[raider07]

Training camp, Day 2 (P.M. practice) - Inside The Oakland Raiders - A look inside the world of the highly classified Oakland Raiders from the writers of ANG Newspapers

Some quick hits from Friday night’s second practice:

– Coach Lane Kiffin got the extra arm 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.

Otis arrived just in time, because, as it turned out, Andrew Walter did not practice with a right wrist injury sustained by taking a snap in the morning workout. Walter was on the field initially, but before the club got seriously into drills he adjourned to the field house and did not return.

Otis took only a few snaps, handing the ball off.

– Maybe my judgment is skewed after watching some truly bad quarterback play the last two training camps from a revolving door that included Aaron Brooks, Andrew Walter, Josh McCown and Daunte Culpepper, but the Raiders had a truly outstanding passing performance in Friday night’s second session.

JaMarcus Russell put on a a display which rivaled the average days of Jeff George and the best days of Kerry Collins, two noted practice passers. George is the best practice passer I’ve ever seen. Admittedly, that’s a little like watching a Barry Bonds batting practice, but it’s at least comforting to know your quarterback can put the ball where it belongs on a consistent basis with no real pressure.

(Rich Gannon was more a technician and not a jaw-dropping passer in practice situations _ his strength was leading a team and moving the chains in games. The best pass I ever saw Gannon throw in practice was when became angry over a few blown routes, turned sideways and rifled a ball over the fence and into Redwood Middle School).

Russell stepped up under a rush and threw a strike to Drew Carter. He rolled to his right and dropped a soft pass to tight end Tony Stewart in stride. He broke to his left with receivers covered in a seven-and-seven and hit Ronald Curry with a laser beam.

On one play during a team session, Russell even dropped back and victimized Nnamdi Asomugha, with Arman Shields gathering in a perfectly thrown rainbow that probably traveled 50-plus yards in the air. Asomugha took some grief from offensive coordinator Greg Knapp on that one, with Rob Ryan urging the cornerback to get the score back on the next play.

Most every receiver who found himself open caught a pass from Russell, including Johnnie Lee Higgins, Chris McFoy and Jonathan Holland.

– With Russell being the top pick in last year’s draft, having an impressive passing performance maybe wasn’t all that surprising _ even if it was fun to watch.

The surprise came when Marques Tuiasosopo, a solid runner and notoriously inconsistent thrower, also had a sharp evening session.

Tuiasosopo did his usual thing of cutting up underneath the rush of Jay Richardson for big yardage, but also made the most of the extra work available because of the absence of Walter.

He found Chad Schilens with a throw to his backside through a tight window which would have been knocked down had he led the receiver with the pass. He dropped a nice pass from medium range into the hands of Todd Watkins.

There were several other short and medium distance throws which were also on the money.

Tuiasosopo will need to play well in the preseason to have a chance to become the backup, and that has been a problem in the past. He has made big mistakes even when faced with vanilla defenses.

But Friday night was encouraging in terms of passing skill which has been spotty in the past.

–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.

– Competition? The Raiders were fielding punts in a variety of down-and-distance scenarios for more than 15 minutes to open practice and had exactly one return man _ Higgins.

– Early in the second session, special teams coach Brian Schneider was presiding over a drill in which gunners attempted to down balls inside the 10-yard line. They wouldn’t run the full distance of the punt, but would start some 20 yards and run when instructed.

Chris Johnson caught one punt inside the 5-yard-line, but on another drill, with Holland and Shields operating outside, Holland let the ball hit the ground and took a short-hop into the end zone.

“You can catch it, it doesn’t have to fall,” Schneider said. “ I don’t care if it’s at the 5 or the 4.”

– Defensive end Fred Wakefield missed practice with what a Raiders official said were “flu-like symptoms.”

– Wide receiver Javon Walker sat out the evening session as scheduled, as did center Jake Grove. Jarrod Cooper worked in some special teams drills and took the rest of the practice off.

– The Raiders have a single practice session Saturday at 3 p.m.

Russell is really heating up!

[buckwild187]

Nice

[Johnymyke]

Love the part about Gannon. I know Im living in the past. What about Miller? Anything?

[buckwild187]

JLH still kinda scares me as the lone return man though.

[Snoop750]

Thank You for the post!! Excellent news about JaMarcus Russell, but I cant wait to see him LIVE on the BattleField. He's been putting in a lot of work this offseason, so maybe it'll show (in live competition.)

Kalimba Edwards and Greg Spires have me excited. Hope they do as well as I hope.

Lets GO, Kwame Harris. Pick up the scheme. We need you!!!!!!!!


Good News, Thanks again.

[JRaider17]

That news brought a smile to my face. Russell

[Nemesys]

Originally Posted by buckwild187

JLH still kinda scares me as the lone return man though.

Yep, me too.

[ABQ Raider]

Russell is gonna benefit a lot throwing against Aso and Hall in practice...He can F it up in practice and make it tighter than frog puss in game time!

Not sure what to make of the "tackles struggling" possibility...I hope its the DEs that are actually doing THAT good.

[AnDroiDRaider64]

One thing is for sure either our de's are going to be pretty good or our tackles suck balls....


i vote the later :/

[CaptainAsomugha]

Wasn't Fred Wakefield a TE?

[R8ERMAC]

nice!

[RenegadePirate]

Good stuff....

tighter than frog puss?

[CaptainAsomugha]

Good read, everything seems to be going smoothly, can't wait for the season!

[82rediar]

[jamarcus2]

my boy jmark's gonna make us proud