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Showing posts with the label Training Camp 2011

Pryor Signs, Tatupu Next?

Reports surfaced early Thursday that Terrelle Pryor had agreed to terms with the Raiders. Of course, Raiders executive John Herrera denied the report, but said Pryor would hopefully sign his deal tonight. Well, now it is official, Terrelle Pryor has signed his contract and the Raiders have announced he will be on the field Friday in Napa. Friday marks the final day of training camp and it will be interesting to see how the Raiders handle Pryor before breaking camp. The timing couldn't be better. The Raiders will showcase Pryor for one day at camp before returning to the uber-secret facility in Alameda where they can start to starch and iron Pryor's warts. Pryor's deal is worth $2,808,100 over four years if he hits all the playing time incentives. In 2011, $586,000 is guaranteed with a base salary of $375,000. In 2012, he will earn $485,000 and $20,300 available in playing time incentives. In 2013, his salary will be $595,000 with a playing time incentive of $40,700. In 2014...

Morrison Signs With The Bills

Per Jaz Glazer of Fox Sports, Kirk Morrison has signed with the Buffalo Bills. If the Raiders wanted to bring in a linebacker, they are down to Lofa Tatupu as the only remaining serviceable option. The Raiders were already thin at linebacker before losing Travis Goethel for the season to a knee injury. Behind starters Kamerion Wimbley, Rolando McClain and Quentin Groves the Raiders have Sam Williams, Darryl Blackstock, Bruce Davis II, Bani Gbdayu and Chris Francis. That's an extremely thin group of linebackers and the Raiders will be looking at cuts around the league to shore up the group.

Hue's Challenge: Develop Terrelle Pryor

Yes, the Raiders selected Terrelle Pryor with a third-round pick in the 2012 draft via the supplemental draft. Most scouts believe Pryor isn't a great fit as a quarterback in the NFL, but the Raiders didn't waste a third-round pick to immediately covert him to receiver. Pryor is lucky enough to possess elite physical tools. He ran a 4.4 second 40-yard dash at 6'5" and 230 pounds. While he has a long way to go as a quarterback, he has all the needed physical tools to be successful. With no long-term solution at quarterback on the roster, the Raiders are wise to take the chance on Pryor. If the team doesn't feel like he is progressing as a quarterback he can be converted to receiver down the road. Hue Jackson and Al Saunders will attempt to mold Pryor into an NFL quarterback and they have a few good things going for them. Pryor is motivated to be good. He's not receiving a $30 million signing bonus and will need to put in the work to earn a big payday. Warts asid...

Raiders Injury Report

The preseason hasn't been kind to the Raiders. After Saturday's game, their first team has been crippled with injuries. Luckily the preseason is the time when the second team can step up and get in some playing time; it also means that the first team can get some necessary rest. Quarterback Jason Campbell left Saturday's game after getting clocked with a knee to the helmet. Concussion tests were run to assess the damage and Coach Jackson said that he anticipates Campbell being in practice on Monday. This was initially scary particularly because of the stinger that took Campbell out for part of the season last year. Kevin Boss taking Zach Miller's place at tight end was an overall good move, but now the depth at the position is in question. Boss is currently listed as week-to-week with a knee injury. There's no word on whether he will be able to play in the home opener. Wide receiver Chaz Schilens is also week-to-week with a knee injury, but Coach Jackson has said th...

Raiders Need To Sign Bush Long Term

Darren McFadden's most recent injury has made it even more clear how important it is for the Raiders to ink a long-term deal with restricted free agent Michael Bush. On Thursday, coach Hue Jackson revealed that McFadden was out for at least two weeks with an orbital fracture. Michael Bush signed his restricted free agent tender on Saturday, after a practice Friday in which Louis Rankin and Rock Cartwright took all the snaps. In a press conference a few days ago, Jackson joked saying that McFadden looked handsome and he had no doubt the running back will return in two weeks. Jackson also reminded every one of last preseason when McFadden missed a considerable amount of time due to a hamstring injury and came back to have 1157 yards and a break-out season. Still, McFadden has yet to play an entire season without missing time. It's the elephant in the room-McFadden is prone to injury. There is a severe lack of depth in the Raiders running-back depth chart. After McFadden and Bush,...

$2.6 Million in Hand is Worth it to Bush

Michael Huff tweeted he was having breakfast with Michael Bush this morning in Napa. A short time later the Raiders announced Bush had re-signed. Bush ends his quasi-holdout and reports to camp. The Raiders need the body as Darren McFadden broke his orbital bone and Rookie Taiwan Jones is nursing a hamstring injury. Michael Bennett also has a "nick" leaving Rock Cartwright to pick up the slack. Bush should practice today for the first time in 2011 with the recently signed Kevin Boss. The Raiders also signed receiver Chad Jackson. He's another camp body with kick return skills.

Tight End Talk

Panic arose with the loss of Zach Miller, lest we forget from the ashes many times a Phoenix arises. Kevin Boss got his first opportunity after the departure of all-pro tight end Jeremy Shockey from New York. Bringing in Boss was a sound business decision at less than half the cost of Miller. The Boss signing aside, let's look at the current roster:   Brandon Myers The third-year player has looked poor in camp, but still may have been the default starter had Boss not been aquired. His lack of consistency puts him on the roster bubble. Myers is a reasonable in-line blocker, but he has lapses in passing game.   David Ausberry Potentially Marcel Reece 2.0 at the tight end position. Converted from wide receiver his senior season at USC. He is literally still growing into the position and needs to add bulk. He continues to turn  heads in camp with his speed (4.52) and fluidity. The departure of Miller may afford him a roster spot due to his receiving skills.   Richard Gordon R...

Like A Boss: Kevin Inks Deal

Adam Schefter reports the Raiders agreed to terms with tight end Kevin Boss on a four-year, $16 million contract. The contract includes $8 million in guarantees. Zach Miller will make about twice as much and the production of each will likely be very comparable. Kevin Boss is a better seam threat than Miller and a slightly better blocker. He isn't quite the receiver Miller is, but he will be provided with greater opportunity in Oakland than he was in New York. If the Raiders offensive line also improves, the Raiders wouldn't have to bring in a sixth offensive lineman to run block. This creates doubt in the mind of the defense, particularly in the red zone, because Boss is a capable receiver. Boss is the type of tight end Al Davis values. A tall, big-bodied red zone threat who is a good blocker. This was a match from the very beginning. The Raiders receivers will still have to make up the difference between Miller and Boss as a receiver, but not as much as you might think. Easil...

Cap Relief: Routt, Seymour Restructure

Adam Caplan reports, Stanford Routt has restructed his deal with the Raiders for much needed cap relief. Richard Seymour also restructured and he could save the Raiders as much as $11 million against the cap. The Raiders knew all along how they were going to get under the cap or they would have been cutting players left and right. The question now is if the Raiders can create enough room to sign Kevin Boss. Darren McFadden is missing from practice and could be restructuring as well.

Hurry Up and Wait

The Raiders took the field for the first time in 2011. Missing were key free agents Nnamdi Asomugha, Zach Miller and Michael Huff and restricted free agents Michael Bush and Marcel Reece. Missing also were the slow tempo learning-intensive practices deployed by Hue Jackson's predecessor Tom Cable. Training Camp Report Hue Jackson is taking a different approach. Jackson's practice was high tempo and he wants it even faster. With practices shortened an an abbreviated offseason, Jackson must install the playbook in significantly less time. Higher tempo means more learning in less amount of time. It's simple, the Raiders should have high tempo practices to get as much done as possible before the season. Stefen Wisniewski probably had the most interesting media session when he mentioned the new playbook. He mentioned how the Raiders are going to use a lot of misdirection and motion to utilize the Raiders excellent offensive speed. It's something worth keeping your eye on. -...