Training Camp, Day 5

[raider07]

Training camp, Day 5 - Inside The Oakland Raiders - A look inside the world of the highly classified Oakland Raiders from the writers of ANG Newspapers

Quick hits from Monday’s Raiders’ practice:

– A few Napa Valley restaurants cashed in Monday night thanks to Sebastian Janikowski.

Janikowski nailed a 43-yard field goal at the end of practice, giving the players a one-night respite from the healthy diet instituted in camp this year by coach Lane Kiffin and strength and conditioning coach Brad Roll.

“That just made their coaches have to buy them dinner,” Kiffin said. “We kind of changed the menu a lot. It’s wearing on them. It’s extremely healthy, whole wheat pasta, and they’re getting a little worn out by it.

“Myself and Brad Roll sat down and put a menu together with the chefs here. It’s really good. It’s helped our guys and we’re the best shape we’ve ever been in. And we’ve changed our food at the facility, too. But they needed a little break and we’re hoping he could make it.”

Defensive end Jay Richardson promised to research the most expensive restaurant available. Guard Robert Gallery was dubious as to whether Tom Cable would splurge.

The previous evening, again with a potential fat-laden meal on the line, Janikowski missed from 57 yards.

“They had to eat whole wheat again,” Kiffin said.

– Mark Wilson, who had played both guard and tackle, sustained a broken left leg and Kiffin said he was probably “done.”

Fred Wakefield, who came to the Raiders as a blocking tight end who could play offensive line in a pinch, only to be moved to defensive end, found himself playing right guard. He even got in a few snaps with the first team.

Three seasons ago, Wakefield started four games at guard and three at tackle for the Arizona Cardinals. Wakefield said changing positions as well as position coaches is not too much of a strain.

“Once you’ve been in a system, you kind of know how it all works, what the concepts are and how things are supposed to go,” Wakefield said. “It’s just a matter of learning terminology more than anything.”

Kiffin conceded that in the NFL, it’s unlikely a player would make a 53-man roster on the basis of playing on both lines given the time devoted to each. Wakefield doesn’t look at the constant shifting as a curse.

“I’m one of those people, I really enjoy coming out here, I really enjoy being around these guys . . . but as long as I get a chance to play and do something, I’m not really too concerned how it shakes out,” Wakefield said. “Coach Kiffin this morning, he pretty much asked me if I could do it. He said, ‘I know that you will, I want to know if you can.’ I’m like, ‘It’s not a problem.”

– Cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha missed practice to attend a funeral in the Bay Area and is expected to be back for Tuesday’s double session at 9 a.m. and 7 p.m. Safety Greg Wesley (back spasms), and linebacker Grant Irons (hamstring) did not practice.

– An inconsistent day for quarterback JaMarcus Russell. Included among a handful of excellent throws was an overthrow intended for John Madsen which was stolen by safety Rashad Baker.

During a seven-on-seven drill, Russell failed to notice strong side linebacker Ricky Brown dropping into coverage and threw the ball directly to him for another pick.

– During one sloppy exchange from beginning to end, Russell bobbled a center snap, then managed to get a shaky handoff to Louis Rankin, who was immediately met by Thomas Howard and Gibril Wilson in the backfield and somehow managed not to fumble.

Russell gave way to Andrew Walter and was seen flexing and shaking his left hand. He returned later and seemed fine.

– Brown, competing with Sam Williams and Robert Thomas, is making a case for himself as the starting strong side linebacker. He also stopped Michael Bush in his tracks on an inside run.

– Cornerback Michael Waddell, victimized regularly since the start of camp, actually grabbed the shirt of Johnnie Lee Higgins so the receiver couldn’t get away, with the ball sailing incomplete.

“Nice coverage,” defensive coordinator Rob Ryan said.

– Quarterback Marques Tuiasosopo found Chris McFoy for a 17-yard touchdown in a seven-on-seven drill between an apparently blown bracket, with neither cornerback DeAngelo Hall nor free safety Michael Huff getting to the play on time.

– Walter rolled to his right on one play and ended up throwing the ball out of bounds, but was given time to throw the pass when fullback Oren O’Neal buried defensive end Greg Spires, riding him to the ground with a block.

– Marcel Reece, the undrafted free agent from Washington with intriguing size (6-foot-3, 240 pounds), lined up at fullback for a few plays and has been working with the running backs on occasion during drills, possibly to see if he can be an H-back.

– Although he has virtually no chance to make the 53-man roster if Justin Fargas, Bush and McFadden remain healthy, undrafted Washington free agent Louis Rankin has had a solid camp and could end up on the practice squad or perhaps be claimed by another team with a strong preseason performance.

– What might have been the best catch of training camp so far came from undrafted rookie free agent tight end Darrell Strong from Tuiasosopo. Running across the middle from right to left, Strong reached back and pulled the ball in with his left hand, transferring it to his right, before falling to the ground and holding on.

– Raiders receivers were running a drill in which they ran under a metal archway less than 6-feet tall, caught a quick pass, then maneuvered through a series of cones. Rookie Chaz Schillens struck the bar with his helmet the first time and dropped a pass. The second time he made under and dropped it again.

Both times, the response from receivers coach James Lofton was the same: “It’s a catch drill, 84.”

– Rookie defensive end Trevor Scott is still having trouble getting free from offensive lineman, getting manhandled on one rush by right tackle Mario Henderson.

– It is conceivable that none of the 30 or over veterans brought in this offseason _ linebacker Edgerton Hartwell, Spires, Wesley and Wade _ will make the team based on how the first seven practices have played out.

Hartwell and Spires have made few plays to speak of, Wesley has missed considerable time with back spasms, and the Raiders appear to be giving Jake Grove every chance to win the starting job at center. Chris Morris would be the more likely choice as the backup because he can also play guard, while Wade is strictly a center.

– No chance Grady Jackson returns to the Raiders. He decided to go back and play in Atlanta. Probably wouldn’t have liked the “healthy” diet in Napa, anyway.

– Kiffin came to the post practice press briefing to discover a new podium.

“And they said we were out of money,” Kiffin said.

[$$RADAZ4LIF$$]

Good Lookin..

[RaiderInNY]

Raiders training camp notebook (7/28/08) | Silver and Black Report

[LB RA1D3R]

Thanx 4 The Article i didnt like what they mentioned on Huff & Hall not getting there on time.. hope the DB's could get it together other than that i think Camp is going good.. I Would like Marcel Reese 2 get more playing time as a receiver i think he could be solid!.

[Imasmashu]

I'm only nervous about one position:

OT...

other than that, this team should be well improved.

[Jericho7]

oh my god! i cant stress enough on how we need to improve our o-line specifically our LT.

[Raidafan]

Thanks for the article

[HARBOR RAIDER]

Good Read

[Conservationist]

Promising. But... whole wheat pasta? Only if you add lots of cheese...

[Raiderfan13]

Worried about the O-Line. What did we sign Wesley for if he is going to be hurt all of camp.

[trueraiderfan17]

Thank Ya!

[Angelus]

thx for the news. Its good to see rankin havin a good camp. hopefully he lands a roster spot with someone cause i doubt he makes it with us

[RaNsOm]

Reading about "Russell failed to notice strong side linebacker Ricky Brown dropping into coverage and threw the ball directly to him for another pick." has me a little worried. I know he's still a rookie basically and will make mistakes, but how do you fail to noticed someone in a black jersey when offense wears white?

[G-MoNeY]

nice read thanks.