Raiders News

Raiders' Russell calls teammates for practice session
Comment
June 18
Contra Costa Times
 
"Raiders quarterback JaMarcus Russell is arranging a week of practice for any of the team's other quarterbacks and all the wide receivers and tight ends, at an undisclosed location. Russell wasn't about to divulge many details. He said he just wants to make sure the quarterbacks and receivers are on the same page when training camp begins July 30 in Napa. "We're going to get the receivers and tight ends a week away from everything, just go along by ourselves and accomplish something that would make us a lot better during the year," Russell said after Wednesday's practice during organized team activities. "Just work on our own, with nobody out there but us, get ready for camp, get ready for ..."
Raiders beef up defense with Ellis
Comment
June 16
Contra Costa Times
 
"The Raiders and free agent defensive end Greg Ellis agreed to terms on a contract Monday, and the Associated Press reported team CEO Amy Trask announced the signing later that night. A person close to the negotiations said the Raiders targeted Ellis soon after he was released by Dallas earlier this month. Ellis, 33, has spent his entire 11-year NFL career with the Cowboys. He started 156 games with Dallas, including all 16 last season. In Ellis, the Raiders would get a player versatile enough to play outside linebacker in a 3-4 alignment or defensive end in a 4-3 system. The Raiders likely would use Ellis at right defensive end, with Derrick Burgess on the left, in hopes of creating more ..."
Raiders sign Ellis
Comment
June 16
Sacramento Bee
 
"You could describe organized team activities as a worthless exercise in which little, if anything, is really decided about the upcoming season. Or, you could make like Tom Cable, in his first full season as Raiders coach, and take a pragmatic approach. Then again, you could take the inspirational route and use the workouts to try to get noticed in your quest to win a roster spot in a few months' time, a la Desmond Bryant, the Ivy League defensive tackle who would seem the most unlikely of Raiders. Such are a few talking points for Oakland as it begins its fourth and final week of OTAs today at the team's compound. Another topic of conversation will be veteran defensive end Greg Ellis, who ..."
Report: Raiders sign ex-Cowboy Greg Ellis
Comment
June 15
Oakland Tribune
 
"Defensive end Greg Ellis could be the most recent veteran leader to be added to a youthful Raiders roster, according to AOL's NFL Fanhouse.Ellis, who spent 11 years with the Dallas Cowboys, is a respected veteran who fits in with the signings of Jeff Garcia and Lorenzo Neal, someone who hopefully not only has something left to offer as a pass rusher but as a leader in a unit which could use that type of presence.It remains to be seen whether Ellis has anything left or if he's another Greg Spires, who came to the Raiders in similar circumstances last season but failed to make the 53-man roster."
Ellis, Raiders agree to three-year deal
Comment
June 15
ESPN.com
 
"Linebacker Greg Ellis has agreed to a three-year deal with the Oakland Raiders. Ellis was released June 2 by the Dallas Cowboys. Ellis, the Cowboys' first-round pick in 1998, has played in 162 games, all with Dallas, starting 156. He has 634 career tackles, including 77 sacks."
Robbins says he's looking to his future
Comment
June 13
ESPN.com
 
"Former Oakland Raiders center Barret Robbins is in a halfway house following court-mandated drug rehabilitation and said in an interview with Fox 26 in Houston he's finally "sick and tired of being sick and tired." Robbins disappeared from the Raiders two days before Super Bowl XXXVII in 2003, and said he now blames himself for the team's 48-21 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Robbins said he was responsible for the pass-protection calls and also was key for the Raiders' running attack. "It's a hard thing to look back on because it was such a hard thing to overcome," Robbins said in the interview. "It was such a hard thing to forgive myself for. As much as you want to do it, forgive ..."
Raiders QB improving, but far from a finished product
Comment
June 12
San Francisco Examiner
 columnist Glenn Dickey
"The future of JaMarcus Russell is still in doubt, which means the Raiders future is, too. First, the good news. Russell has improved greatly on the short and medium-range throws, learning to ease up a little so receivers can handle his passes. That's something he couldn't do when he first came to the Raiders two seasons ago. In this week's OTAs (organized team activities), Russell was especially sharp in the red-zone drills. I attended Wednesday's practice and saw him make impressive accurate passes to rookies Darrius Heyward-Bey and Louis Murphy, as well as a nice sideline throw to tight end Zach Miller. DHB, as he prefers to be called, was back after missing earlier practices with a ..."
New Raider just happy to be back on the field
Comment
June 12
Sacramento Bee
 
"You could say Charlie Frye did a double take when asked the question. Or maybe he just leaned in a little closer, cupped his ear to make sure he heard correctly. "Can you stay another night?" the query came to Frye, visiting the Raiders on his free-agent tour a few months back. "Mr. Davis wants to meet you." This, to say the least, was unusual. Al Davis does not make a habit of granting audiences with fringe players hoping to sign with his team. "You just say, 'What?' " Frye recalled with a laugh. And, of course, you accept the invitation. And when Oakland makes an offer, you take that, too. But that offer doesn't include an opportunity to compete with JaMarcus Russell for the starting ..."
Raiders QB improving, but far from a finished product
Comment
June 12
San Francisco Examiner
 columnist Glenn Dickey
"The future of JaMarcus Russell is still in doubt, which means the Raiders future is, too. First, the good news. Russell has improved greatly on the short and medium-range throws, learning to ease up a little so receivers can handle his passes. That's something he couldn't do when he first came to the Raiders two seasons ago. In this week's OTAs (organized team activities), Russell was especially sharp in the red-zone drills. I attended Wednesday's practice and saw him make impressive accurate passes to rookies Darrius Heyward-Bey and Louis Murphy, as well as a nice sideline throw to tight end Zach Miller. DHB, as he prefers to be called, was back after missing earlier practices with a ..."
Raiders' Asomugha not shirking duties despite new fame
Comment
June 11
Contra Costa Times
 
"Raiders cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha spent his first five NFL seasons playing in relative anonymity. Things changed last season. The man with the easygoing demeanor and hard-to-pronounce name no longer is a well-kept secret. Asomugha is a man in demand, meeting with the likes of former President Bill Clinton, speaking at the United Nations on the ravages of malaria, raising funds for poverty-stricken people and, oh, yeah, spearheading the Raiders' efforts to regain respectability. Through it all, Asomugha searches for ways to improve, attending voluntary offseason practices while less accomplished veterans are absent. "It's not overwhelming because I never buy into all of it, so I'm able to ..."
Asomugha not shirking duties despite new fame
Comment
June 11
Contra Costa Times
 
"Raiders cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha spent his first five NFL seasons playing in relative anonymity. Things changed last season. The man with the easygoing demeanor and hard-to-pronounce name no longer is a well-kept secret. Asomugha is a man in demand, meeting with the likes of former President Bill Clinton, speaking at the United Nations on the ravages of malaria, raising funds for poverty-stricken people and, oh, yeah, spearheading the Raiders' efforts to regain respectability. Through it all, Asomugha searches for ways to improve, attending voluntary offseason practices while less accomplished veterans are absent. "It's not overwhelming because I never buy into all of it, so I'm able to ..."
Rating Raiders 'leaders'
Comment
June 11
Contra Costa Times
 columnist Cam Inman
"LET'S RATE THE Raiders' potential leaders. Potential, because they don't have any. Seriously. That's been a major factor in their demise the past six seasons. Thursday's print column intertwines this leadership crisis with running back Darren McFadden's workload. It would have just been a column on him, but after he talked about seizing a more vocal role, coach Tom Cable spoke a few minutes later about wanting Nnamdi Asomugha to improve as a leader. We've already heard the past six months about Cable's wish for quarterback JaMarcus Russell to step up as a leader. So hearing Cable lump Asomugha into the same boat signals how dire a leadership void the Raiders have. OK, on with who should be ..."
Darren should lead Raiders with his feet
Comment
June 11
Contra Costa Times
 columnist Cam Inman
"THE RAIDERS' LEADERSHIP crisis has trickled down to star running back Darren McFadden. As in, he wants to help solve it. "I'll try to step up and make my voice heard," McFadden said after Wednesday's offseason workout. Just how bad is the Raiders' leadership situation? So bad that a second-year running back, albeit the No. 4 overall pick in the 2008 draft, feels compelled to make his voice heard - and not just to a columnist. It's unfair to ask him to pipe up as a team spokesman at this stage of his career. He already must do so much else to recharge this franchise, whose past six dreadful seasons go hand-in-hand with the lack of locker-room leadership. McFadden will be at his best making ..."
Russell impressive in red zone
Comment
June 11
San Francisco Chronicle
 
"Raiders quarterback JaMarcus Russell was in the zone Wednesday, and a red one at that. With one laser after another, Russell laid aside his accuracy woes with the best red-zone drills of his offseason. He threw touchdown passes on four consecutive plays and got high-fives all around in workouts in Alameda. "You might retard a young guy by trying to be too cautious, so let's rip it right now as you learn how to do this," Raiders coach Tom Cable said. "It's good to see him turn it loose and find out who can make those plays." Yes, the Raiders are adding the vertical passing game to the playbook to make better use of Russell's strong arm and the roster's fast receivers. But what good is it to ..."
Time for QBs Russell, Smith to show their stuff
Comment
June 10
San Jose Mercury News
 columnist Tim Kawakami
"He's a recent NFL No. 1 overall pick, with all the accompanying fame and fortune, and he was announced as the quarterback to reclaim the franchise's lost glory. Since then, he has been hurt a time or two, sacked often, thrown wildly and lost a bunch of games and possibly the confidence of his teammates and ownership. He has another chance this season, maybe his last chance. He's not one guy, though. In the Bay Area, that's the intriguingly identical June portrait of two pivotal players. It's JaMarcus Russell, 2007 No. 1 pick by the Raiders and now prodded by the addition of Jeff Garcia and the implicit anticipation of Al Davis. And it's Alex Smith, 2005 No. 1 pick by the 49ers and now ..."
Quarterback Frye signs with Raiders
Comment
June 10
Contra Costa Times
 
"The Raiders upped the number of quarterbacks on their roster to six Monday by signing veteran Charlie Frye. Frye, who turns 28 in August, spent most of the past two seasons with the Seattle Seahawks after arriving via trade soon after the start of the 2007 season. The Cleveland Browns gave up on Frye, a third-round selection in the 2005 NFL draft, after only one game in 2007 and turned over the reins to Derek Anderson. Frye holds the ignominious distinction of being the only quarterback in league history who began the season as the starter and was traded after one game. His arrival gives the Raiders an abundance of quarterbacks entering training camp in late July. JaMarcus Russell is the ..."
Catching on is tough for two Raider rookies
Comment
June 9
Sacramento Bee
 
"There are growing pains, and then there are what two Raiders rookie wide receiver draft picks are experiencing. Aches. Both literal and figurative. Physical and mental. Then again, it's only June, as the Raiders embark today on their third week of voluntary three-day organized team activities at the team's compound. And good thing, too. Darrius Heyward-Bey, derided by many critics when the little-known Maryland pass catcher was the No. 7 overall pick, is expected to be recovered from the strained right hamstring he suffered during the team's mandatory mini-camp May 9. He dressed but was unable to participate in last week's drills. Louis Murphy, drafted in the fourth round out of national ..."
Raiders' Neal: Is he heaven-sent?
Comment
June 7
Contra Costa Times
 
"A THICK man extends a thick hand, introduces himself and announces that he has come to fix one of the most troubled systems in American sports today. His credentials are solid; he knows his business, has been at it most of his life. He is one of the best ever at his job. But how can he comprehend the magnitude of the task ahead? It's his fourth week of observation. He is new to the Raiders and everything they have become. Yet Lorenzo Neal insists those dreadful days are over. "I can honestly say - and I've been in a lot of places - that this team is doing a lot of the things that good teams I've been on were doing," the veteran fullback says, wiping sweat from his brow after an organized ..."
Comparing 49ers/Raiders practices
Comment
June 6
Contra Costa Times
 
"AT THE RISK of jumping to conclusions, the 49ers look way closer to being a contender than the Raiders after visiting their practices this week. Here is what stands out from Friday's visit to 49ers minicamp and Wednesday's trip to the Raiders' offseason training activity: * * * 49ers observations * * * -- 49ers coach Mike Singletary is the best thing going, if not in the entire NFL, then at least when it comes to the Bay Area's two teams. When he wasn't demanding his players line up correctly for an end-of-practice sprint (he made them start over when some started prematurely), he was giving Frank Gore pointers afterward on blitz pick-up technique. His end-of-practice speeches should be a ..."
Raiders' Heyward-Bey remains on hold
Comment
June 4
San Francisco Chronicle
 
"Raiders wide receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey wants to show the NFL he can be just as productive as 49ers rookie Michael Crabtree. This isn't what he had in mind. Heyward-Bey returned for offseason workouts this week but his right hamstring is not ready to go. All he could do was stand there and watch his teammates practice during an open-media session Wednesday. Just like Crabtree is doing across the bay. The difference is, Crabtree - the No. 10 pick of the draft - won't come back from foot surgery until training camp. Heyward-Bey - the No. 7 pick - expects to be back next week. "I'm just trying to make sure I'm 100 percent," Heyward-Bey said. "I want to make sure it's all taken care of ..."
Sharing stadium not such bad idea
Comment
June 3
Oakland Tribune
 columnist Monte Poole
"THE ONLY ABSOLUTE about a sports team seeking a new home is the presence of anger. There will be shouting and shrieking and maybe even wielded pitchforks. So we should understand any apparently deaf ear turned by the owner on the prowl - especially when prowling is necessary to assure franchise survival. Though neither the Raiders nor the 49ers will go broke without a new stadium, neither is positioned to stay with the rest of the NFL. Oakland's Coliseum and San Francisco's Candlestick Park are ornery old beasts whose greatest assets are that they already exist. Handed the 49ers by a father who lacked the stomach or aptitude to promote their growth, Jed York may have found a way out. Not ..."
Raiders -- yes, Raiders -- upbeat this summer
Comment
June 2
Sacramento Bee
 
"Things have been relatively quiet for the Raiders this offseason. Sure, there were those pesky photos of a blinged-out JaMarcus Russell, whose work ethic has been in question, posing in what appeared to be a club with an unlit cigar in his mouth and a drink in hand. Then there was Jeff Garcia, signed to be a mentor and backup to Russell, saying he still thought of himself as a starting quarterback. And, oh, yeah, there are those persistent trade rumors that have former Pro Bowl defensive end Derrick Burgess going to New England. But as the Raiders prepare to hold the second of their four three-day voluntary organized team activities (OTAs) at team headquarters beginning today, a certain ..."
Raiders' star finds strength in Berkeley High coach
Comment
May 27
San Francisco Chronicle
 
"When Nnamdi Asomugha was a Cal senior invited to the NFL combine, his agent offered to send Asomugha to any top-notch personal trainer of his choice. If Asomugha could boost his strength and speed, maybe he could nudge himself up a bit from his projected fifth-round draft slot. "I'll stay with 'Zo," Asomugha said. It seemed like an ill-advised and possibly disastrous move by a naive college kid. 'Zo is Alonzo Carter, then the football and track coach at McClymonds High in Oakland. Nice fellow, good with kids, but Carter had access to only the most primitive workout facilities and equipment, had zero experience prepping players for the combine, and had below-zero cache in the cutting-edge ..."
Raiders paid Garcia to say that stuff
Comment
May 21
Sacramento Bee
 
"JaMarcus Russell threw a four-yard screen pass toward Justin Fargas that landed near the running back's shoelaces. Jeff Garcia deftly threaded the needle on a quick pass down the middle of the field to fullback Marcel Reece. The 6-foot-6 Russell had a pass knocked down at the line of scrimmage. The 6-1 Garcia scrambled when the pocket collapsed and found a streaking Louis Murphy downfield at the Raiders' compound. Russell, entering his critical third season with the Raiders, is having troubles "just being accurate and understanding where to throw the football and when," coach Tom Cable said Wednesday, probably not realizing the indictment he had just thrown at his $60 million franchise ..."
Raiders trading Burgess? Not so fast
Comment
May 21
Contra Costa Times
 
"Defensive end Derrick Burgess missed all of Oakland's mandatory minicamp earlier this month with the flu. He missed his second straight day of organized team activities Wednesday because he has that option. The Raiders conducted the second of 12 OTA sessions Wednesday. Burgess missed the first two of the voluntary gatherings. That is in keeping with Burgess' typical offseason regimen. He prefers to work out on his own in Mississippi, and no one has questioned his work ethic. However, Burgess is in the final year of the five-year contract he signed in 2005. He is a two-time Pro Bowler, but his production has slipped the past two seasons because of injuries and eight games missed. As a ..."
Listen up, Raiders
Comment
May 21
Contra Costa Times
 columnist Cam Inman
"KEN STABLER HAS wonderful advice for the Raiders and quarterback JaMarcus Russell. Considering how absolutely terrible they looked in Wednesday's practice, they better listen up. Plus, Stabler only happens to be the franchise's best quarterback ever. "They have some exciting talent that needs to get on the same page, get focused and get back the Raiders' toughness of running the football and playing stingy defense," Stabler said in an exclusive interview this week. "They need to simplify things for (Russell) and run the ball. Darren McFadden needs to touch the ball 30 to 35 times a game." Amen to that. A simple McFadden run down the left sideline served as a rare highlight Wednesday amidst ..."
Raiders beat: Russell's spin on Vick
Comment
May 21
San Francisco Chronicle
 columnist David White
"Raiders quarterback JaMarcus Russell turns out to be quite the Michael Vick fan. Asked about Vick's release from federal prison Wednesday, Russell got pretty excited about the fallen star's potential return to the NFL. "It was a good time for him as far as sitting down and his body healing," Russell said. "I know he's in tip-top shape. I'm pretty sure somebody is going to give him a chance. I look forward to seeing him out there real soon." For clarity's sake, Vick didn't just check out of a Napa Valley spa or healing center. He served 19 months for a dogfighting conviction that included his financing a ring and taking part in the execution of dogs. As for his return to the NFL, the ..."
Raider seen as nice fit
Comment
May 20
Boston Globe
 
"Even as a two-time Pro Bowler, Derrick Burgess is not a familiar name to Patriots followers. But those familiar with the Oakland Raiders defensive end, whom the Patriots have explored acquiring in a trade, say he'd improve them. "He's one of the premier pass rushers I've seen," said former teammate Warren Sapp, now an analyst with the NFL Network. "He loves to work at his craft. He loves to come in the weight room. "I've stood in front of the defensive line and led through every drill my whole life, but I opened the door for him. I said, 'You work just like I work.' I gave him my front. That's the kind of respect I have for him." According to league sources, the Patriots discussed a deal ..."
Derrick Burgess deal no rush job
Comment
May 20
Boston Herald
 
"The Patriots interest in Derrick Burgess dates back four weeks, as the team contacted Oakland during the NFL draft, when the Raiders made no secret of the fact they were shopping the defensive end, according to a source familiar with the proceedings. Exploratory conversations have continued, but it doesn't appear anything is imminent, although with Oakland owner Al Davis, anything is possible. It has been reported the Pats would be willing to send a second- or third-round draft pick to the Raiders in exchange for the two-time Pro Bowler, who would be moved to a pass-rushing outside linebacker in the Pats' 3-4 scheme. Burgess, who is in the final year of his contract, has had injury ..."
Reports: Pats interested in acquiring Oakland's Burgess
Comment
May 19
Boston Herald
 
"According to a report first on ESPN, and later corroborated by WEEI's Christopher Price, the Patriots are considering a trade that would send a second-or-third-round draft pick to Oakland for Raiders linebacker Derrick Burgess. The acquisition of Burgess would finally help fill the void at outside linebacker created by the trade of Mike Vrabel. The two-time Pro Bowler is in the final year of his contract with Oakland. He is said to be unhappy with not being able to reach a new deal. Burgess, who will be 31 at the start of next season, had 16 sacks for the Raiders in 2005, but he's been slowed by injuries in recent seasons. Last week, Pats Director of Player Personnel Nick Caserio said the ..."
For Raiders, subplots are about to thicken
Comment
May 19
Sacramento Bee
 
"Several intriguing story lines emerged from the Raiders' recently completed mandatory minicamp. Among them: • The return of cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha as the highest-paid player in franchise history after he signed a three-year, $45.3 million deal. • The unveiling of maligned draft picks Darrius Heyward-Bey and Mike Mitchell. • Several rookies pulling up lame with sore hamstrings at the end of the five-practices-in-three-days camp. • And Jeff Garcia hinting he may not be satisfied merely serving as JaMarcus Russell's backup at quarterback. Just another May in Raider Nation, right? Well, the start of three-day organized team activities today at the team's compound allows those story lines ..."
Oakland wants to throw it over the top in OTAs
Comment
May 19
San Francisco Chronicle
 
"Take a monster-armed quarterback, add an Olympic-speed wide receiver and mix in a vertical-minded coordinator, and what do the Raiders get? Al Davis' wildest dream come true, or so that's the big idea behind the team's latest attempt to revive the deep pass. "I think that is who we want to be," Raiders coach Tom Cable said of the vertical passing offense. "Let's get it implemented right away, because that's a new approach, obviously. "Let's get the mind-set developed as quickly as possible, and when we get to OTAs, we can continue with that." Organized Team Activities start today at team headquarters in Alameda. Guess what the Raiders have to improve? Throwing the deep ball, and doing so ..."
Jon Gruden to replace Tony Kornheiser on Monday Night Football
Comment
May 18
St. Petersburg Times
 
"Former Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Jon Gruden is joining Monday Night Football for its 40th anniversary season this fall. Gruden, who led the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to victory in Super Bowl XXXVII, will join Mike Tirico and Ron Jaworski in the ESPN booth. He also will contribute analysis throughout the year on ESPN Radio and other platforms, in addition to being a part of ESPN's 2010 Pro Bowl telecast and Super Bowl and NFL Draft coverage, according to a news release. A conference call is scheduled for 2 p.m. "This is a tremendous opportunity and I am very excited to be associated with ESPN and Monday Night Football," Jon Gruden said. "I grew up a fan of Monday Night Football, and whether ..."
Wake-up times for JaMarcus
Comment
May 18
Contra Costa Times
 columnist Monte Poole
"STROLLING THROUGH the fight-night crowd Saturday sporting a New York Yankees cap and designer backpack, an unlit stogie dangling from his lips, JaMarcus Russell was all swagger and comfort, the picture of the good life. It's as if the Raiders quarterback doesn't feel the flame licking at his heels. The blaze is raging in the form of Jeff Garcia, an irrepressible challenger who as a football player is everything Russell is not. Garcia is a smallish bundle of fast-twitch fibers. Russell is the Big Mellow, deliberate and cool. Russell is the chosen one, an overall No. 1 draft pick blessed with an absurdly powerful arm. Garcia is the scrappy underdog who wages a daily fight for acceptance. ..."
Dallas-Fort Worth venues announced for Super Bowl XLV ancillary events
Comment
May 13
Dallas Morning News
 
"The Super Bowl XLV Host Committee announced today the locations of eight major events and venues - from the NFL Experience to the headquarters hotel - for the 2011 game in Arlington. Dallas will get the largest share of marquee events and venues. The NFL Experience, an 850,000-square-foot theme park, football museum and memorabilia show, will be held at the Dallas Convention Center. That announcement was expected since there are no other indoor venues large enough to accommodate it. In warm weather states, such as Florida or Arizona, the NFL Experience is sometimes held outdoors. The event is booked indoors in regions where cold weather is likely. The Hilton Anatole was chosen as the NFL ..."
Raiders rookie WR makes a forgettable first impression
Comment
May 12
San Francisco Examiner
 columnist Glenn Dickey
"At Raiders minicamp, I got my first in-person look at first-round pick, Darrius Heyward-Bey. Ohmigawd. That is not meant as a compliment. The Raiders were running an offensive drill, with no defenders on the field. DHB, as he prefers to be called, went down the right sideline and quarterback JaMarcus Russell rifled a pass to him. The ball dropped over Heyward-Bey's left shoulder and he dropped it. The next two passes were on shorter routes, square outs over the middle. One of the questions about DHB was his ability to run routes, but he ws picture perfect on these. Quarterbacks Bruce Gradkowski and Jeff Garcia put the ball right in his hands. He dropped both of them. At the previous day's ..."
Raiders feel certain rookie Heyward-Bey will catch on
Comment
May 11
Contra Costa Times
 
"It was like Christmas morning for Raiders coach Tom Cable on Friday. At his disposal were the numerous gifts bestowed on him in recent months in the form of free-agent signings, draft selections and re-signed players. Naturally, Cable went straight for the biggest package, the one with the shiny wrapping and eye-catching bow. He just couldn't wait any longer to take the wraps off rookie wide receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey. Cable lined up Heyward-Bey to the left with the starting offense on the first play, opposite All-Pro cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha. Then Cable stood back and watched. Heyward-Bey broke from the line of scrimmage, called upon the speed that compelled the Raiders tohim at No. 7 ..."
Top pick sits again at camp
Comment
May 11
San Francisco Chronicle
 
"Welcome to the National Football League, rookies. Next time, maybe get more water and do more stretching before practice. Wide receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey, the seventh overall pick of the NFL draft, missed a second straight practice Sunday with cramping, soreness and fatigue in his hamstring, Raiders coach Tom Cable said at the conclusion of the five-practice, three-day minicamp in Alameda. Second-round safety Mike Mitchell and fourth-round receiver Louis Murphy also missed the final practice. Cramping, soreness and fatigue, Cable said. The shut-down moves were precautionary, precautionary and precautionary, he added. "You just want to be smart with them," Cable said. "It's the toughest ..."
Defense finds its leader
Comment
May 11
San Francisco Chronicle
 
"Raiders cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha looked at quarterback JaMarcus Russell and asked the most incredulous of questions. "You coming at me? You coming at me?" Asomugha turned his attention to wide receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey, treating the No. 7 overall draft pick like some undrafted free agent. "I didn't even know what his number was," Asomugha said with a straight face and all. Imagine that. After all these years, the quiet scholar from Cal really does have a little Charles Woodson in him. Swagger, confidence, some well-informed trash talk for good measure. Asomugha can walk and talk like Woodson these days. Asomugha just made his first Pro Bowl start and signed the richest per-year ..."
Raiders mentor Garcia yearns to play
Comment
May 10
Sacramento Bee
 columnist Paul Gutierrez
"This is going to be interesting. On paper, and in theory, it makes all the sense in the world. Sure, Jeff Garcia is ready to enter the next phase of his career. Of course he's ready to become a backup quarterback and (yikes) wear that phrase that signals the end is near, "mentor" for JaMarcus Russell. And yes, Garcia and the Raiders are saying all the right things. Thing is, that same dogged determination, that same fierce work ethic that propelled him to a 10-year (and counting) NFL career after being undrafted out of San Jose State and spending five seasons in the wilderness of the Canadian Football League might not let the transformation go so smoothly. This is a proud four-time Pro ..."
Raiders receiver needs 'STM' and TLC
Comment
May 10
Contra Costa Times
 
"Wide receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey showed few signs of being a rookie during his first two practices as a Raider on Friday. He endured a three-play stretch Saturday that showed even first-round draft picks aren't immune to growing pains. Heyward-Bey dropped passes on three straight plays, two from quarterback Jeff Garcia sandwiched around one from JaMarcus Russell. All three sailed through his hands. Raiders coach Tom Cable said such lapses aren't uncommon for rookies exposed to the fast-paced life of the NFL. "What he got in two days is probably what he got in entire spring football (in college)," Cable said in reference to the volume of plays and formations thrown Heyward-Bey's way since ..."
Fullback brings needed feel-good
Comment
May 10
San Francisco Chronicle
 
"Lorenzo Neal long ago fancied himself the sort of guy who would need a fullback helping open holes for him. Then his world changed for the better. That is, if you regard a season-ending and career-changing ankle injury as a good thing. Neal does, of course, because he could sweet-talk a bird into adopting a cat. He surely did Friday on his first official act as an Oakland Raider, amiably filibustering for a new team view after six years of dispirited and dispiriting results. He is the starting fullback and chief morale officer, and though he has yet to absorb the Raiders' playbook, he has Job 2 down already. "You look on this team and you see so much talent and you're like, 'Wow,' " the ..."
Lighthearted Heyward-Bey chases NFL dream
Comment
May 9
Sacramento Bee
 columnist Paul Gutierrez
"The most maligned pick in the most recent NFL draft could be bitter. He would froth at the mouth, eager to prove the critics wrong. He should have an attitude toward the media, who lampooned the team that took him with the No. 7 overall pick when three higher-rated wide receivers were on the board. Instead, Darrius Heyward-Bey is taking the high road. The pass catcher with blazing speed is having fun with his lot. And why not? He is, after all, embarking upon the dream. So there was no animus after his first professional practice Friday as part of the Raiders' mandatory mini-camp. No resentment. No bitterness. Just joy and humble appreciation. And a lot of self-deprecating one-liners. How ..."
Raiders have new proven lead blocker in Neal
Comment
May 9
Contra Costa Times
 
"The Raiders on Friday added what they hope is the final piece to their roster by signing fullback Lorenzo Neal. Neal, 38, is a 16-year veteran who has played for seven teams since he entered the NFL in 1993 with the New Orleans Saints. "The experience he brings can help mold those young fullbacks in there," Raiders coach Tom Cable said after seeing Neal for the first time on the opening day of Oakland's three-day minicamp. "That guy has proven over time that he probably can run any run scheme in the NFL because he has been in them all, and been very good. "I'm not sure there's been as good a lead blocker in football maybe in the last 15, 20 years as that guy." Neal did his most impressive ..."
Raiders' Russell must learn the intangibles
Comment
May 9
Contra Costa Times
 columnist Cam Inman
"QUARTERBACK JaMarcus Russell needs to do more for the Raiders than just whiz deep passes as he did Friday during their first spring minicamp. He needs to race down the field to drills, as Jeff Garcia did. He needs to pull aside the team's newest weapon - wide receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey, last month's first-round draft pick - for instructional chats, as Garcia did. He needs to be a leader, as Garcia was in just his first practice as a Raider. Russell seems receptive to all this, which is a huge bonus for the Raiders, who are undoubtedly committed to him this season (and probably 2010, considering his never-changing status as the 2007 No. 1 overall draft pick). "He needs to learn how to ..."
Candid Cam: First impressions at Raiders camp
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May 9
Contra Costa Times
 
"RUNNING BACK DARREN McFadden looked like the best star-in-the-making player Friday in the Raiders' first offseason minicamp. But because McFadden was last year's first-round draft pick, the spotlight shifted elsewhere Friday for these unveilings: Jeff Garcia, the former 49ers (and Browns, Lions, Eagles and Buccaneers) quarterback, ran drills as confidently and similarly as he did the last time he practiced in the Bay Area (in 2003 with the 49ers). More on him and JaMarcus Russell to come in tomorrow's print column. Veteran fullback Lorenzo Neal, who's unofficially been around the NFL as long as Al Davis, is officially on the squad and adds quality experience to a youth-laden offense. He's ..."
Potential 'limitless' for Raiders' rookie Heyward-Bey
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May 9
San Francisco Chronicle
 
"Raiders wide receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey is an unpolished work. He didn't catch passes with consistency at the University of Maryland and his route running needs work. His stats were nothing compared to draft peers Michael Crabtree or Percy Harvin, and another year of college ball wouldn't have hurt. Maryland offensive coordinator James Franklin, of all people, confessed as much after the Raiders took Heyward-Bey with the No. 7 overall pick of the NFL draft April 25. Now that Franklin has everyone's attention, he has this to say to anyone who doesn't like the pick: Just wait, you'll see. "He's still very raw, and he probably could have used one more year, but his potential is limitless," ..."