http://www.yardbarker.com/content/player/1505 Recent articles about Drew Carter en-us As reported earlier, Javon Walker became big news Saturday. When ESPN's Chris Mortensen broke the news about his attempted retirement, we decided to take a 'wait and see' approach to the news. Even though it's rare that Mortensen whiffs, when it comes to the Raiders ESPN has a way of turning into BS-spin... Mon, 04 Aug 2008 02:20:45 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/300439 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/300439 Oakland Raiders head coach, Lane Kiffin, wasn't mincing words when he talked about the morning session of training camp day 6. The first edition of Tuesday's two a day was full of physical plays and a hit that forced one player to take the rest of the day off... Wed, 30 Jul 2008 03:26:09 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/297883 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/297883 As I was looking through some of the reports concerning the Raiders, I realized that there are 11 wide receivers in camp right now. Last year, the Raiders held on to five out of 15 or 16 that attended camp. Those are long odds if your name isn't Javon, Ronald, or Drew. Of course those three, (Javon Walker, Ronald Curry, and Drew Carter), have solidified their respective spots thus far. So who else will make the team this season?... Tue, 29 Jul 2008 01:18:30 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/297298 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/297298 Here are some note and links on the first 4 days of Oakland Raider training camp. Ronald Curry looks like the best receiver so far. I'd actually be surprised if the only returning receiver (worth mentioning) wasn't ahead of the new Raiders. With plenty of good comments for Drew Carter during the mini-camps and OTA's, and Javon Walker looking in great shape, there's plenty to be happy about. The Raiders announced the LaMont Jordan was finally released on Friday, with him landing with the Patriots on Saturday.  Unless Jordan improves his conditioning he'll be cut before the season starts. Javon Walker on his Vegas incident.  "Everybody just go into speculations of what they heard and what they think they know . . . when I get ready to come out and tell what really happened, I'll clear it up then," Walker said. Why doesn't he want this to go away? He just left it open for every journalist to continue to ask him "is today the day you're going to comment on your Vegas mugging," everyday until he does. Nnamdi Asomugha's fellow NFLer's on him reporting on time. "When I was talking to a lot of the players, that they were surprised that I came," Asomugha said. " But at the same time they weren't because they know it's not about money for me. I really want to win games. That's a big part of why I'm here. It's putting that on the line, that you could get hurt, and those types of things. But it's in the name of being a cohesive unit and coming together and trying to win football games." Day to Day Notes from Inside the Oakland Radiers Day1: Wide receiver Arman Shields, who missed much of the offseason with a hamstring pull, wasted no time making up whatever ground he lost to fellow Chaz Schilens and others by making several nice catches Running back Darren McFadden made some nice runs from scrimmage, showing his burst of speed, but dropped at least two easy passes on short dump offs. McFadden said afterward he was running before he caught the ball. Running back Michael Bush looked excited and eager to take a few hits, although defenders did not wrap up. Bush said afterward he enjoyed the experience, but was really looking forward to taking on a defender during the first preaseason game. Center Jake Grove got much of the first-team work at center, as the Raiders seem eager to find out once and for all if he can be the center they drafted in the second round in 2004. The Raiders ran effectively on two stretch plays to the left behind Harris, once with Justin Fargas and later with McFadden Consultant Paul Hackett was on the field with the Raiders, but his duties this year will be confined to scouting upcoming opponents. Kiffin noted that Hackett most recently coached in the NFC South (with Tampa Bay) and the AFC East (the New York Jets), two divisions the Raiders play this year. Kiffin operated mostly in a stealth mode, in contrast to his tornado act during last year's training camp. "That's the way it should be," guard Robert Gallery said. " We know what we're doing now. There's a program in place." Day 2 Coach Lane Kiffin got the extra arm he desired when the club re-signed Jeff Otis, who was released Wednesday, to take the roster spot vacated by the release of running back LaMont Jordan. Defensive end Greg Spires returned to practice after suffering a hamstring pull during the conditioning run and was working on the second team defensive line along with Terdell Sands, Josh Shaw and Kalimba Edwards.Edwards is getting a lot of work with the second team and and with the first team unit, with the Raiders hoping he can become the nickel rusher to replace Chris Clemons. It's unclear at this point whether Edwards could be a find or if the Raiders tackles are struggling as much as they appear to be struggling. Day 3 Raiders tackles have had difficulty slowing the charge of Derrick Burgess (almost always on the left side, a few snaps on the right) and Kalimba Edwards from the outside. Kiffin conceded it is that area where [Kwame] Harris will need to get up to speed. "He's been a better run player for us so far," Kiffin said. "We got some things in the pass protection going back to the left side — he hasn't been there for a while — that we've got to work out, that (Tom) Cable's working on with him. We got a lot of hopes for him, and we're going to need him." Huff, sometimes invisible while lost in among the bigger players at strong safety, has been conspicuous not only with his playmaking, but his enthusiasm for playing free safety. "I'm out there running around, having fun, make Gibril (Wilson) take on all the tackles and guards and fullbacks and all that," Huff said. "I can stay back there and make plays." Huff is doing a good job reading the offense, but is having a hard time figuring out his weight pattern. He said he tried to bulk up to last year and finished the season at a skeletal 193 pounds. Now that he's a free safety, he is up to 205. "I know it's strange, but I feel quick out there, real fast," Huff said. Kelly has been putting in overtime on the cardio machines after practice, working on getting his weight down. He has been one of the last players to leave the field house. Day 4 Defensive end Derrick Burgess continues to be perhaps the most impressive player in camp, and not just as a pass rusher. He blew up a running play, getting Darren McFadden in the backfield. During one team session, the Raiders were blitzing the offense on every play, simulating what the team is likely to face as opponents go after Russell. Russell made some nice hot reads during the session, with one of the best going for naught when tight end Darrell Strong dropped a pass with Tyvon Branch in coverage. McFadden had his second consecutive practice where he didn't look sure of himself as a receiver, seeming surprised as the ball arrived. "He's had some inaccurate hand placement on some catches, which is a surprise because we didn't see much of that in the camp before," Kiffin said. "He's got so much going on right now and so much pressure on him and so many different plays so we're going to keep pushing him and then there will come a time when we pull back. His attitude's phenomenal." "Inaccurate hand placement" is Kiffinese for not being ready to catch the ball. Kiffin placed Higgins in the lead to return punts, Branch for kickoffs. The most hotly contested position might be strongside linebacker, where Sam Williams, Robert Thomas and Ricky Brown are getting a look. Irons was also in the mix but a hamstring pull put him behind the field. Williams has the ideal size at 6-foot-5, 260 pounds, but has been beset by injuries since Al Davis traded up to get him out of Fresno State in 2003. He started well last year but was sidelined by a stinger, and never reclaimed the job from Thomas. Rather than bemoan his bad luck and get a fresh start somewhere else, Williams re-signed with the Raiders instead of becoming a free agent. "I know what I can do. They know what I can do, and I'm going to have this be my year where I show the world what I can do, so it wasn't a mistake getting me," Williams said. "We love everything about him, the way that he goes about special teams, the way he prepares," Kiffin said. "We just need him to stay healthy, and he was playing well at the beginning of the year last year before he got hurt, and we just need to continue to build on that." For the first time, no offensive or defensive lineman had to run laps for committing a false start or jumping offsides. Kiffin mentioned McFadden as a possibility for return duty on occasion. McFadden had a much better practice catching the ball out of backfield than he did in the earlier session, when Kiffin expressed concern over his "hand placement." Guess he figured out they had to be somewhere near the ball. Wide receiver Todd Watkins had one drop of a Russell pass over the middle and later a juggle which he managed to retrieve, but ended practice on a strong note, catching a deep out from Marques Tuiasosopo with an impressive leap and grab as three horns sounded to end the session. Following Watkins' grab, the team met in the center of the field, but Kiffin dispatched Janikowski to attempt a 57-yard field goal. Usually in those instances, something is on the line _ extended curfew, reduced meeting time, etc. Janikowski, who had nailed a pair of 43-yard kicks in an end-of-game drill earlier in practice, this time missed wide right. The Raiders practice once Monday from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Mon, 28 Jul 2008 20:51:43 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/297216 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/297216 For all the money the Raiders threw around this past offseason, wide receiver Drew Carter looks like the steal of the free-agent class. The fifth-year receiver from Carolina continued to catch everything thrown his way, proving himself to be the most reliable and consistent playmaker at JaMarcus Russell's disposal through after four days of camp. Of course, none of this means he'll be a starter when the Raiders open the season. Javon Walker makes too much money to sit on the bench and Ronald Curry has been solid enough to hold his job. With that said, neither of them have done the spectacular as often as Carter. In Sunday morning's practice, he sprinted down the sideline and went high for a deep catch from Andrew Walter. When cornerback Chris Johnson tried to wrestle the ball away on the ground, Carter fought for a good 30 seconds before emerging with full control. That mixture of speed, hands and determination will serve the Raiders' vertical game well. In other camp observations: ** Running back Darren McFadden dropped another easy pass, something he has done at least once a day. This one came on a quick slant in front of outside linebacker Thomas Howard, with Russell getting the ball there in a hurry. "C'mon, D-Mac, make that play!" running backs coach Tom Rathman yelled. Raiders coach Lane Kiffin notices a problem with his technique that he said can be easily corrected. "He's had some innacurate hand placement on some catches, which is a surprise because we didn't see much of that in camp before," Kiffin said. "He's got so much going on and so much pressure on him and so many different plays. So we're going to keep pushing him and then there will come a time when we pull back. ** One thing off McFadden's plate are kick and punt returns. For now, the potential starters are rookie safety Tyvon Branch on kickoffs and Johnnie Lee Higgins on punts. Kiffin said McFadden remains a backup option. ** Veteran safety Greg Wesley returned to practice after missing two days with back spasms. Cut by the Chiefs last week and signed by the Raiders, his presence was immediately felt when he charged the line of scrimmage to halt running back Adimchinobe Echemandu. Coupled with the impressive play of strong safety Gibril Wilson, this is the sort of physical play at safety the Raiders have lacked for years. ** Left tackle Kwame Harris (lower back) missed a second straight practice but will try to go at tonight's workout. His return will allow replacement Paul McQuistan to return to guard, which is a good thing. McQuistan continued to struggle at left tackle with another false start and poor pass protection. ** Three more false starts and shaky pass blocking means deepened concerns about the offensive line when the team isn't running the ball. ** Russell fumbled his first snap of training camp, backing away before he had control of the ball from center John Wade. Unlike the other quarterbacks in previous days, he didn't run a lap. ** Wide receiver Jonathan Holland made the play of the day with an all-out extension catch in the end zone. ** Consider former starter Jake Grove the early frontrunner for the starting center job ahead of Wade and Chris Morris, not that the Raiders are close to picking a winner. If nothing else, he's the only one without a botched quarterback exchange. Mon, 28 Jul 2008 10:46:11 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/296886 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/296886 In our earlier article on breakout wide receivers we looked at statistics and used criterions to improve our chances of finding a breakout wide receiver. In this article we looked at the candidates for 2008 and tell you which ones we believe are most likely to breakout and which are worth drafting based on their average draft position. Mon, 28 Jul 2008 07:38:05 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/296776 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/296776 Of course, nobody likes to lose. If you've ever played on a team that just couldn't seem to get it together and forced you to suffer through a losing season, then you know what I mean. Losing affects players differently. Some accept it, while others make life miserable for their teammates with criticism... Mon, 28 Jul 2008 02:13:34 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/296738 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/296738 It's very encouraging to hear such a positive report from Raider training camp. J-rock seems to have made significant strides and is impressing observers. Bring the noise! Sat, 26 Jul 2008 01:43:39 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/295936 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/295936 I took a couple days off from my inspection of the Oakland Raiders depth chart to do a couple other things, but with the players checking into the Napa Marriott in the next 24 hours it's time to get back to it. No.1 Javon Walker Walker will be examined early and often by Raider coaches during training camp.  He may be cleared to play by then, but it's still unclear what to expect from the wide receiver.  Walker was held out of the second practices of the mandatory mini-camp and OTA's.  Twice Kiffin referred to Walker's weight, once telling the Sacramento Bee,"he's a little heavy right now."  Walker has said all the right things since his Vegas mugging to try and reassure his coaches that he'll be there for training camp, and fans that he'll be ready for the start of the season.  I still don't trust him, but with his back already against the wall due to the many questions about his commitment and work ethic, maybe his effort will increase.  I'm hoping he feels regret for his conditioning and choices in Vegas, and proves to everyone that he wants it as much as he says he does.  Next Up: practice starts Thursday, the first chance for Walker to live up to his words. No.2 Ronald Curry Curry has recovered from offseason surgery to remove bone-spurs in his left foot, and not only looks to be ready to run at 100% by training camp, he looks stronger. "I never took the weight room too seriously.  I would do just enough," Curry said.  "But Kiffin wanted me to get in there and really hit the weights, and [strength] coach [Brad] Roll was really a blessing for me."   Having trained with both football players and power lifters for most my adult life, I can't stress how important I think the weight room is to staying healthy on the field. Curry didn't make any of the mini-camps, and seemed to sit out every other play during OTA's, but when he showed up, he made sure to impress.  Anyone concerned with Curry's surgery needn't be, because the 6'1" pass catcher played at a high level even with the injury last year, and in no way are the bone-spurs linked to any of his prior injuries.  Next Up: dust off the rest of the rust with a strong training camp. No.3 Drew Carter This was one offseason move that I was really excited about, and after mini-camps and OTA's I've got reason to think Carter may surpass my expectations. "He has been really impressive," said a team observer.  "He has looked like the best player at the position during workouts."   JaMarcus Russell has been able to find the 6'3" former Panther with ease.  With Walker and Curry out for the better part of the last few months, Carter has become Russell's primary target and the receiver he trusts the most.  Carter is a bigger target than Curry, and might find himself on the outside no matter if Curry and Walker get the nod to start or not.  Curry has always been effective inside, and Carter has the frame to stretch the field, so if Carter can finally live up to his amazing skills the Raiders might have one hell of a threat down field; Walker or no Walker.  Next Up: continue to keep play at a high level, and force Walker and Curry to keep up. There was little I could find on the remaining receivers that I could assess, so here's from a guy who gets a closer look; NFL writer Jerry McDonald. No.4 Johnnie Lee Higgins – "Higgins is being talked up by Kiffin for his playmaking skills and improvement in Year 2, and will be given every chance to be the punt return specialist." No.5 – Todd Watkins – I do know Watkins well, and am glad to have heard many good things about him this offseason. "Based on what he showed in the offseason, Watkins is an extremely gifted physical receiver who has a chance to stick if either of the rookie draft picks isn't deemed ready for the 53-man roster." Rookie Draft Picks: Chaz Shilens and Arman Shields – "Shields and Schilens both seem extremely bright and earnest, and have the physicality the Raiders are looking for as receiving partners for Russell.  Shields is a project who needs plenty of snaps but who promptly had a hamstring pull, robbing him of valuable learning time. He will need to catch up to Schilens in training camp." Long shots: Jonathon Holland, Chris McFoy, Drisan James, Will Buchanon (just cut to make room for Greg Wesley) – "McFoy was elevated to the 53-man roster late last season, but rates no better than a longshot to stick this year along with one-time camp phenom Buchanon, Holland and James." Marcel Reece – "Kiffin would love to see Reece make a move if for no other reason that the Washington receiver made the training camp roster on a tryout basis.  If he were to contend for a roster spot or make the practice squad, he would serve as an example that draft status or salary takes a back seat to production when it comes to making the team. Reece has a tight end's size and a wideout skills." Tight Ends No.1 Zach Miller One of the bright spots last season was Millers progression.  Great numbers (44 rec. 444 yds. 3 TD) came as Millers effort on the practice field and in the film room increased.  Miller's draft concerns (4.86 40, 16 reps at the bench) came to show early in 2007.  He struggled with blocking and getting off the line quick enough to get down field. By the end of the season Miller had improved on all levels, but will never be a great blocker or get any faster.  He runs precise routs, takes the right angle to get the most out of his strength when blocking, and doesn't let the defender keep him from getting off the line of scrimmage.  Miller is kind of like the complete opposite of Rickey Dudley.  Miller struggles with speed and power, something Dudley didn't lack. Where Dudley failed was with rout running and pass catching; exactly what Miller excels at.  Next Up: sophomore year begins on July 24th, hope there's no slump. No.2 John Madsen I love the way this guy always finds a way to get open.  He lacks everything you want in a tightend: size, strength, speed; but yet he's always open.  He's not the prettiest rout runner, but catches every pass thrown his way.  He even seems to break a tackle or two with ease after every catch.  Madsen's an average blocker that's not going to get much better, and most of the time needs to be used off the line of scrimmage to find success.  He's nothing special, but one hell of an asset to this team.  Next Up: look for him to at least triple his current 1 touchdown a season average. No.3 Tony Stewart, No. 4 & 5 Chris Wagner, Darrell Strong "Stewart was a non-factor in the passing game, his two main roles being as a special teams player and as the union player rep. Wagner and Strong are practice squad hopefuls." – Jerry McDonald Wed, 23 Jul 2008 00:01:23 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/294134 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/294134 We have a first time contributer to the Thoughts from a Reader's Side here on Thoughts from the Dark Side at TFDSsports.com. KA1Z3R weighs in with his thoughts and analysis on what the keys are to the Oakland Raiders having a successful 2008 season. He does a good job of pointing out the key factors that will decide whether the Raiders go 7-9 or as high as 11-5. Welcome this fresh voice to TFDS. Tue, 01 Jul 2008 02:43:39 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/284503 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/284503 Oh, how the mighty have fallen. What was once considered a very proud organization, finding its energy through Raider Nation, now finds itself on a downward spiral in which they still haven't been able to recover. Following the 2007 draft in which they drafted highly touted quarterback, JaMarcus Russell, all hopes were high for the silver and black. That soon changed though as Russell held out until almost mid-September, which turned out to be the longest holdout by the top pick in the draft in over two decades! Things didn't get much better from there for the Oakland Raiders. In fact, they won only 4 games in 2007. Free agent running back, Dominic Rhodes, bombed, and 2006 holdout wide receiver, Jerry Porter, never got back on track, with his best game being a 5 reception 88 yard effort against the Minnesota Vikings in week 11. 2007 ended on a sour note with the team losing it's last 4 match-ups after a brief two game winning streak in weeks 12 and 13, but with a few roster moves having been made during the off-season, Russell ready to take the helm, and the arrival of another offensive stud, Darren McFadden, through the draft, 2008 looks to have the makings of a season that can produce better results. Make sure to read more of what Bruno Boys Fantasy Football staff writer Chris Ziza has to say about the Oakland Raiders heading into the 2008 season by clicking below... Sun, 29 Jun 2008 23:20:39 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/283988 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/283988 Lane Kiffin has assured us that Javon Walker will be reading for training camp, even though, you know, he's fresh off getting his clock cleaned -- including a broken orbital bone -- not to mention the knee injury he was already rehabbing. Working on the assumption that Walker might not be ready for the start of the season, what does this mean for the Raiders' offense? Al Davis gave Walker a six-year, $55 million deal to be the team's big-play threat, but mitigating circumstances -- like concussions and a suspect offensive line -- could alter those plans. Or maybe not. Davis has always been infatuated with strong-armed quarterbacks and fast wide receivers. JaMarcus Russell certainly qualifies as the former, and even if Walker is on the shelf for part of the '08 season, Drew Carter qualifies for the latter. SI.com's Bucky Brooks thinks the underrated wideout could prove to be one of the Raiders' smartest offseason acquisitions. Carter, who caught 38 passes for 517 yards with four touchdowns in his final season with the Panthers, was signed to be the team's third receiver, but his surprising performance during offseason workouts may lead to a bigger role. "He has been really impressive," said a team observer. "He has looked like the best player at the position during workouts." Carter flashed glimpses of developing into a top-flight playmaker during his four-year stint with the Panthers, but he never became the complementary receiver the team envisioned. However, Raiders' officials believe that they Carter may be on the verge of a breakout season. Man, wouldn't that be nice? I'm pretty sure it'll happen, not so much because the Raiders are due some good fortune, but because it'll highlight the fact that there was no need to waste all that dough on Walker. Whatever, if Oakland's offense can progress past "cringeworthy", a distinction it's held since 2003, then no one will care. Tue, 24 Jun 2008 10:28:51 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/281716 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/281716 Al Davis was aggressive in rebuilding the Oakland Raiders this offseason. He upgraded most of the need positions through free agency, bringing in a plethora of fresh faces. With their first pick in the draft, the Raiders look to have upgraded their already strong rushing attack. Questions do remain for the Raiders as there are health questions surrounding Javon Walker, but overall this looks to be a vastly improved team almost across the board. I have been focusing on the individual camp battles, and will resume that series in the near future, but it was time to step back and take a look at the team in the macro rather than the micro. Sun, 22 Jun 2008 01:15:03 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/280738 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/280738 Continuing our "Camp Battles" series, today we look at the wide receivers. Its nice to step away from looking at a certain receiver's off the field antics and looking at the football aspect of the Oakland Raiders potential wide receiver corps. This year's edition should be much more explosive than last year's, as the Raiders have added speed at the position in Javon Walker and Drew Carter to go with Ronald Curry as a possession receiver. That is if Walker is healthy and ready come training camp, if not, oh boy. Anyway, here is how the Raiders' wide receivers stack up. Sat, 21 Jun 2008 02:28:58 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/280573 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/280573 Whatifsports looks at the AFC West, led by the San Diego Chargers who are looking at another deep playoff run. The Denver Broncos look to end their playoff drought and the Kansas City Chiefs and Oakland Raiders will have to rely a lot on their young players. We simulated every game and provide you with team analysis, projected scores and fantasy sleepers. Fri, 13 Jun 2008 03:06:50 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/277489 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/277489