starter before this year's training camp. Huntley has been working more with the second team while rookie DE Quentin Moses takes first-team reps at right defensive end. "He's playing the run well for us, but he's got to pass rush better," Kiffin said of Huntley. "And he's working on that, he understands it, and he knows that's where he needs to improve his game now." Huntley spent most of the offseason working on run defense at the urging of defensive-line coach Keith Millard. Along the way, Huntley admittedly neglected pass rushing. "(Kiffin) wants to see me consistently beat guys," Huntley said. "Not every once in a while, not every other pass rush."
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I think worst case scenario is a platoon at RE, and maybe even a situation where Burgess gets spelled from time to time, with Kelly in the mix. Kelly and Huntley at the ends makes for a big D-Line, for sure.

I think aside from the O-line, Huntley is the guy I'll be watching more than anyone in the preseason. Either way, we are stepping up from Brayton, who I still am hoping can contribute to this team. I like Brayton, I just think having him at RE was a mistake.

Huntley and Moses certainly have me intrigued; adding a pass rush from the right side can only help Sapp and Burgess more. If Brayton can offer the occasional inside push, and Kelly can rebound, we actually have the chance of a very fierce pass rush.

I still think the O-line is the most important factor to our defense taking its' rightful place at the top of the NFL. Turnovers and sacks come when the other team is taking chances. If we can't score, teams can circle the wagons in the 2nd quarter, like last year, and just wait for the O to implode. If we can score some points, I really think the D is going to be tough. Maybe the soft middle of the line won't seem like such a liability if opposing teams don't have the luxury of just pounding it up the middle, and the defense gets a break longer than 3 plays and a punt.
 
On Zach Miller...

With the running backs and tight ends due to become more actively involved in Lane Kiffin’s new offensive scheme, all eyes are on rookie TE Zach Miller and how he has been able to make things happen, especially near the red zone. Miller recently caught four touchdowns in one day during 11-on-11 scrimmages and has fared well no matter who is covering him or which quarterback is throwing the ball. “You’ve got to be careful because you start to think he’s not a rookie,” said Kiffin. “We have to make sure we’re going through all the steps like we would another rookie.” With Courtney Anderson having been released prior to the start of camp, the starting TE job could go to Miller if he continues on his current pace and holds off Randal Williams and Tony Stewart, among others. Miller’s athleticism and hands get the most attention, but he also makes far fewer mental mistakes than most rookies, a clear sign he’s doing work in the classroom.
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On Pete Kendall since he was mentioned in here...

Word is, the Jets are likely to keep disgruntled OLG Pete Ken*dall, who’s under contract for two more seasons, around until later in the preseason to make it more difficult for him to catch on with another team, particularly given that the team most likely to try to sign Kendall once he’s released is the division-rival Dolphins.
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Other notes...

Despite Paul McQuistan and Robert Gallery getting most of the work at the ORT spot in Oakland during the offseason, it’s been nine-year veteran Cornell Green who has been working there early on in training camp. Gallery has settled in at left guard, meanwhile, and former Bronco Cooper Carlisle is manning the ORG spot. Also worth noting is that more than one source indicated it wouldn’t be a surprise to see 31-year-old Jeremy Newberry push C Jake Grove for his starting spot if Newberry’s knees hold up.
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Raiders owner Al Davis on how rookie head coach Lane Kiffin compares to Jon Gruden: “Lane has … an entire feel for the whole picture, whereas Jon Gruden didn’t. Jon Gruden was totally immersed in offense, and in his first year or two turned the defense over in its entirety to Willie Shaw, whereas Lane is much more into all of the things. Much more involved in trying to learn the defense.”
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Aggressive Ward making an impact at camp

Safety returns after missing three days with sore back

PHIL BARBER

NAPA -- It was the third day of training camp when B.J. Ward, a fairly obscure safety signed as a free agent after spending two years in Baltimore, hammered Ronald Curry hard enough to knock the wide receiver's helmet off in a full-squad drill.

Curry is an even-tempered athlete, but he's also a prominent member of the offense by now, someone who probably doesn't expect such treatment from a newcomer. He scowled at Ward.

The next day, Curry approached him with a message: "Keep doing what you've got to do. You've got to make the team just like everybody else."

If the first week of camp was any indication, Ward has a pretty good shot at making this team. He just missed 3½ days of work with a sore back, but returned to the field Sunday to resume his pursuit of a roster spot.

Before the injury, he made his presence felt with several big hits and interceptions. In one punt-coverage drill, he blasted third-round draft choice Johnnie Lee Higgins into a camera at the sideline.

"Kiff been giving me mess all day," Ward said at the time, referring to coach Lane Kiffin. "I broke a $14,000 camera."

Damaged equipment aside, Ward's fearless play did not go unnoticed. "There's a guy who's telling us something," Kiffin said. "I'm going to do everything it takes to make this team. I want to be on this team. I'm not going to go through motions waiting for my turn. . . . I tell our guys, 'Make it so we can't cut you. . . . Make it really hard on us.' B.J.'s starting to do that."

"I think that's just my nature, man, what I'm out here to do," said Ward, 25. "I'm pretty much behind all these guys, so I've got to assert myself and do whatever I can to make plays."

No one questions Ward's physical ability. He came to Florida State as a defensive back, but played wide receiver as a freshman when others went down with injuries. While earning a starting job at safety, he also blocked a school-record seven field goals; no other Seminole had ever blocked more than two.

After spending one year as a reserve with the Ravens, Ward entered training camp in 2006 atop Baltimore's depth chart at one of the safety positions. But he was struck down by a series of migraines. "I don't know where they came from," Ward said. "Out of nowhere. I had never had a headache problem before."

The migraines got so bad, Ward sometimes couldn't stand up, and the Ravens put him on their injured reserve for the entire season. But just as mysteriously as the headaches came, they disappeared. Ward didn't take any medication or employ any holistic remedies, but they went away nonetheless, and have yet to return.

After playing for defensive coordinator Rex Ryan in Baltimore, Ward got a chance to play under Rex's twin brother, Rob, when the Raiders signed him in March. Ultimately, Ward's versatility could allow him to stick. He can play either safety position and is adept at special teams. In other words, he could be the replacement for Jarrod Cooper, who was released the day before the Raiders reported to Napa.

Kiffin said consistency is the only thing lacking from Ward's game, and the player is the first to admit he's right.

"You know, everybody tends to see only the good things," Ward said. "I have messed up a couple of times, whether it was bad with my eyes, or I didn't hit the right gap or whatever. But those are little things that can be corrected. And as long as I get better and don't make the same mistake, I'll be all right."

SAPP GOES TWO ROUNDS

It must be time for some exhibition action, because the Raiders are starting to fight amongst themselves. So far, this year's battles have included Cooper Carlisle vs. Josh Shaw, Jeremy Newberry vs. Anttaj Hawthorne, and a whopper between Tyler Brayton and Robert Gallery.

Sunday, defensive tackle Warren Sapp must have been riding recent addition Jesse Boone pretty good during a one-on-one blocking drill, because the first-year center suddenly popped out of his stance and asked: "Do you have a (bleepin') problem with me?" Sapp apparently did, because Boone said, "Buckle it up, then."

He slowly walked up to Sapp, NHL-style, and the two men started trading punches as a swarm of teammates engulfed them. When they had been separated, Sapp threw his helmet off, walked to a corner of the end zone and said, "Over here, then." Nothing more came of it -- until after practice. Sapp took another swing at Boone as the players left the field, and they again had to be separated.

EXTRA POINTS

In addition to Ward, CBs John Bowie and Duane Starks, and WRs Johnnie Morant and Rich Parson returned to action. Missing practice Sunday were DE Derrick Burgess (hernia), RBs LaMont Jordan (back) and Michael Bush (leg), C Jeremy Newberry (knee), CB Stanford Routt (knee), DT Josh Shaw (knee), LB Isaiah Kacyvenski (knee), T Chad Slaugher (calf), TE James Adkisson (hamstring) and G Ben Claxton (knee).

The Raiders signed P/K Tyler Frederickson, a former Cal player, to share kicking duties in the exhibition season.
 
Inside Slant

Josh McCown's seemingly clear path to a Week 1 start against his former team has a large obstacle, and it's not named JaMarcus Russell.

When camp opened, Russell's inability to strike a deal with the Raiders seemed to make McCown a virtual lock for Week 1, given that he was hand-picked by coach Lane Kiffin and acquired by trade from the Detroit Lions.

McCown looked good enough on the perimeter and throwing to the sidelines, but was prone to turnovers on plays over the middle. With Russell's situation showing little progress, the Raiders signed Daunte Culpepper to compete with McCown and Andrew Walter.

Coming off the practice field following a practice session in which he said he "played like crap" with two interceptions, McCown was informed the Raiders had added Culpepper.

"They signed Daunte?" McCown asked when he first heard the news. "That's not going to affect how I do my business. I think everybody wants to be the only quarterback in the room. That's kind of how you are as a competitor, you want to be the only guy, so you get all the attention. Does it make it too crowded? Yeah. But at the same time, what are you going to do?"

Kiffin spoke highly of McCown's leadership skills and said he thought the team was drawn to him. Al Davis likes his mobility.

"Josh has certain qualities we like that Rich Gannon had," Davis said. "He gives us something that you can all see, the ability to just take off with that football. They're not going to be able to just rush like crazy all the time, because they've got to worry about him. He can run 25 yards, boom, quick. And move that thing up the field."

McCown was workman-like in Oakland's first scrimmage, leading the second-team on a 15-play, 64-yard scoring drive as well as a short drive for a 58-yard Sebastian Janikowski field goal.

Walter struggled, throwing an interception to Chris Carr in tight coverage, losing a center snap and absorbing a sack on third-and-10.

"What Andrew went through (last year), what did Nolan Richardson call it at Arkansas? Forty-minutes of hell?," Davis said. "Well, that poor Andrew Walter last year got hit so many times I don't think he knew where they were coming from. He's got to come back, we've got to bring him along, bring his confidence back."

Walter's answers have been clipped and terse during interviews. When asked whether Russell's holdout will put the rookie behind, Walter said, "Obviously I wouldn't know because I didn't hold out. You'll have to ask him when he gets here."

Kiffin said all the quarterbacks will be watched closely to see how they deal with the competition. Assuming Russell eventually signs, it's unlikely Oakland would carry four quarterbacks.

"Everything we do counts," Kiffin said. "We watch everything, how you deal with adversity. Once they found out (Culpepper signed), what happened? How are they going to deal with adversities. They're going to happen. Are you going to rise to the top or are you going to pout? We're going to find some things out."


CAMP CALENDAR: Two-a-days scheduled every other day, 8:45 p.m. and 7 p.m., followed by single practices at 2:45 p.m. No joint workouts with other teams or fan events scheduled.

cont'd..
 
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