Originally published on SBReport.net on May 28, 2013 The Raiders returned to Alameda for their second Organized Team Activity on Tuesday, but this time with a veteran defensive back in familiar territory. 16-year veteran Charles Woodson returned to the Oakland Raiders practice facility on Tuesday for the first time in seven years. Woodson entered the NFL after being drafted by Al Davis and the Raiders in 1998 and wore the Silver & Black for eight years, but played his last seven years with the Green Bay Packers after leaving during free agency. Woodson referred to Oakland as his "second home" when talking to the media following practice and certainly seemed right at home when talking about his return to the Raiders. "It feels good, you know, it really does," Woodson said. "It feels good to put the Silver & Black back on. It's been a long time and I think I look good in the Silver & Black, so it's good to be back." Along with his knowledge in the defensive backfield, Woodson also brings a confidence to the team along with leadership qualities that this team needs. "I said this the other day: Charles Woodson plays th game with a little bit of a swagger and that's what the real good teams do. So, hopefully he'll bring some of that with him to our football team," Raiders head coach Dennis Allen said of his new defensive back. Woodson doesn't want to step on any of the coach's toes and give input when it isn't needed, but he expects his leadership to be shown in his actions, but will give advice when asked. "For the most part I'm a lead-by-example type of guy," Woodson said. "I don't want to go around any coaches and what they coach or what they do, but when there's an opportunity to step in and give some input on whatever that may be, than I will do that." There's no question that players are going to want to get advice from the long-tenured defensive back, and safety Usama Young won't shy away from it. "It's one of those situations where you want the best players to be on your team and a guy like that, everybody knows Charles Woodson: probably going to be a Hall of Famer, a Pro Bowler, All-Pro, you know he started his career here," Young said. "I'm looking forward to picking his brain a little bit the same way that I'd do with any other vet that's been a good player in this league, an elite player in this league." Woodson played in 106 games for the Raiders from 1998-2005 and racked up 456 tackles, 5.5 sacks, 14 forced fumbles, 17 interceptions, two touchdowns and 83 passes defensed while making the Pro Bowl his first four years in his first stint with the Raiders. The free agent safety was expected to sign with the Denver Broncos but chose to sign with the rival Oakland Raiders and go back to the team he has spent the most time with in his career. "When talking with Charles when he came in on the visit, it was apparent to me that he wanted to be a part of the Raiders," Allen said. "This is a tradition-rich organization and I think he can see some of the things that we are doing to try and get back to those winning ways." Woodson acknowledges that his desire to help getting the Raiders back to winning is something he aspires and bought into Allen's assertion that they are not rebuilding and are trying to win now. "I was really sold on the fact that they believe in the guys that they've got here. Of course you can always use more, you know what I mean, and as the years come up they'll be able to do some more things but they really had a lot of faith in the guys that they've got on the roster right now. Who knows where this team will be at the end of this season, but I was convinced that this team will compete, this team will be in games. We look forward to going out there and wearing the Silver & Black proudly." General manager Reggie McKenzie and Allen had some assistance in convincing Woodson as members of Raider Nation assembled a rally to welcome him back to Oakland when he arrived at Raiders headquarters last Tuesday. "It was a great feeling," Woodson said of the fans' rally last week. "I was here eight years and we had some ups and downs, but we had some great years and I know what it's like to have this fan base behind you and that's a big deal, there's a lot of energy here. A lot of these guys don't know that feeling to be that type of team here and have the fans behind you. To have the fans here at the facility last week welcoming me back meant a lot and I appreciate Raider Nation for that." Though it does all feel familiar for Woodson, there is one big difference between the organization he knew before his departure and the one he came back to. "I mean really the only difference is: the big guy's not here, nd I think that's really it." Woodson said referring to late owner Al Davis. "Knowing that you're not going to see him coming on the field at any point in time this season, is really the different feeling to this organization. But I know that the organization is in good hands with Mark [Davis] taking over and bringing in Reggie to come in here and try to get the Raiders back on the right track." The veteran practiced on Tuesday with a plain back jersey as fellow defensive back Tracy Porter currently dons the #24 jersey for the Raiders and all other numbers in the 20's and 30's are taken. Porter wore #22 in Denver and New Orleans, which is currently occupied by Taiwan Jones. "I can't find a number man, everything's taken," Woodson said. "Moving forward, we'll try and get that worked out but right now I'm just 'blank man.'" Young, who played with Porter in New Orleans, says there's going to have to be some negotiating done between Porter and Woodson to settle it. "Tracy's probably been hearing from everyone: 'aye, you've got to give Woodson that 24,'" Young said while laughing. "I wasn't sure if he was going to wear #24 or #21, but I don't know, coming out in that black jersey, I don't know, we'll see. There's going to be some numbers crunched in the locker room probably." Woodson acknowledged that he may have to turn to negotiating if he's set on wearing the number 24, as he did during his first stint with the Silver & Black. "I guess that's what I'm going to have to do," Woodson said with a smile. "It wasn't waiting on me in my locker, so I'll have to negotiate that for sure."
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Originally published on SBReport.net on May 28, 2013 UPDATE: The Raiders have stated that he was admitted into the hospital late last week to have a procedure done to remove scar tissue from his abdominal region. There is currently no timetable for when he will be released from the local hospital. The Raiders continued their offseason workouts with the second Organized Team Activity on Tuesday in Alameda, Calif., but rookie cornerback D.J. Hayden was not present. Head coach Dennis Allen spoke with the media following practice and acknowledged that the 12th overall pick is currently in a local hospital with an abdominal issue. Allen wouldn't get into specifics with the injury but stated that it has not been determined if it is associated with the nearly fatal injury suffered by Hayden during a practice last season. "We can't rule that out, obviously, but right now I don't know exactly what the correlation is to it but we don't anticipate it being an issue," Allen said. Hayden was rushed to the hospital on Nov. 6 of last year after a collision in practice that ruptured the main vein responsible for pumping blood to the lower body. The injury is commonly seen in car accidents and is fatal the majority of the time. Allen says the problem arose either on Tuesday or Wednesday after last week and is hopeful that he will see the young cornerback on the field in time for training camp, which the Raiders are set to begin at the end of July. "He will probably be out the rest of the offseason and be ready to go for training camp," Allen said. The first-round pick was admitted to the hospital late last week for a procedure to remove some scar tissue from his abdominal region. The Raiders have stated that it is still to early to have a timetable for his release out of the hospital. Hayden's will have some extra work when he gets back on the field as young players grow greatly from their playing time during offseason workouts. "It's obviously not a good thing from a football standpoint," Allen said. "As a rookie, you need all the reps you can get and all the work you can get and then obviously, when you combine that with Tracy [Porter] being out most of last week and potentially this week, we'll see, that kind of sets us back a little bit." Originally published on SBReport.net on May 21, 2013 Looks like Raider Nation and Reggie McKenzie were able to lure defensive back Charles Woodson to come back to Oakland on a one-year deal, the Raiders announced Tuesday. Fans of the Silver & Black caught wind that Woodson was coming to Alameda at the Raiders headquarters for his visit and the Nation quickly assembled a rally to be there waiting for him in the parking lot. According to Vic Tafur of SFGate.com, about 100 Raiders fans met in the parking lot starting at about 10:00 a.m. and stayed all day waiting to hear the good news. Other Raiders players leaving the Raiders OTA practice stopped on their way out of to take pictures and show their appreciation of the fan support. Fullback Marcel Reece and defensive end Lamarr Houston stopped to sign autographs and take pictures with the fans. Meanwhile, quarterback Terrelle Pryor brought out waters for the dedicated fans, according to Tafur. The signing marks the return of the standout cornerback that began his career wearing the Silver & Black. Woodson was originally drafted by the late Al Davis in the first round of the 1998 draft out of Michigan and played for the Raiders for eight seasons. Woodson played in 106 games and racked up 456 tackles, 5.5 sacks, 14 forced fumbles, 17 interceptions, two touchdowns and 83 passes defensed while making the Pro Bowl his first four years in his first stint with the Raiders (1998 - 2005). Woodson left the Raiders as a free agent and joined the Green Bay Packers in 2006 where he has played ever since, where McKenzie served prior to being named the Raiders new general manager last season. Details of the contract have not been released but it has been reported that the other team lobbying him was the Denver Broncos. Woodson originally stated he wanted to play for a contender, but then broadened his search and seems to have enjoyed the idea of going back to where he began his stellar career. In his 16 years in the NFL, Woodson has tallied 921 tackles, 17.0 sacks, 29 forced fumbles, 55 interceptions and 11 touchdowns. It remains to be seen how the Raiders will utilize him, but Woodson played as a free safety for the Packers last season and could fit in well at that position with the departure of Michael Huff. Originally published on SBReport.net on May 20, 2013 The Oakland Raiders held their first Organized Team Activity open to the media on Monday, with everyone attending besides quarterback Kyle Padron and running back Deonte Williams. Williams and Padron were out due to being on the quarter system in school, leaving them forced to stay at their respective colleges to finish out the school year. "I think that just goes to show the type of guys that we are bringing into the program here," Raiders head coach Dennis Allen said. "These guys have done a great job all the way throughout the offseason program. I think we've had about 98 percent attendance throughout the offseason program, for the first five weeks. I think it's important that we're all out here, I think it's important that we're all getting the work and we're doing this thing as a team." Though the team did have some players not able to practice due to injury: tight end Nick Kasa (hamstring), Tracy Porter (calf), Josh Cribbs (knee) and Miles Burris (knee). Monday marked the first chance for much of the media to see quarterback Matt Flynn in a Raiders Quarterback Matt Flynn appeared in front of local media for the first time Monday jersey. Flynn looked confident and accurate throwing the ball, especially on the short to intermediate routes. He did a nice job of getting the ball out on time and putting it in a spot to have his receivers make a play and get down field. "I think he's looked pretty good," Allen said of his new quarterback Flynn. "Obviously this is the first day that we've actually been out there and had the chance to go offense versus defense, so we still have a long way to go. Again, just like everybody else, the key is these guys are out here working and they're trying to do everything that we're asking them to do. We're going to let the whole process play out, and I think, nothing's set in stone with what we've got right now." Allen went on the state that this is all part of the evaluation process and teams have a better understanding of what they have in their players the further they are in the offseason process. Terrelle Pryor and rookie Tyler Wilson hope to have an opportunity in taking over Flynn for the starting job. Pryor struggled today with inconsistency, making some nice plays at times but following them up with poor throws that weren't catchable by his receivers. He will certainly need to step his game up this offseason or else he won't even be the second string quarterback this year. Wilson followed up a good rookie mini-camp with a decent OTA session Monday. He showed off his cannon on multiple occasions by zipping the ball through defenders to get it to his receiver. Though, rookie mistakes did happen as he tried to drop a ball off short but was nearly picked by linebacker Keenan Clayton. "I think he does some good things," Allen said of his young quarterback. "Obviously, he's a rookie and he's got a long way to go. He's not the finished product. The same thing I would say about him just like I would any rookie: just put your head down and go to work; try to get better everyday; try not to make the same mistakes day-in-day-out and continue to get better. I think with his type of work ethic, he's willing to do that." One thing of note is that defensive back Brandian Ross has moved to the free safety position. Allen stated that he feels Ross' skills set fits him to make the switch and said that he has a history of doing this, citing his time in New Orleans. In another move, second-year offensive lineman Tony Bergstrom got reps as the starting left guard. Allen stated that it was their intentions when they drafted him to kick him inside and have him play left guard, once again stating that the position fits his skills better. The starting offensive line at this point looks to be as follows: Jared Veldheer (LT), Bergstrom (LG), Stefen Wisniewski (C), Mike Brisiel (RG), and Khalif Barnes (RT). Barns is still getting first team reps at right tackle, but the coaching staff may just be beginning slow with rookie tackle Menelik Watson. It was good seeing Jacoby Ford and Darren McFadden out on the field making sharp cuts. They practiced at full speed and didn't appear to be hurting at all from last seasons' foot injuries. On interesting battle that will likely take place up until roster cuts is that of the wide receiver position. Un-drafted wideouts Sam McGuffie and Conner Vernon are fun to watch. McGuffie used his 5-foot-10 build to stay low to the ground and make quick cuts. He's a very shifty athlete. Vernon never seems to drop a pass and runs very crisp routes. He's not quick, but his crisp route running gave him at least 10-yards of separation on a double move at one point during Monday's practice. The tight end position is another point of competition this offseason, and it appeared to be incumbent David Ausberry that got the most of the reps. That being said, they spent a lot of time rotating new tight ends in and out in an effort to help evaluate their situation. Rookie linebacker Sio Moore was once again moved around on the field. He seems to be every bit as versatile as advertised, with the ability to drop back in coverage and stay with his assignment, as well as getting on the line of scrimmage and getting to the quarterback. The Raiders next OTA session open to the media is next Tuesday, May 28. Originally published on SBReport.net on May 15, 2013
Adam Schefter of ESPN is reporting that return man and wide receiver Josh Cribbs has chosen to sign with the Oakland Raiders, after also visiting three other teams. As previously stated on Silver & Black Report, the former Cleveland Brown has become one of the best kick and punt returners in the league, something the Raiders missed desperately last season with the absence of Jacoby Ford. Cribbs is a three-time Pro Bowler and is tied for the league record for most kickoff returns for touchdowns in league history with eight. Though Cribbs did not return one for a touchdown last season, Cribbs had six 40+ yard returns and 65 20+ returns over the last two years. He averaged 27.4 yards per return last season, while the Raiders averaged just 22.3 yards. Cribbs also has a big impact on punt returns where he averaged 12.0 yards per return whereas the Raiders averaged less than half of that, at 5.1 yards per return. The soon-to-be 30-year-old receiver had less of an impact as a receiver for the Browns last year but gives the Raiders valuable experience in a young locker room. It gives Matt Flynn (or whoever the starting quarterback may be for that matter) another weapon that is dangers in open space. Another aspect that should be beneficial towards the Raiders is that Ford will not have to take as many hits which may limit his injuries. Cribbs was believed to be signing with the Arizona Cardinals in the beginning of free agency but his surgery-repaired knee didn't check out. It appears his knee checked out enough last week for Reggie McKenzie to give him an offer on his way out the door to visit other teams. Originally published on SBReport.net on May 15, 2013 Former Raiders middle linebacker Rolando McClain has apparently decided to call it quits from football at the young age of 23, according to BaltimoreRavens.com. "Rolando let me know that he plans to retire from the NFL,” Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome told BaltimoreRavens.com. “We have placed him on the Reserve/Retired list.” McClain was released by the Raiders in early April and signed with the Ravens on April 12. Just ten days into his new one-year contract, McClain found him arrested for the third time in his NFL career in his hometown of Decatur, Ala. The former 2009 Dick Butkus Award winner was drafted by the Raiders 8th overall in 2010 after largely being considered a "can't-miss" prospect but largely didn't live up to the hype during his three years with Oakland. McClain found himself in the doghouse last season after a reported rift with head coach Dennis Allen at practice. Allen then suspended the linebacker for two games due to "conduct detrimental to the team" and reduced his role in his defense greatly, as he didn't play in the final three games of the season. It remains to be seen why McClain has decided to hang up the cleats and whether or not he will attempt a comeback at some point. Originally published on SBReport.net on May 13, 2013 The Oakland Raiders announced the addition of eight players to the roster just a day after the completion of their rookie mini-camp. Reggie McKenzie announced the signing of seven free agents, along with one player claimed off of waivers. All seven of the free agents signed participated in the rookie mini-camp on a tryout basis. The free agents signed were cornerback Chance Casey-Thomas (Baylor), linebacker Eric Harper (Grambling State), wide receiver Greg Jenkins (Alabama State), tight end Jeron Mastrud (Kansas State), defensive end Ryan Robinson (Oklahoma State), center Andrew Robiskie, and cornerback Mitchell White (Michigan State). McKenzie also chose to claim third-year wide receiver Andre Holmes off of waivers. Holmes played with Raiders current starting left tackle Jared Veldheer while at Hillsdale before entering the NFL as an un-drafted free agent. Holmes has just seven games played, recording just two receptions for 11 yards. Jenkins is a former quarterback converted to wide receiver and compiled over 2,000 yards and 17 touchdowns at Alabama State. Robiskie is son of former NFL running back Terry Robiskie, who currently coaches wide receivers with the Atlanta Falcons. Andrew's brother, Brian Robiskie, is currently a wide receiver for the Detroit Lions. Mastrud has NFL experience after orginally signing to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2010. Mastrud was then signed to the Miami Dolphins' active roster and hauled in just one reception for eight yards in his three years with the Dolphins. In order to make room for the signings, the Raiders waived CB Adrian Bushell, C Deveric Gallington, DB Akwasi Owusu-Ansah, TE Mickey Shuler and LS Adam Steiner. Originally published on SBReport.net on May 13, 2013 Raiders Pro Bowl fullback Marcel Reece has joined United Way TEAM NFL in an effort to recruit NFL fans as volunteer readers, tutors and mentors. United Way TEAM NFL is a group of college-educated NFL players that seek to help the organization recruit more than one million volunteers that aim to keep kids on track to graduate high school on time. Reece becomes a valuable asset to United Way due to the academic problems in the Oakland Unified School District. According to the press release, "reading proficiency in the Oakland Unified School District is just 42 percent, and more than 1 in 4 high school students drop out before graduating." Reece knows that this number must increase because of how valuable education is in life. "I was first in my family to graduate from college," Reece said in a press release. "It was important to me to set a good example for my six brothers because I know for a fact that school is a gateway to future success. That's why I was honored that United Way invited me to get involved in this important work." Research has proven that kids can benefit from the assistance of adults who care about the success of children, and Reece takes pride in working towards United Way's goal of cutting the high school dropout rate in half by 2018. "Any one of us could be the difference between a kid graduating or not," Reece said. "I want to be part of helping kids reach their potential so I'll be asking the Raider Nation to join my team." As a kickoff event to his new endeavor, Reece is set to host a meet & greet with fans at the Raider Image location in Oakland. The star fullback is set to sign autographs, as well as participate in a TweetUp from 1:00 - 2:30 p.m. on Tuesday, May 14. The first 10 fans in line will also receive a United Way "Live United" t-shirt. Reece will be encouraging attendees to volunteer as part of "United Way Team NFL - Team Reece", where they can help as readers, tutors and mentors. The Raider Image in Oakland is located at 8450-A Edgewater Drive, just off of Hegenberger. Originally published on SBReport.net on May 12, 2013 Longtime Raiders executive Amy Trask made a shocking move on Saturday as she sent out an email stating her resignation from the organization. She most recently held the title of Chief Executive Officer. Trask's resignation marks yet another departure of the "old regime" that worked under iconic owner Al Davis. Since Davis passed away on Oct. 8, 2011, the organization has the departure of many of Davis' longtime, trusted employees during the overhaul. Davis first hired Trask in 1987 and later became the first female executive in the National Football League and she remained the only female CEO in the NFL. Trask has been a longtime fan favorite for her openness to the Raider Nation as she would often greet families and members. Her personable mentality towards fans earned her great respect amongst Raider fans. Trask also defended the fan base during times of accusations of a violent attitude by outsiders. Trask has aimed to make games more family friendly and even was a part of the team lowering ticket prices to make them more affordable to larger families. Trask was also instrumental in the Raiders' attempt to get a new stadium build in Oakland. With their lease ending at O.Co Coliseum after next year, Trask previously stated that it was the Raiders "hope, their desire to get a new stadium on that site," meaning the site that the current stadium is built on. Her departure marks the necessity to add yet another new employee to the Raiders organization which is currently ran under Al's son, Mark Davis. The organization interviewed numerous candidates last season to fill a leadership role in the front office, and the organization could look back at these candidates as a replacement for Trask. Davis and the front office previously looked at former Cleveland Browns president Mike Holmgren, Madison Square Garden president Scott O'Neal, and NFL executive Ray Anderson. It remains to be seen who the organization will target but it seems they would do it sooner than later to give them a chance to get comfortable before the season starts in September. The Raiders made a statement on Raiders.com regarding the resignation of Trask: "Mark Davis, Carol Davis and the rest of the Raiders family would like to thank Amy Trask for her valued contributions to the Raiders for the past 25 years. The Raiders wish her very best in her future endeavors." Originally published on SBReport.net on May 12, 2013 The Oakland Raiders held their rookie mini-camp this weekend and media was invited to attend Saturday's practice to get their first look at this year's draft class and un-drafted rookies that were signed afterwards. Players split up into their respective groupings for individual drills prior to partaking in team activities on the main field. One player that stuck out on the field today was cornerback and 12th-overall draft pick D.J. Hayden. Hayden continued to use exceptional footwork to keep up with the receiver in and out of their breaks. Hayden made a nice break on a ball along the sideline for a nice pass defensed, but still felt as if he should have done more. "It helped put me at ease because it's just production. As long as I keep making production I feel like I can get better and just make plays," the 22-year-old cornerback said. "When I made the little play, I was happy, but I should've caught it. You know, there's always room for improvement." After suffering a near-death injury suffered in practice last season, Hayden feels right back at home back on the gridiron and doesn't think about the freak accident that occurred. "It feels so great just to get back out there and put the helmet back on and just actually be on the field in practice. It felt good, real good," Hayden said. With the veterans not yet in camp, fourth round draft pick quarterback Tyler Wilson saw plenty of time on the field and looked to have a strong arm and put plenty of zip on the ball. Wilson found wide receiver Brice Butler on a couple of occasions, who used his hands nicely on receptions. "We're learning all these new plays, this new lingo. It's tough," the 23-year-old quarterback out of Arkansas said. "I think the first day and a half we've been out here, getting in and out of the huddle has probably been the biggest thing. It's not throwing and catching, that's pretty easy, but it's just learning everything and piecing everything together." Wilson recognizes that the Raiders present him with a chance to earn the starting quarterback position, though he still has plenty of work ahead of him. "It's an opportunity and obviously there's a lot I have to learn," Wilson said. "It's one of the things you to dive in and really attack and I've got a lot of work to do to get up to speed because there's been veteran guys that've been here and are way ahead of me right now. So I'm playing catch up. I do think I can bring some things to the table skills set wise, but again, I'm playing catchup at this point. I'm going to use this opportunity to compete like heck." Linebacker Sio Moore, out of the University of Connecticut, has quickly become a favorite Raider Nation after stating that the team just drafted the best linebacker in the draft and that nobody would outwork him. Moore was drafted in the third round by Reggie McKenzie. Head coach Dennis Allen has liked what he has seen from Moore after seeing him lined up at a variety of positions throughout practices, including with his hand down on third downs trying to get at the quarterback with his speed on the edge. "We let him rush a little bit today. He's played the WILL linebacker, we've played him at the SAM linebacker. His ability to understand multiple positions has been good," Allen said of Moore's versatility. "He's a guy, like I said after we drafted him: he loves football. He loves football. He wants to work; he wants to get better. He's a guy that I just think is going to get better as he gets comfortable with the scheme." Raiders linebacker Sio Moore displayed great versatility during Saturday's practice Moore relishes the idea of being moved around the field and being asked to perform multiple duties, but knows he has to work on getting the details right every time. "Man, I love it. I love it," Moore said of Jason Tarver's defensive scheme. "They give me an opportunity to do a little bit of everything and right now it's just learning it all and really being exact and that's the thing I've picked up the most: everything is about being exact and perfect." Moore also mentioned that he received advice from fellow former UConn Husky and now Raiders safety Tyvon Branch Friday. "I talked to Tyvon yesterday and he just told me the same thing: stick to your playbook and work, when the veterans come out here, the stuff that we're learning now is going to be like the back of your hand so as rookies we need to try and take it all in and try to be close to where they're at," Moore said. Much of Raider Nation and media alike didn't know much about running back Latavius Murray when the Raiders selected him in the sixth round, but he may quickly make a name for himself. With an injury-prone Darren McFadden ahead of him, Murray has an opportunity to earn some playing time as a rookie. Murray runs upright much like McFadden and has surprising speed for his 6-foot-two, 223-pound frame. Also like McFadden, he has tremendous hands and looked like a natural catching the ball out of the backfield, including a tremendous one-handed catch on a screen play during practice. "It's just kind of a bonus that I bring to the table, a strength of mine," Murray said of his pass-catching abilities. "I just got to make sure I go out there and make sure it's something I'm comfortable doing - which it is - and just bring it to the field everyday." But Murray knows he he can't get comfortable and that there is always a part of his game that he can work on improving. "Overall, I just got to get better as a player," Murray said. "I have to come out here and get better every day and work on the little things. I think there's always room to improve, so that's my focus everyday." The rookies have one more practice on Sunday before the veterans come to camp. The media will have their next day during the team's Organized Team Activities next weekend, on May 20. |
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