08.06.2007
Training camp, Day 11 (A.M.)
Posted by Jerry McDonald - NFL Writer on Monday at 1:54 pm
News and notes, sights and sounds from Monday's morning practice session:
– Tight end Fred Wakefield sustained the first ugly injury of camp, going down in a special teams drill with what appeared to be a serious knee injury. Wakefield was on the field for several minutes, with teammate Donovin Darius offering prayer.
His leg was wrapped in a splint before Wakefield was taken from the field on a motorized cart.
Wakefield, a former offensive and defensive linemen whose blocking skills gave him a legitimate shot at the 53-man roster.
"It was a special teams drill and he went to cut back left inside the guy. Freak deal," coach Lane Kiffin said.
With the releases of Courtney Anderson before training camp and later Randal Williams, the Raiders have all of a sudden become thin at a position that once seemed deep.
James Adkisson has been out for the last several practices with a hamstring injury, leaving rookie Zach Miller, second-year man John Madsen and veteran free agent acquisition Tony Stewart as the three tight ends on the roster.
One name to keep in mind as the Raiders look for additional help _ Doug Jolley, a former Raiders second-round pick who is currently a free agent.
– Larry Brown, an undrafted rookie free agent who was with the Raiders from May 1 through June 12 before being waived, was signed to the roster and immedately saw playing time in team sessions.
At one point, after Anttaj Hawthorne jumped offsides, Brown was immediately sent in as the replacement.
– Practice was in soft pads for the second consecutive day following Sunday's scrimmage. Kiffin said Monday night's practice would be in pads.
– A rotational basis continued for skill positions on offense, with Andrew Walter and Josh McCown splitting reps as the first string quarterback while Daunte Culpepper gets caught up with the offensive system.
The first and second-team offensive lines have been kept together for the most part. Barry Sims (left tackle), Robert Gallery (left guard), Jake Grove (center), Cooper Carlisle (right guard) and Cornell Green (right tackle) comprise the first team, with Mario Henderson (left tackle), Paul McQuistan (left guard), Jeremy Newberry (center), Kevin Boothe (right guard) and Mark Wilson (right tackle) making up the second team.
Henderson has occasionally seen reps at right tackle, has has McQuistan.
– Running back Justin Fargas made one of training camp's outstanding catches on a 20-yard wheel route into the end zone, essentially snagging a Walter pass off the helmet of linebacker Robert Thomas for a touchdown.
– Running back LaMont Jordan (back) missed practice again and Kiffin said he wasn't sure if Jordan would practice Monday night.
– Safety Hiram Eugene came up with a defensive gem when he first broke up a pass from McCown to running back Adimchinobe Echemandu, then knocked it to the ground when it appeard Echemandu would catch the deflection.
– Defensive end Derrick Burgess came off the physically unable to perform list and took part in drills. He did not participate in team sessions. Burgess sounds as if he's no great hurry to play.
"You always need preseason just to get the rust off. It’s not more important than my body so I need to make sure I’m healthy enough and well enough to come in and do what I do," Burgess said.
– Walter and Alvis Whitted hooked up on one of the best looking vertical strikes since camp began to close out practice, a 50-yard touchdown play over Chris Carr during a two-minute drill. It was a rebound day for Walter, who had struggled mightily in recent days.
– McCown's two-minute drill ended in a 49-yard field goal by Tyler Fredrickson, a punter/kicker from Cal brought in to save the legs of Sebastian Janikowski and Shane Lechler.
– Culpepper lost a fumble after center Jesse Boone stepped on his foot, with Tommy Kelly scooping up the loose ball.
– McCown through the lone interception of the practice during a 7-on-7 drill to safety Stuart Schweigert.
– An example of a throw McCown and Walter simply can't make _ Culpepper threw an out pattern to Johnnie Lee Higgins from the far hash with the trajectory of a 40-yard clothesline for a first down.
– Kiffin said all three quarterbacks would see time in the preseason opener Satruday night against Arizona at McAfee Coliseum.
– Mike Williams, who has had an up and down camp, made at least three good catches and is showing flashes of the form which made him a first-round draft pick of the Detroit Lions.
"He's having a good time, but he's not happy with how he's playing right now," Kiffin said. "He's got a very high standard that he has set for himself. Hopefully, you'll see him even better than where he's at right now."
– During one drill, Kiffin stopped the action after a Curry catch to simulate an officials' review in the final two minutes.
– Defensive tackle/end Tyler Brayton missed practice with an elbow injury. Others who missed practice included cornerback Stanford Routt (knee), Jordan (back), defensive back John Bowie (Achilles), running back Michael Bush (leg), guard Ben Claxton (knee), tackle Chad Slaughter (calf), linebacker Isaiah Kacyvenski (knee) and Adkisson (hamstring).
