Yardbarker: LaMont Jordan

Running back sleepers - Ray Rice running strong.

Tue, 19 Aug 2008 21:51:35 -0500

Chris Perry is playing well in preseason while Rudi Johnson has been sitting out, notes Mike Harmon. See who else he has pegged as running back sleepers for your fantasy draft.

Bill Belichick Suggests Keeping Five RBs

Wed, 13 Aug 2008 11:06:26 -0500

The New England Patriots may be considering keeping five running backs. "If we would keep four quarterbacks, I would think we could keep five running backs," coach Bill Belichick said yesterday, when asked if it was out of the realm to see all five make the team. In Tom Brady's rookie season of 2000, the Pats kept four quarterbacks (Drew Bledsoe, John Friesz, Michael Bishop and Brady). The backs in question are incumbents Laurence Maroney, Sammy Morris, Kevin Faulk and Heath Evans, with newcomer LaMont Jordan.

"Tournament Style Vote Off ( Day 6 ) -- NFL QB's -- Up now -- A. Smith vs B. Cryole -- Pick the Winner"

Sat, 09 Aug 2008 12:18:35 -0500

This is a simple tournament style vote off. What you do here is vote for the best QB of the pair that is up at that time. This is a tournament so vote for the top paring first the next match up will begin after 15 total votes, the first to 8 votes, or the leader at the 24th hour, whichever comes first. Then move to the next pairing on the list and so on till the list is complete and then we start round two which I will post with the new match ups. I will Post the new match ups every day till we crown the CHAMPION. Lets be friendly and honest here is the match up. The NAMES in CAPS are the winners of that match up move on to the next round. When you see a pairing with a CAPS winner move down to where there are two QB's in lower case letters and that is the one we will be voting on at that time. When the next round comes out it will be posted the same as this one but with round 2, then 3, then 4 and so on till we have our two SUPER BOWL QB's. Only vote for the one in session. Let's keep it friendly, and tell your friends we are here and lets make this fun for everyone. Now in session is: A. Smith vs B. Cryole --- J.CAMPBELL defeats T.Jackson --- (11-2) --- J. CAMPBELL WINS T.ROMO defeats M.Hasselback --- (8 - 6) --- T. ROMO WINS P.MANNING defeats T.Brady --- (9 - 7) --- P. MANNING WINS B. FARVE defeats A. Rodgers --- (7 - 6) --- B. FARVE WINS E.MANNING defeats P.Rivers --- (9 - 7) --- E.MANNING WINS D.MCNABB defeats C.Palmer --- (8 - 2) --- D. MCNABB WINS D. ANDERSON defeats V.Young ---(12 - 4)---D. ANDERSON WINS B.ROTHLESBUGER defeats T.Edwards --- (8 - 0) --- B. ROTHLESBUGER WINS J. GARCIA defeats A.Rodgers --- (8 - 7) --- J. GARCIA WINS K. WARNER defeats J. Kitna -- (6 - 2) -- K. WARNER WINS *** 24th hour time D. GARRARD defeats R. Grossman --- ( 11 - 0) -- D. GARRARD WINS J. CUTLER defeats J. Delhomme --- ( 8 - 5) --- J. CUTLER WINS D. BREES defeats M. Bulger --- ( 7 - 0) --- D. BREES WINS *** 24 hour time M. SCHUAB defeats J. Russell --- ( 8 - 1) --- M. SCHUAB WINS A. Smith vs B. Cryole --- IS NOW IN SESSION M. Leinart vs J. P. Losman

Ravens Top Pats 16-15 in Preseason Opener

Fri, 08 Aug 2008 10:17:54 -0500

Preseason is a time for evaluation and while most will not read much of anything into the Ravens victory last night. One thing is for certain; the competition for who will lead Baltimore under center is still in need of further review. Kyle Boller really showed nothing new for the judges. He led a fine drive in the opening possession in which he showed efficiency and arm strength. But, those efforts ended in Stover booting home three as opposed to a touchdown. During his five series, he completed 11 of 15 (with two drops) however he turned the ball over twice as well and also showed the inconsistency that has marked his tenure. Troy Smith showed poise in the huddle but was somewhat less effective going 5 for 12 and did throw some nice balls that again led to a field goal. The early word this morning is that Smith will get his chance to run the first team against the Vikings next Saturday. Joe Flacco, who worked the last nine minutes of the Fourth looked like a rookie. He was stripped on the second play of his series, which led to a Lamont Jordan touchdown run. Admittedly, the line, which is already patchwork at this point, was filled with a few guys that will most likely end up on the practice squad. But, he looked out of sync in the brief time he was on the field and didn't complete a pass. Coach Harbaugh was brief in his comments after the game calling Boller "impressive", Smith "very poised" and Flacco "he will learn fast". Meaning that nothing has really been settled. Other points of interest: Yamon Figurs showed why the coaching staff is trying to get his top-flight speed in the offense. He had a 52 yard punt return that set up the only TD of the game. Justin Bannan was a force and was in the backfield most of the game. Bannan has been a solid addition and is a regular in the D-line rotation. Ray Rice was a bit nervous in his NFL debut. By my count he lost his helmet (twice) more times the number of yards he racked up. Fabian Washington did an excellent job in coverage and hauled in two interceptions. Hopefully this is a sign that he will bolster the injury-depleted unit from a season ago. Matt Stover. "Mr. Reliable", "Father Time", "The Offense". He has so many nicknames and he was solid perfect on all his tries. I can only hope that we can see more touchdowns instead of field goals. The Ravens offense did have a different feel to it. Use of motion and the no-huddle were a welcome sight. I also noticed use of the fullback and a Quarterback draw out of the shotgun. No fans should accuse the offense of being vanilla or using little imagination this year.

Ravens v. Patriots Recap - Preseason Week 1

Fri, 08 Aug 2008 02:19:59 -0500

The Ravens and Patriots met in Foxboro tonight for a preseason matchup, and it was not pretty. The Ravens technically won 16-15.

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For the Patriots, Brady and Moss sat, along with other starters. The Ravens sat McGahee and others. Kyle Boller got the start for the Ravens, followed by Troy Smith and finally a brief appearance by first-round draft pick Joe Flacco.

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Boller, the Eternal Rookie, started brilliantly, hitting Derrick Mason a few times and threading some beautiful passes. Then the Pats got to him. He fumbled the first time he was hit, as is his habit. He later threw an interception where the only doubt was whether the two Patriots defenders blanketing the intended receiver could decide which one of them was going to take it. Stop me if you've heard this one before.

Troy Smith played the middle 30-35 minutes of the game, and generally made great decisions with the ball. His biggest failing was in making accurate throws, which shouldn't be surprising since Cam Cameron has tried to tweak his mechanics to allow him to throw the ball more quickly. On some throws he confidently strode and hit his receivers. On others he missed by yards.

Joe Flacco made a pretty good case for worst professional debut of all time. His first snap and pass should have been picked off. His second snap resulted in a lost fumble. He ended the game 0 for 3 with a lost fumble, and none of the three passes were close to complete.

bblahlahblah The Skins are so good at LB they gave up on Robert McCune

There were highlights for the Ravens though. New free agent acquisition Fabian Washington, a CB and former Raiders first round pick, had two interceptions. Free agent acquisition Brendon Ayanbadejo (the second Ayanbadejo in Ravens history) knocked down a two-point conversion attempt that would have given the Pats the lead in the 4th quarter. Ray Rice looked serviceable, though with a weak two yards per carry.

The Ravens defense was, of course, excellent. Ronnie Prude is trying to keep his spot on the team, after his excellent campaign two years ago was tempered quite a bit by his disappearing act last season. The Ravens have a glut of linebackers, with Ray Lewis, Bart Scott and Brandon Ayanbadejo solidly entrenched. Last year's draft pick Prescott Burgess would seem safe, as would Ray Lewis' backup Nick Griesen. Gary Stills is a Pro Bowler on special teams. That leaves quite a backlog for Antwan Barnes (also a 2007 draft pick), oft-injured Dan Cody, Edgar Jones, and my personal favorite, Robert McCune. McCune appeared to be everywhere tonight.

Yamon Figurs, though, stole the show for the Ravens. He had a 52-yard punt return that ended when he carelessly stepped out of bounds at the two. Later he had a 48-yard kick return. He looks like a totally different returner than the rookie who ended his season with a broken leg last year. Special teams were good all-around for the Ravens, who got two field goals from Stover and a third from potential kickoff specialist Piotr Czech. Coverage was excellent, as returners were stopped inside the 20 on at least three occasions.

The Patriots hardly seemed as though they were trying. QB Matt Cassel looked absolutely putrid. His replacement, Matt Guittierez, was better. He took a few sacks though and threw one of the Fabian Washington picks. The last QB, UFA rookie Kevin O'Connell from San Diego State, made poor throws but looked good scrambling.

The bright spots for the Pats (other than the fact they trotted out almost entire backups) were running back and Maryland alum Lamont Jordan and rookie LB out of Michigan Shawn Crable. Crable had an interception. Jordan had some excellent runs and looked quite shifty. His size makes him a great change of pace to Maroney.

I guess the story of the night were the Raiders' cast-offs, Jordan and Washington. Well, them and the fact that the Ravens probably really wanted to win and the Pats are just biding time til they can start the divisional round of the playoffs in January 2009.

Pats Vs. Ravens: 5 Keyz to Victory

Wed, 06 Aug 2008 21:11:28 -0500

OK, I know it's the preseason and having a "Keys to Victory" story is kind of pointless since a victory doesn't really matter. After all, the Colts have lost 13 of their last 15 preseason games and they've done just fine (if you don't count the postseason, of course).So, instead, here are five things to keep an eye on Thursday night when the 2008 Pats kick off their preseason schedule versus the Ravens. 1. Nobody Get Hurt! Seriously, the Pats could lose 70-0 and I really wouldn't care as long as no one got injured. Okay, maybe I'd be a little concerned if they lost that bad, but nothing can derail a team faster than a preseason season-ending injury to someone important. We have no choice but to leave this one in the hands of the Football Gods, so I'm going to stop writing about it for fear of bringing on any kind of curse or jinx. Just pray someone upstairs isn't looking to punish us for last year. 2. Battle of the Back-UpsSo far, neither Matt Cassell, Matt Gutierrez, nor rookie Kevin O'Connell have been exactly lighting it up in camp, but Thursday night will be a chance for one of them to pull away from the pack (I hope). Early indications are that Tom Brady, as well as many other vets, will have the night off. In a perfect world, Cassell would lead a couple touchdown drives with zero instances of tucking the ball and running because he doesn't want to risk throwing an interception. Stuff like that is fine if you're Vince Young; if you haven't started a game since high school and want to prove you're a viable NFL backup, not so much. I wouldn't complain if Kevin O'Connell flashed some kind of brilliance, either.3. Bring the Pain, RooksThis could be the first time in a long time that rookies see significant minutes on defense once the regular season rolls around. But first they've got to prove they've got what it takes to play in an NFL game. By all accounts Jerod Mayo has been living up to expectations in practice. He's fast, physical, and seems to be grasping Bill Belichick's complicated defense. Meanwhile, Terrence Wheatley has also impressed despite getting lit up from time to time by Randy Moss (show me an NFL corner who doesn't).As for the rest of the rookies, like Shawn Crable, Jonathan Wilhite (who probably won't play after pulling up lame Monday night), Gary Guyton and Vince Redd, among others, this will be a chance to see who the "gamers" are. All will surely get significant playing time. And don't call any of them Shirley.4. We Need an O-line Depth ChargeAs I've touched on constantly the last week, my biggest concern for the 2008 Patriots is the offensive line. Matt Light, Stephen Neal and Ryan O'Callaghan are all probably out. The extent of each of their injuries in unknown, but the Pats have been scrambling to sign journeymen tackles so that can't be a good sign. Especially when every opponent this year will try to their best to get pressure on Brady the way the Giants did, though none of them have the talent of the G-men's defensive line.So the play of the current makeshift line, especially in the early offensive series, will be something to watch. Billy Yates and Wesley Britt need to show they are capable starters or at the very least could fill in until everyone gets healthy…if everyone gets healthy, Belichick willing.5. Free Agents Fitting In?Fernando Bryant has thus far looked capable of taking Asante Samuel's place at cornerback, now we'll see if that translates into the game. Linebacker Victor Hobson has been fairly quiet, and has been passed by Mayo on the depth chart according to some observers. But he's an NFL vet and we know he can play at this level. It will be interesting to see his play compared to Mayo once the action is live.Other Individuals to Keep an Eye On:Matthew Slater – universally described as an "explosive" kick returner, he'll need to show that explosion Thursday night if he's going to make the team.Chad Jackson – of course "The Chad" makes this list; Patriots fans are going to watching him like a hawk all preseason. He'll take some punt returns, but it will hard to judge his performance at receiver with the backup quarterbacks throwing him the ball. Still, he needs to do something to show he's ready to contribute this year.Sammy Morris & Lamont Jordan – these two could be fighting for a job, though I tend to believe both will make the roster. Regardless, both will need good games to ensure that.Antwan Spann – he's been having a great camp; that must translate into the game if he's got a shot at making the roster.Tank Williams – Belichick will most likely keep the newly installed defensive wrinkles under wraps for the preseason, but it will be interesting to see if Tank takes any reps at linebacker like he has been doing in practice.We'll be back this weekend with a full analysis of how all this mess plays out Thursday night. Until then, Go Pats! PatriotsPropaganda@gmail.com

Fantasy Football Sleeper Rankings - Running Back Sleepers

Wed, 06 Aug 2008 02:34:55 -0500

So I will quit wasting your time and let you absorb everything that we at Bruno Boys Fantasy Football have to throw at you when it comes to sleepers and undervalued running backs heading into 2008. Ranking System: The higher the "Snooze Alarm" Ranking, the more sleeper value the player has. To see who makes our list, click below...

Fantasy Football Sleepers - Running Backs

Tue, 05 Aug 2008 15:05:23 -0500

I'm going to preface this by stating that in this day and age there really are no "sleepers" since there is so much coverage that a fourth string RB can't make a DB miss in practice without the world knowing about it. That said, here is a list of RBs that I feel will exceed expectations this season. Justin Fargas - A lot of people assume that the addition of Darren McFadden means the end for Justin Fargas. I couldn't disagree more. He was an 1000 yard back last year on a rotten team. He'll likely be penciled in as the starter while Run DMC gets accustomed to the NFL, it's speed, blocking assignments, etc. Plus, McFadden has had a great deal of success sharing the backfield. Why change that up? I don't see another 1000 yard year from Fargas, but 800-1000 total yards isn't without question. Neither will likely get the red zone carries as Michael Bush looks ready to contribute. Steve Slaton - Right now he's #3 in the depth chart behind Ahman Green and Chris Brown. Durability has been an issue for both of those RBs though, which could bode well for the rookie out of West Virginia. Even if just one of them go down, Slaton could stand to receive a fair amount of work. He has a lot to overcome, but Slaton is a decent risk to contribute down the stretch. LaMont Jordan - Getting cut by the Raiders of all teams has to sting. However, LaMont couldn't have landed in a better situation. New England almost always takes teams' castoffs and turns them into serviceable players. He'll be buried initially in the depth chart behind Maroney, Sammy Morris, and Kevin Faulk, but his versatility could earn him some touches. He is a big, strong back (5?10, 230 lbs) who has exceptional hands out of the backfield. If Maroney and Morris struggle at the line, he could get a shot at that. If Faulk struggles or misses time, Jordan can fill that void. I wouldn't be surprised to see Faulk and Jordan used together in third-down packages. Darren Sproles - With Michael Turner moving on to greener pastures (at least according to his bank account), Sproles gets the envious task of backing up the best RB in the game. The recipe could be similar for Sproles. The Chargers light teams up early, and then run them into submission. Sproles is quick and could hit some Home Runs. He averaged 10.9 yards per carry last year, which is an indication of his big play ability. If something terrible were to happen to LT, he would be one of the most sought after pickups in the league. Pierre Thomas - If Deuce McAllister's health is an issue this year, Pierre Thomas suddenly has some fantasy merit again. He didn't do much last year, but he finished the 2007 with a bang running for 105 yards on 20 carries and 12 receptions for 121 yards against the Chicago Bears. That could have been a fluke, especially when you consider it was the season's final game, but it's worth taking notice. Ryan Torain - Imagine that. A Bronco rookie RB being a sleeper pick. Mike Shanahan likes to alter his RBs about as much as Gruden likes to tinker with his QBs. He has a few RBs to leapfrog (Selvin Young and Michael Pittman), but that's not impossible given the Broncos' history. Pittman has already said he's open to playing some Fullback, so that could help increase the rookie's workload. Click the link for the Deeper Sleepers

LaMont Jordan Released

Mon, 04 Aug 2008 21:30:25 -0500

LaMont Jordan Released by Oakland....lands in New England By Slavica Milosevska for Football Reporters Online July 25, 2008 Even though 29 year-old LaMont Jordan could not get signed to another team, the Oakland Raiders released him Friday, July 25 2008. In June, Jordan was not required to take part in the obligatory minicamp or in the actual training camp that is coming up. Jordan was playing beautifully until his back injury in the 2007 season. Last year, Jordan rushed 424 yards in the first four games, which was the second highest in the overall league. However, in the forth game's first half, he wounded his back detracting his abilities? In his first season with the Raiders, Jordan rushed 1,025 yards, caught 70 passes and made 11 touchdowns. Playing a total of 97 games with the Jets and the Raiders, he has rushed 3,285 yards and achieved 24 touchdowns. This year Jordan's salary would have been $4.7 million then $5 million the following year. Currently, he is not comparable to his fellow teammates like Darren McFadden, Justin Fargas or Michael Bush that are able to combat. Regardless, this is football, and it is unfair. That's the name of the game.

Training Camp Uppers and Downers

Mon, 04 Aug 2008 10:32:21 -0500

It's this time of year that I like to sit down and write out some nice text messages to the NFL studs and duds for the upcoming season. I let each player know which of them is bringing me down or raising their stock, and everyone communicates through text messages these days.

Oakland Raider musings: Random Thoughts from the Dark Side on the Raiders training camp to date

Wed, 30 Jul 2008 17:31:27 -0500

Just over a week until the first time the Oakland Raiders get to hit another team, and the excitement is palpable. Football is in the air. For many of the guys in camp right now, this may be their only shot at NFL glory and will be giving their everything to postpone their stay in Silver and Black. For guys like JaMarcus Russell and Darren McFadden, it is a time for them to get ready as it is time for them to shine. Aging vets are trying to squeeze one last year of gridiorn glory from their achy bodies. This is the time of blood sweat and tears where some dreams fade into the night and fresh Super Bowl dreams are born.

Raider Camp (Days 1-4)

Mon, 28 Jul 2008 20:51:43 -0500

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.

Raider Camp (Days 1-4)

Mon, 28 Jul 2008 20:51:43 -0500

Oakland Raider analyisis: Raiders' owner Al Davis shouldn't care that LaMont Jordan is now in New England

Mon, 28 Jul 2008 17:33:36 -0500

SFGate.com's David White reports that Al Davis is unhappy that LaMont Jordan has signed with the New England Patriots. Jordan's time in Oakland can be considered disappointing at best and a complete waste at worst, so it shouldn't matter where he goes. As a free agent in 2005, his abilities had become overrated whilst serving as a backup to Curtis Martin, but once it was time for Jordan to step into the spotlight and shine it was proven that he didn't have what it takes to be a full time starter. Davis has been seething over the resurgence of Randy Moss, but that comparison is a non-starter.

Jordan exit gets juicier

Mon, 28 Jul 2008 10:25:47 -0500

So, former Raiders running back LaMont Jordan got his wish -- his release Friday -- and signed for the Patriots. End of story, right? Wrong. It seems Raiders owner Al Davis is none too happy about his signing with New England, according to two sources -- one close to the team, another within the league. According to them, Davis told Jordan's agent, Alvin Keels, that he would only release Jordan if he didn't go to one of two teams. Team No. 1: the Denver Broncos, for the obvious reasons. Team No. 2: The New England Patriots, who Jordan signed with Saturday. The reason? Davis felt burned by the Randy Moss trade last year, with the Patriots getting a record-setting season out of the wide receiver and the Raiders getting little-used draft pick John Bowie. They say Davis does not want to see Jordan experience a similiar renaissance that comes back and bites the Raiders, particularly when the Patriots visit The Coliseum on Dec. 14. Keels said there was never a deal in place regarding Jordan going to the Patriots and that, once Jordan was released, it was Jordan's decision to go to New England. In the end, does any of this matter? Of course not. Jordan was free to sign anywhere he wanted, and was even granted permission to shop his services with a trade in mind while still on the Raiders roster. From the sounds of it, Jordan is going to get a serious chance to make the Patriots roster. "I think LaMont adds some quality depth to our backfield, Patriots coach Bill Belichick said. "We played against him a number of times. He's a tough guy to tackle, a hard runner, good in the passing game, good with the ball in his hands. He's a good football player that we'll put into that mix and give us a little more depth at that position."