The Oakland Raiders 2018 Season Thread

[Johnny_Cakes]

THE ONE TRUE NATION

 

[kayzeezay]

Checking-in

 

[sickr8r]

Sign Mack!!!

 

[Kinfolk]

5 win season is realistic.

The game has passed Gruden by.

Not speaking to Khalil Mack is a great start for Gruden.

 

[raider5]

9-7 is my expectation this year. I think this roster is actually pretty good, but Mack is an obvious key part of it.

 

[ThePeoplesChamp_]

Give us something to cheer for

 

[Johnny_Cakes]

Three to watch: David Sharpe, Nick Nelson and Obi Melifonwu could be dark-horse contributors for the Raiders

By Ted Nguyen Jul 25, 2018

6

All the moves and acquisitions Jon Gruden and the Raiders’ front office made in the offseason weren’t just to turn over the roster. They were made to send a message to the current players on the roster — there is going to be an open competition for many of the spots on the depth chart.

Gruden has no loyalty to any of the players on the roster and I mean that in the best way possible because it opens up the competition for players that fell out of favor with the former regime or haven’t had a chance to make an impression on the new staff yet. The following three players have a lot of ground to make up. They are currently dark horses in their respective position battles but have the talent to climb their way to the top of the depth chart.

1. David Sharpe
Perhaps the Raiders’ most important position battle will be at right tackle. The AFC West is loaded with dangerous pass rushing duos. The Chargers have Melvin Ingram and Joey Bosa. The Chiefs have Dee Ford and Justin Houston. The Broncos have Von Miller and the fifth-overall pick Bradley Chubb. To top it off, these teams have their best rushers coming off the right edge on most snaps.

Gruden knows the importance of having two quality tackles, which is why the Raiders drafted left tackle Kolton Miller in the first round and right tackle Brandon Parker in the third round. If Donald Penn is healthy or if Miller proves to be way ahead of the curve, the left side of the line should be solidified.

That leaves the right side of the line. Who is going to block Miller when he’s lined up to the right with his ears pinned back? Right now, veteran Breno Giacomini looks to be in the lead mostly because of his familiarity with offensive line coach Tom Cable, but his play the last couple of years hasn’t been stellar. In 2017, he gave up nine sacks and 81 pressures, which is 17 more than any other tackle in the NFL according to Pro Football Focus.

Parker has a huge transition to make coming out of North Carolina A&T. There hasn’t been much said about Vadal Alexander (who will start the season serving a four-game PED suspension), Denver Kirkland, or Jylan Ware but they’ll be battling too.

But as for David Sharpe, last year’s fourth-round pick out of Florida, Cable dropped him a huge compliment toward the end of the offseason program.

“You look at (Sharpe) and you think, ‘My God, there’s a right tackle that might play in this league for 10 years if he ever captures it,'” Cable said. “He has the potential to be a really good football player. It’ll be up to him whether he chooses to do that or not.”

The compliment was surprising because Sharpe played left tackle as a rookie. This year, during the practices that were open to the media, he mainly played on the left side as well. Maybe the Raiders are anticipating that Penn will take more of the left tackle reps during training camp which would free Sharpe to get into the mix at right tackle.

From a roster construction standpoint, Sharpe emerging as the starter is ideal. He’ll be on a rookie deal until 2020 and offers hope that he could man the position for the foreseeable future. For Sharpe, the time to seize his opportunity is now. The spot is open for the taking and he has a coach that believes in him.

Coming out of Florida, he was very raw. Last year’s coaching staff loved his physical talent and thought they could mold him with more technical refinement. He started the last two games of the season after Penn went down with the foot injury. In Sharpe’s first game against the Eagles, he flashed and had a solid game overall.

Sharpe was extremely physical against a tough Eagles front seven and even manhandled run stuffer Timmy Jernigan at times. Sharpe was solid in pass protection against the fierce Eagles pass rush and only gave up one pressure and no sacks.

Sharpe 1 on 1 with Derek Barnett pic.twitter.com/kJrULTTYCB

— Ted Nguyen (@FB_FilmAnalysis) December 27, 2017

On this play, Sharpe stonewalled Derek Barnett, who is a very promising young pass rusher. It was a good play but some of Sharpe’s technical flaws were on display as well. After studying him against the Eagles, offensive line guru Brandon Thorn thought Sharpe didn’t drive out of his vertical set forcefully enough.

“It’s like he just lifts his back foot and puts it down instead of driving out of his stance,” Thorn said.

Thorn also pointed out that Sharpe could step too wide at times and needs to work on his foot placement. Barnett did not take a wide path to the quarterback in the clip yet Sharpe stepped outside instead of straight back. He got away with it on this play but these technical mistakes really caught up with him in the game against the Chargers’ Ingram and Bosa when he allowed five total pressures (two sacks, one hit, two hurries) across 31 pass-block snaps.

Here, against Ingram, Sharpe once again stepped too wide which caused him to be off balance and left himself susceptible to an inside move. Ingram faked inside and because Sharpe was out of position, he had to overreact to it and lunge. He had no choice but to grab Ingram and he was called for an obvious hold. Lunging and dropping his head are constants that showed up on film.

This play came later in the game against Bosa. This is what a vertical set is supposed to look like. Sharpe kept his shoulders squared, drove straight back, established a half-man relationship with Bosa, and hit him with a solid two-hand strike. Bosa tried to grab Sharpe and pull him down but Sharpe showed his athleticism, maintained his balance and controlled Bosa.

Cable said it is Sharpe’s choice whether he wants to be a good player or not. He has an uphill battle to fight but the makings of a quality tackle are there. The biggest questions for Sharpe coming into training camp are:

• Will he devote the extra time necessary to acclimate to the right side?
• Has he gotten in better shape during his time off?
• Has he studied the playbook?
• Has he been working on his technique? He has to take pride in being a technician.

If the answers to those controllable factors are “yes,” he’ll make this competition very interesting.

2. Nick Nelson
The nickel corner position battle will be a close one. Veterans Leon Hall, Marcus Gilchrist, and Daryl Worley look to be the top contenders but Gruden also identified Nick Nelson as a candidate for the job on the final day of the Raiders’ minicamp that wrapped up the offseason program, despite the fact that he’s yet to practice.

Nelson was projected to be drafted in the second or third rounds but his stock fell after injuring his meniscus in a pre-draft workout with the Lions. He’s expected to be ready for training camp. According to PFF, Nelson forced a 34.2 percent incompletion rate in college at Wisconsin, which ranked second among draft-eligible cornerbacks. The only corner that had a better incompletion rate was Denzel Ward, who went fourth overall in this year’s draft.

Nelson is a very physical corner who doesn’t appear to have the prototypical size or speed to play on the outside full time. He also can get a little handsy — especially against speedsters — which can lead to holding and pass interference penalties.

On this play, he disrupted the route by pushing the receiver all the way to the sideline, giving the receiver no room to get his feet in bounds. This is something that Nelson does routinely. However, he didn’t get his eyes back to the quarterback and with his hands tangled with the receiver, he could have easily been called for a pass interference.

I like how he projects in the nickel because he would be closer to the safety and have more deep help. Also, in Paul Guenther’s system, he’ll also have the opportunity to drop into zone coverage. He’s shown that he can quickly diagnose and click-and-close as a zone defender.

Here, the Wisconson defense was in a Cover 2 zone. Nelson had the flat zone to the right. The No. 1 receiver ran a drag out of Nelson’s zone, so he got his eyes in the backfield and saw the back release for a screen. He drove on it so quickly that the offensive linemen had no shot of blocking him.

Overall, Nelson is in a tough spot because he has to learn a new position in a very different defense than what he played at Wisconsin. He’s already behind the veterans that he’ll have to beat out and he missed OTAs and minicamp due to his injury. He’ll have to have an eye-popping camp and preseason to get himself into the race but he does have some intriguing tools to work with.

3. Obi Melifonwu
It’s not very often you see a player mentioned as a dark horse only a season after being drafted in the second round but that is the case with Melifonwu. Melifonwu had one of the best combines of all-time but he wasn’t just a workout warrior, his freaky athleticism showed up on film as well.

Don't think Obi's best usage is at FS but look at the distance he covered on this under thrown ball. Nice tracking and not an easy catch. pic.twitter.com/zZN8AvzoER

— Ted Nguyen (@FB_FilmAnalysis) May 2, 2017

Melifonwu never missed a game due to injury in his four years in college so there were no durability concerns with him when he was drafted. But he started his rookie season on injured reserve with plans to designate him to return after the required eight weeks. He did return and played sparingly, including a terrible game against Tom Brady and the Patriots when he played out of position at cornerback, before having hip surgery and going back on season-ending IR in Week 15.

The Raiders never made the severity of his injury fully clear so it’s hard to pinpoint the exact issue. He didn’t practice early in the offseason and at the time, Gruden said: “He doesn’t look close to me at all.”

But he slowly worked himself back in to where he was involved in full team drills by the end of minicamp. Gruden began sounding more optimistic.

“I saw him pull the trigger and really get off the hash and move the other day,” he said. “You see the 4.4 speed that is talked about. He has a lot of ground to make up. He’s missed a lot of work. It’s competitive back there.”

Of the three dark horses mentioned, Melifonwu seems to have the tallest hill to climb. Karl Joseph appears to have one of the starting safety spots locked up. The other spot should be a battle between veteran Reggie Nelson, Gilchrist and Erik Harris, who Gruden had a lot of praise for.

Melifonwu may be far behind, but he has by far the most physical talent of the group. He’s also a perfect fit for Guenther’s quarters system. He’s a long, rangy safety that is a solid tackler that can match up man-to-man with receivers and tight ends.

“Obi is a big guy that, when you turn on the tape, you’re like, ‘Who is this son of a gun?’” Guenther said. “He’s playing half the field. He’s down in the box, playing the run.”

Obi in quarters. Locks on #2, Patient on his pedal and another great break on intermediate throw and uses length to knock the ball away. pic.twitter.com/efd1BpA83Z

— Ted Nguyen (@FB_FilmAnalysis) March 19, 2017

Teams like to run slot fades vs quarter teams to match up WRs w. FS, but it's a joke vs Obi. Look at the speed control, break, and tracking. pic.twitter.com/tGJVPO0bMp

— Ted Nguyen (@FB_FilmAnalysis) May 2, 2017

How Melifonwu responds both physically and mentally with the time he had to heal during the break before training camp will determine his place on this team. If he can play without any physical or mental barriers, his athleticism should flash enough to make a strong impression on Gruden.

 

[Johnny_Cakes]

Battle stations, part II: The Raiders will start down their road to defensive improvement without Khalil Mack

By Vic Tafur Jul 26, 2018

12

First things first. Khalil Mack isn’t showing up when veteran players check in Thursday to Raiders training camp. I guess we should say he isn’t expected to show up, but barring some hypnosis or some rapid-fire negotiating by the two sides, the Raiders’ best player won’t be in Napa.

Mack, entering the last year of his rookie contract, will at some point become the highest- or second-highest paid defensive player in the NFL. The other player in that discussion is defensive tackle Aaron Donald, who didn’t report to the Rams training camp on Wednesday. Donald held out last year and has to report by Aug. 7 or else his free agency gets pushed back a year, so that should help move things along, especially if Mack or Raiders owner Mark Davis is waiting to see what Donald gets.

The good news is that the Raiders’ second-most important addition (other than new coach Jon Gruden) will be at camp this week. Defensive coordinator Paul Guenther not only has plans to get Mack in more one-on-one situations, but has already moved to Bruce Irvin to defensive end and is confident he can shore up a pass defense that finished 26th, 24th and 26th in Jack Del Rio’s three years as head coach.

The Raiders had the worst passer rating (127.1) against passes that traveled 20 or more yards in the air, and in addition to the staff, cornerbacks Sean Smith, David Amerson and TJ Carrie have all been replaced.

A look at the defensive depth chart and hot training camp battles (with rookies in italics).

Defensive end
Khalil Mack, Bruce Irvin, Arden Key, Tank Carradine, Fadol Brown, Mario Edwards Jr., Shakir Soto

Status: Whlile Donald Penn’s holdout last year raised eyebrows because he was 34 and his weight had been known to fluctuate, Mack is in the prime of his career and doesn’t believe in body fat. Irvin is thrilled at not having to drop back in coverage anymore, and his production should go up with his energy level with less snaps. There is no reason he shouldn’t finally hit double digits in sacks for the first time in his career. The coaches are excited about Key as the third rusher, but we will hold off on the fireworks until we see him in pads at camp.

Best battle: Guenther has praised Carradine and Brown, while Gruden has questioned what Edwards brings to the table several times. Edwards has battled injuries and a laziness tag over the years, and while the new strength coaches rave about him, Gruden needs to see something on the field.

Defensive tackle
Justin Ellis, Maurice Hurst, Frostee Rucker, P.J. Hall, Ahtyba Rubin, Eddie Vanderdoes, Treyvon Hester

Status: Ellis’ job is to plug holes in the run defense, while the rookies Hurst and Hall are here to finally get the Raiders some pressure up the middle. Hall is starting off camp on the active/physically unable to perform list with a minor undisclosed injury from minicamp, but the second-round pick has already been left behind in Hurst’s dust anyway. The fifth-round pick would have been picked in the first round if not for a heart condition, but the Raiders said that has checked out for now and he looks like a first-round pick. With a quick first step and good hands, Hurst is an ideal fit for Guenther’s defense.

Best battle: Rucker is such a solid vet and great leader, I don’t see how he doesn’t make the roster. That leaves Rubin, Vanderdoes and Hester battling for maybe one spot, as Carradine and Edwards can also play inside. Vanderdoes, just a year removed from being a third-round pick, is coming off knee surgery and has a new staff. Maybe the Raiders just stash him for a year. Otherwise, he needs to make a good impression. Especially since Rubin is another one of the vets that Gruden brought in. Hester played a lot last season and has practically no shot at making the roster. He has to change people’s minds at camp.

Outside linebacker
Tahir Whitehead, Emmanuel Lamur, Shilique Calhoun, James Cowser

Status: Gruden and Guenther both picked out Whitehead and Lamur from free agency to plug in. Whitehead has always been around the ball with the Lions, but maybe didn’t make enough plays. Lamur is a long-time Guenther disciple from the Bengals who will get his first real shot to start after six years. Calhoun has all the physical tools. Let’s see if the new staff can sharpen them better than the old staff did.

Best battle: Barring another signing, there is none. Cowser doesn’t have much of a shot to make the team.

Inside linebacker
Derrick Johnson, Nicholas Morrow, Marquel Lee, Kyle Wilber, Azeem Victor, Jason Cabinda

Status: Johnson, 35, will have every chance to show that his legs can hold up and that he can make the Chiefs regret letting him walk. If not, the undersized but quick-trigger Morrow should be able to step in adequately.

Best battle: The last coaching staff was high on Lee’s potential, and Guenther has also become a little curious to see if he can indeed become more than a downhill thumper. Wilber is a big-time special teams player and Victor and Cabina both have youthful exuberance on their side, as well as nothing to lose.

Cornerback
Rashaan Melvin, Gareon Conley, Daryl Worley, Nick Nelson, Leon Hall, Shareece Wright, Dexter McDonald, Antonio Hamilton, Shaquille Richardson

Status: This is the position to watch. Melvin is the No. 1 corner who is looking to have a big year and get back on the free-agent market. The Raiders are cool with that. Because Conley, last year’s first-round pick pick, should be their No. 1 corner by then. Worley got in trouble off the field and that’s why he is no longer with the Eagles, but he has talent. Nelson is coming off a knee injury, but the fourth-round pick is a go for the start of camp. Free agent Bashaud Breeland visited Monday, but it appears he will sign with the Chiefs instead.

Best battle: Leon Hall is a bulldog. He won’t like that we listed Worley and Nelson before him. Hall is also 33 but Gruden doesn’t care about that. Wright is another veteran that Gruden brought in to push or take a job from the younger players. McDonald and Hamilton have been here, but the clock is ticking for them to show the new staff a reason to keep them here.

Safety
Reggie Nelson, Karl Joseph, Marcus Gilchrist, Obi Melifonwu, Erik Harris, Shalom Luani, Dallin Leavitt, Tevin Mitchel

Status: Nelson, Joseph and Gilchrist should rotate at the two spots, with Gilchrist also playing some nickel cornerback. Melifonwu, last year’s second-round pick, is the mystery man. A combine standout, he went from a guy who was supposed to cover tight ends to being thrown to the wolves at cornerback by Del Rio last season. He seems to finally be healthy.

Best battle: Melifonwu is no lock to make the roster, especially with Gruden talking up Harris, who apparently is more than just a special teams player. Luani was one of the intriguing prospects from last year’s camp, but watching him play late last season pretty much put out that fire. Leavitt, an undrafted rookie out of Utah State, flashed a little during the offseason workouts and minicamp.

Specialists
Punter Johnny Townsend, kicker Giorgio Tavecchio, kicker Eddy Piñeiro, long snapper Andrew DePaola

Status: Townsend, a rookie out of Florida, may not have the same jaw-dropping kicks as Marquette King, but he should be consistent, might be better at directional punting and won’t be dancing to taunt opponents or drawing flags. DePaola replaces Jon Condo and is the highest-paid long snapper in the NFL.

Best battle: Tavecchio was solid last season, but Gruden loves the upside of Piñeiro, who has his college holder in Townsend here. It seems like all the pressure is on the veteran.

 

[raider5]

 

[Johnny_Cakes]

Hip strain for Conley. Good news as far as I’m concerned.

 

[njavier03]

sooo are we ever going to sign Mack....

 

[Johnny_Cakes]

‘Mastermind’ Paul Guenther is building a confident Raiders’ defense as it waits on two key pieces

By Vic Tafur Jul 29, 2018

10

NAPA — Paul Guenther is excited about his defense, even without holdout Khalil Mack and injured-again Gareon Conley. Sometimes the new Raiders defensive coordinator gets too excited.

“He is a very fast talker, so sometimes I am, ‘Hold on, hold on, slow down,’” linebacker Derrick Johnson said after practice on Friday. “He is a mastermind when it comes to disguising different defenses, overloading one side, showing a certain look but playing three and four different coverages out of the same look.”

It obviously would be easier to draw up plays with Mack, but the defensive end missed his fourth day of camp while he waits for talks about an contract extension to pick up steam. Mack is due to make $13.8 million in the last year of his rookie deal.

“I really can’t worry about that right now,” Guenther said when asked about Mack after Sunday’s practice. “I’m just trying to coach the guys who are out here. Obviously when he gets here, if he gets here, he’ll be an exciting piece to add.”

Then, there is the case of Conley.

Conley didn’t have a history of injuries at Ohio State. But the former coaching staff thought he could have done more at last year’s training camp. He would end up playing only two games last season before having surgery on his shin.

Conley practiced Friday, but some of the new coaches and players have raised their eyebrows at Conley missing Saturday and Sunday’s practices with what Guenther called a hip strain.

“It’s unfortunate,” Guenther said. “He made a good play on a ball on the one-on-one drill. Just bumped his hip a little bit. He won’t be out for too long. We have a lot of guys working out there at corner, it’s going to be a good battle to see who come out of it.”

Former Panther and Eagle-for-a-month (DUI, gun violation) Daryl Worley has stepped in opposite Rashaan Melvin and looked the part.

“He’s played a lot of football,” Guenther said of Worley. “He’s an experienced guy. He’s big and long. He’s really starting to pick up the system the last couple of days.”

Sunday was the first day that players put pads on, and it was a little tame considering the thirst for contact and loud noises. Still, a slimmed down Kelechi Osemele continued his manhandling of defensive tackle Mario Edwards Jr., defensive end Bruce Irvin continued his great start to camp and rookie defensive linemen Maurice Hurst and Arden Key picked up where they left off in offseason workouts.

“The rookies in our room are really going to help us,” Irvin said Sunday. “They really have no choice, we need them.”

I have long said that the 6-foot-5 Key reminds me of a young Aldon Smith, and Irvin agreed.

“Long, athletic,” Irvin said. “He’s a really natural rusher. He reminds me a lot of the old 99 that was here. If he keeps his head on straight, which he will, he’s going to be a hell of a player and a hell of a player for the Raiders. Can’t wait to see what he’s going to do this year.”

As far as his good start, Irvin wondered why that was worth noting.

“I’m a seven-year vet, third year here,” Irvin said “I feel like the stuff I’m doing is the stuff I’m supposed to be doing. They’ve got me back at D-end where it’s more natural, less thinking and more reaction. It’s me running around flying to the ball.”

And yes, Irvin is keeping tabs on Mack.

“He’s working,” Irvin said. “I talk to him every day. He misses it. You just know how it is. He’s working his butt off and when he gets in here he’ll be ready.”

New running back: The Raiders are going to need one. Jalen Richard left practice Sunday with a strained calf, league sources confirmed. He has been battling DeAndre Washington for the No. 3 job behind Marshawn Lynch and Doug Martin. Meanwhile, rookie running back Chris Warren III was working with trainers before practice because of an undisclosed injury.

Coach Jon Gruden was unavailable for comment.

Trickery and competition: Gruden and Guenther will go over the play calls before practice, and change them later to try to catch the other and the offensive or defensive players off guard.

“I think those guys are really close,” safety Marcus Gilchrist said of the two coaches after practice Sunday. “Being that they’re really close, I think they compete a lot. It trickles down to the players and it makes us even more competitive.”

 

[Johnny_Cakes]

3 takeaways from Day 3 of Raiders training camp

Oakland Raiders' Maurice Hurst (73) P.J. Hall, and Arden Key (99) wait to perform a drill during NFL football practice on Friday, May 4, 2018, at the team's training facility in Alameda, Calif. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)


By Michael Gehlken / Las Vegas Review-Journal
July 29, 2018 - 5:33 pm

NAPA, Calif. — Three takeaways from Day Three of Raiders training camp:

Not forgotten

Khalil Mack’s presence was felt Sunday, even if his bullrush wasn’t.

The team held its first padded practice of training camp. At one point, it featured a pass-rush drill that typically is catered to those on defense. The Raiders’ offensive linemen, however, held their own, center Rodney Hudson in particular putting on a clinic with multiple pancake blocks.

From the bleachers, a season ticket holder chimed in.

“Pay Mack!” he hollered. “Pay Mack!”

Sunday was the Raiders defensive end’s third straight missed practice. He is holding out for a new contract.

Key still turns

Well, it’s official.

Arden Key is just as impressive in pads.

The defensive end and rookie third-round pick continues to flash this offseason. The aforementioned drill showcased some slippery inside-rush ability. He also has demonstrated a knack for bending the edge with burst when working against offensive tackles.

“He’s doing a good job of playing the runs how we want him to play the runs,” defensive coordinator Paul Guenther said. “We know he can rush. He’s special that way. Obviously, we came out here in pads today, he showed the same thing he did in shorts. It’s exciting to have him out there.”

Said defensive end Bruce Irvin: “He’s a really natural rusher. He reminds me a lot of the old 99 (Aldon Smith) that was here. If he keeps his head on straight, which he will, he’s going to be a hell of a player and a hell of a player for the Raiders. Can’t wait to see what he’s going to do this year.”

Key fell to the third round, in part, because of character and shoulder concerns. His production at Louisiana State also fell off in 2017.

Bouncing back

An early miss didn’t deter Giorgio Tavecchio.

The Raiders kicker was errant on his first field-goal attempt, but he made six of his other seven. The lone miss clanged off the right upright. The final two occurred in simulated game-winning situations with teammates standing near him, their proximity intended to elevate the pressure.

On Friday, Tavecchio was 3-for-6 on field goals to start camp.

Undrafted rookie Eddy Pineiro is expected to handle Monday’s field-goal reps.

 

[raider5]

Idk if I should be hyped AF for Arden Key or nervous as hell for Kolton Miller

 

[Johnny_Cakes]

Idk if I should be hyped AF for Arden Key or nervous as hell for Kolton Miller

Same

 

[Johnny_Cakes]

Derek Carr, Connor Cook have strong performances on Day 2 of practice in pads for the Raiders

By Ted Nguyen Jul 31, 2018

7

NAPA — The Raiders eased into their first day in pads Sunday by limiting how long they went 11-on-11 but really kicked things up a notch their second day in pads Monday.

The sound of pads clashing from arguably the best interior offensive line in football was probably music to coach Jon Gruden’s ears. He obviously wants this team to play physical but smart at the same time. There was a notable emphasis on situational football, as well.

After stretching, the team separated into its position groups for individual drills. The quarterbacks did several pocket movement drills. Derek Carr looked like he’s fully recovered from the back injury that hampered him last year and he moved around well.


Ted Nguyen

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· 20h

Working on ripping through pressure in the pocket. pic.twitter.com/KsYKW68sUP


Ted Nguyen

✔@FB_FilmAnalysis

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3:15 PM - Jul 30, 2018

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In the final pocket movement drill, the quarterbacks had to avoid pressure, while keeping their eyes up to find one of two targets. They had to work different arm angles and Carr threw several side on-target sidearm passes that were Rich Gannon-esque.

Later, the quarterbacks, receivers, tight ends, and running backs ran routes on air to get their timing and chemistry down. Though there was no one guarding him, Jordy Nelson’s route-running ability really stood out. His ability to lean one way and then break in the opposite direction is impressive for a bigger receiver.

A name to watch out for in the preseason is tight end Paul Butler. He made a really acrobatic catch on a poorly thrown ball and made several plays in 7-on-7 and team sessions.

When the skill players practiced route combinations, Gruden stood in the back and yelled out different coverages — sometimes before and after the snap. Different coverages affect the quarterback’s progression so it was his way of getting them to keep their minds engaged even though there wasn’t a secondary in front of them.

“Well, there’s so many situations and there’s so little time to work on them,” Gruden said after practice. “We try to jam a lot of them into every practice.”

Connor Cook hasn’t had a lot of good practices in the offseason but today seemed to be his best day. His good day began during this session and it carried on throughout the rest of practice.

“(Cook’s) getting better a lot. I think he’s doing better. He really is,” Gruden said. “I think he’s taken to the offense. He’s showing more and more command.”

The 7-on-9 period is a drill designed to focus on the run game and run defense. Arden Key has been the talk of camp because of his pass rush ability but he made several plays stopping the run on Monday. His closing speed is noticeable. On one play, he made a tackle for loss by flying into the backfield from the backside only a second after the running back received the handoff.

Newly signed running back James Butler caught some eyes this session. He looked decisive and hit holes at full speed when there was an opportunity. He even got a hand slap from Gruden after a big run.

Veteran right tackle Breno Giacomini had a veteran’s day today, so Ian Silberman and David Sharpe rotated at right tackle. Sharpe had been practicing at left tackle for minicamp and OTAs, but started getting work at right tackle Sunday. I listed him as a dark horse to start a right tackle in a recent article, but he still has a ways to go. He flashed in both run blocking and pass blocking but also had several whiffs. He’s a mauler with quick feet but his foot placement is still a work in progress and he’ll take time to acclimate to the right side.

“(Sharpe’s) a contender at right tackle. He has the size and the thump and the mass and the potential to be a really good right tackle, but he’s not right now,” Gruden said. “But he sure has an upside and he and Giacomini are taking reps over there.”

Carr was laser sharp in 7-on-7 work. He started the session by zipping an extremely tight window pass to Amari Cooper and later threw an intermediate strike to Martavis Bryant on a dig route.

On one play, Carr was close to making a spectacular pass down the middle of the defense to Dwayne Harris, but Derrick Johnson was playing the middle hole in the Cover 2 zone and got his hand in there at the last second to break up the pass.

Gruden continued to work situational football in this period. At random times, the DJ at practice would announce that it was third down, ask the crowd to get loud, and turn the music up to try to throw the offense off. Both Carr and Cook handled it with ease and converted several third downs.

On Sunday, defensive coordinator Paul Guenther talked about how competitive it’s been with his defense against Carr and Gruden especially in the pre-snap phase of the game. That theme continued Monday as Carr made several checks at the line that always seem to result in a positive play.

Tight end Jared Cook said he believes Carr looks like a completely different player this year.

“Every time Gruden asks him to get up in front of a meeting room and call out a play, run a play, get to the right check, get to the right audible, he does it every time,” Cook said. “That’s a responsibility that Derek never had last year.”

DeAndre Washington made several big plays on Monday. He had a long run after a cut back on a zone read play. Later, he broke a screen for a big gain after center Rodney Hudson threw a big block. He’s fighting for a roster spot so it’s important he takes advantage of Jalen Richard’s absence because Richard could return soon.

“I think Richard will be back. He probably would’ve practiced today, but he had a calf strain. I really like him a lot,” Gruden said.

After a break, the Raiders began working on their red zone offense and defense. They put the ball on the 20-yard line and turned the speakers up loud to simulate crowd noise during this session.

The offense got jump-started by a big outside run from Doug Martin on the left side and Kolton Miller made a key block on the play. After a false start, the first-team offense scored a touchdown on a play-action that got Martin wide open in the flats.

Extra Points
— Kicker Eddie Piñeiro was 3 of 7 kicking into the skinny posts (about 3 yards wide) Monday with several of the attempts being from over 40 yards.

— Obi Melifonwu was active in practice today. He wasn’t tested much but executed his pass responsibilities well. He blanketed tight end Marcus Baugh when he had to cover him man-to-man with no help and later made a tackle for loss in the red zone session.

— Silberman’s versatility could be the reason he makes the final roster. When asked about Silberman, Gruden said, “Versatility is a key at that position. When you’re an offensive lineman, you can only have so many guys active on game day. You need your sixth and seventh offensive linemen to be able to play multiple positions. Ian is one of those guys that’s a candidate to play guard or tackle.”

— After a strong offseason, Gareon Conley was hurt during the first day of training camp. “(Conley) makes a great play and he gets a setback. Hopefully, he comes back sooner than later,” Gruden said. “Disappointed is the big word I think. His heart is broken. He’s put a lot into this and he knows he has to stay healthy and get out there for us because we need him.”

(Top photo: Kirby Lee/USA TODAY Sports)

 

[njavier03]

I feel like Conley is gonna be a bust bc he can’t stay on the field

 

[Johnny_Cakes]

A conversation with Reggie McKenzie, Part I: On Khalil Mack’s holdout, Marshawn Lynch, Jordy Nelson and more

By Vic Tafur Jul 30, 2018

22

NAPA — Reggie McKenzie always enjoys training camps, when players, coaches and team officials all get together and hit the full-speed button toward another season. This one, McKenzie’s seventh as the general manager of the Raiders, is fun with one glaring exception.

Khalil Mack, the team’s best player, is holding out, with Monday afternoon marking the fourth practice he has missed.

We hear a lot of the rumors from national reporters and “experts.” What’s really going on?

We sat down with McKenzie for 30 minutes Monday before practice to talk Mack, Jon Gruden and what he’s seen and is expecting from other key players this season. Here is part 1 of our talk, with the rest posting on Tuesday:

Vic Tafur: You told me you won’t get into specifics on the talks with Mack, but can you tell me has there been any progress?

McKenzie: Khalil is my guy. … It’s unfortunate that we have to go through this. But his camp decided to do it this way … and Khalil is not the first guy to hold out. But we’ll get through this. But there is nothing really to report. He is going to hold out until he gets an extension, and that’s where we are.

VT: Any reason for fans to panic?

McKenzie: No, not at all. I would just really like to have him in here. Just to be around the guys. I miss his presence.

VT: Is it fair to say that there is a waiting game being played, with he and Aaron Donald, and you and the Rams for that matter, waiting for the other to set the market? Arguably two of the top three defensive players in the NFL …

McKenzie: No, our waiting game is just with Khalil. Our focus … I will be honest, we are not even thinking about Aaron Donald. Aaron Donald could sign tomorrow, and we’re only focused on Khalil. … Setting the market, all that, that is not the case at all.

VT: I heard Gruden say Marshawn Lynch is down to 232 pounds. Marshawn hasn’t shared with me how much he weighed last year, but I get the sense that he is in much better shape now. Fair to say?

McKenzie: Yeah, he’s said he feels great. And he looks great. In my keen vision, I think he is in better condition than he was last year. He is feeling it. … I always had the sense that he and Jon would click; they’re both football guys. Marshawn loves football. I never thought that would be a problem, I just wanted to make sure, talking to Jon, that a guy like that would be a fit with what Jon does offensively. “Is he what you want?” They are made for each other. Marshawn is going to be an asset to our running game.

VT: What does Doug Martin add to that running game?

McKenzie: He’s been there and done that. He has some skills. He went through some injuries the last few years so we have to keep him healthy. But in his mind, he is rejuvenated. … Jon does a great job of lighting the fire under the veterans, and then he can see if they still have it.

Without a doubt, Martin has it. He has some juice. Going to give us a different look, catch some balls out of the backfield too. I like our running back group.

VT: Speaking of which, Jalen Richard went down with a leg injury Sunday. Is he going to be OK?

McKenzie: Yeah, he is going to be OK. We’re going to give him a few days. Jalen is tough. If you tell him four days, he will try and come back in two. … The kid we just signed out of Iowa (James Butler) to help fill in, we had him in at the rookie minicamp for a tryout and put a mark by his name.

VT: Derek Carr has been raving about his new toy, Jordy Nelson. You know Jordy well from your days together in Green Bay. What has he already brought to the mix in the short time that he has been here?

McKenzie: With Jordy, I don’t want to say coach on the field. … He is a student of the game who guys can learn from. Not only guys like Amari (Cooper) and Seth (Roberts), but other guys on the team. How he shows up to practice, what he does at meetings. How to be a professional football player. How he communicates. All those intangibles. … Not only Derek, but the backup quarterbacks are going to learn that receiver knowledge, what they feel, what they see from the DB movements, what they see against this and that coverage, how to beat it and win the route.

And all that is aside from his skillset as a route runner and pass catcher. After all these years, is he as fast as when we drafted him in Green Bay? No. But he is going to be fast enough. He is going to be quick enough. And he is definitely going to be good enough.

VT: You can see Cooper out here hanging on Nelson’s every word. For whatever reason, Cooper hasn’t taken that next step to being an elite receiver yet. Do you think Nelson’s presence and another year with Carr can get him there?

McKenzie: Yes. Yes. And just him. Just Coop. He is prideful. He knows that he jumped out the first few years and last year … he dropped some balls and you could say he didn’t have a good season, but our whole team didn’t have a good season. We were bad everywhere. We were disappointing and we could point fingers at a lot of people.

A lot of people have to redeem themselves. Including me. Going to the playoffs and then going 6-10, that shouldn’t happen. We are going to get after it this year.

 

[Johnny_Cakes]

A conversation with Reggie McKenzie, Part 2: On the Raiders’ exciting defensive draft picks and his relationship with Jon Gruden

By Vic Tafur 3h ago

6

NAPA — We now continue with Monday afternoon’s 1-on-1 with Raiders general manager Reggie McKenzie, the transcribing of which had to be cut short due to practice and interviews. (The Raiders are off today.)

Part 1 included references to Khalil Mack’s continuing contract holdout, Jordy Nelson’s impact on the wide receiving corps and Marshawn Lynch’s fit with Jon Gruden.

Part 2 starts with a discussion about several of the Raiders’ 2018 draft picks. It’s pretty amazing how the Raiders got a first-round talent in defensive tackle Maurice Hurst in the fifth round, and that’s where we pick things up.

Vic Tafur: Mo Hurst is looking like an impact player. Do you still pinch yourself about that draft? I am still not sure how he fell so far due to the heart condition and now is apparently fine. Bizarre. And potentially huge for you guys.

McKenzie: Absolutely. Huge. I really liked this draft. We can talk about Mo Hurst. We can talk about Arden Key … (whispers while rolling his eyes “He’s a good pass rusher but you can’t take him” … We all know why he fell. You just do your work. You are going to hit on some picks and you are going to miss on some — that’s why the draft is what it is. But we felt good about taking those guys, especially at those spots. We got two heck-of-a-football-players. Our pass rush will he better.

VT: But for Hurst, your doctors had to sign off. It was all about the medical …

McKenzie: Yeah, it was the medical reports but there was also (whispering voice) “Oh, he’s too small. He’s this. He’s that. …” Just watch the tape, he has great tape, and then at the end of the day, our doctors said he is going to be fine and that he will need physicals at the beginning and end of the season just like all of our players. We’re just going to focus on the physicals throughout the year like we do with all of your guys.

VT: Wow, so it’s nothing special? He really has the same routine as the other players? Some teams apparently took him off their draft board entirely.

McKenzie: It’s the same routine but we’re going to pay more attention to his. We’re always going to make sure he is fine.

VT: Does Key remind you of anyone? I know I and then Bruce Irvin mentioned Aldon Smith because of their lean, muscular builds.

McKenzie: Yeah … his build is similar to Aldon’s, but their skill set is a little different. Aldon was a little stronger and had more (makes pushing gesture). Arden is more … athletic … flexible … skillful. I really like Arden. As a person, too. He and Mo Hurst are really good guys.

VT: The red flags on both (Key had off-field issues at LSU) didn’t scare you off, just made you dig deeper …

McKenzie: Yeah. Everybody digs in. But we just — and I am not a doctor or psychologist — but I look at all the stuff, listen to people and then sat and talk to the two guys. Both have a really good energy. … You’re not going to bat 1.000, but you do your research, go with your gut, find a spot on the board where you’re going to take them and then just go with it.

VT: Let’s talk about last year’s draft class. Would you say this is a really important training camp for the three top picks last year — Gareon Conley, Obi Melifonwu and Eddie Vanderdoes … not only finding a role but in the last two cases, actually making the roster?

McKenzie: Yeah, because our top three guys were injured. Vanderdoes is coming off that ACL. … Those guys could be good players for us, but they’re playing catch-up. Vanderdoes got some experience last year, but Conley and Obi really become part of this year’s rookie class.

VT: With Jon Gruden and his new staff coming not knowing those guys, do you find yourself playing advocate for last year’s draft class?

McKenzie: Gruden and the coaches don’t know those guys and they have to get a feel for them. That’s what this offseason was for. And all three of those guys were going through rehab at one point. Other guys like Treyvon Hester, Shalom (Luani) and (David) Sharpe, Marquel Lee and Nicholas Morrow, they were out there and the coaches now have a feel for those guys. They really like Lee and Morrow.

VT: Conley is out again, at least a couple of weeks with a hip injury. Obi had all the injuries last year. But those guys were never injured in college …

McKenzie: That is the weird thing about it, yeah. That’s what’s … I don’t want to say disappointing … but that’s the monkey wrench. People can’t say, “Aww, these guys were always hurt.” No. This is just the bad luck of the draw here. Those guys were durable football players before they got here. So, we just have to make sure we get these guys healthy. … Gareon is going to bounce back. He is a good football player.

VT: Daryl Worley has looked good taking Conley’s starting cornerback spot at camp. The Eagles cut him after a month this spring because of the DUI and a gun violation, but it seems like he is doing well with the chance you gave him so far.

McKenzie: His focus is there. He is a big man (6-foot-1, 205 pounds) that plays big. He is not going to get caught up in the small man’s game, and try to be a finesse guy. He plays physical and he is a pretty good technician for a big corner. He doesn’t try and get by just using his hands and mauling people. He can move and he knows how to stay square. He is highly coachable because he is always working his fundamentals and techniques. He is going to be fun to watch this preseason. …

We took a flier on him and a couple of other guys. You try and bring in young guys around here, get them around the right people and try to get them focused. Karl Joseph knew him from West Virginia and vouched for him, and did our homework. We just want to help him in anyway we can.

VT: Another interesting under-the-radar name is Emmanuel Lamur. Been a backup for six years and is getting a shot to start at outside linebacker. Besides knowing Paul Guenther’s system well, what does Lamur bring to the table?

McKenzie: Guenther is putting him out there to start. … The one thing I like about what we’re creating here is the competitive nature with how we’re attacking everything. Each position. Don’t slip up because there is someone waiting at the door knocking. The next guy is ready to take your job. That’s going to bode well for a guy like Lamur. He knows the system and he can doggone take hold of it, but there are other guys knocking on his door now.

VT: Is that new this season, that ultra-competitive environment?

McKenzie: Yeah, I think from the standpoint that even starters now are feeling the heat. In some cases, we probably didn’t have enough entrenched guys being pushed. We have to make sure that we create that edge throughout the roster. The backups are always competing to save their jobs, and now the starters are being pushed across the board.

VT: I think we came up with 31 training camps now for you as a player and an executive. It’s only five days in, but is this already one of the most fun ones you have had, with that competition and the maniac energy that Gruden brings?

McKenzie: Yeah, this one is different. It’s always fun because of the newness every year, but this has been a lot of fun already. Gruden and I just love sitting around and talking football, and other things. We have known each other for a long, long time.

VT: There are so many national writers and experts and blogs now looking for clicks. One of the lamest “hot takes” was how you two weren’t getting along. You just have to spend five minutes around you guys. Do you remember when you first met Gruden?

McKenzie: The first time I met him was when I came back to visit at Tennessee, when he came aboard to be graduate assistant coach (in 1986). That was just in passing. I got to really know him when I was hired in Green Bay in 1994 and he was the receivers coach there. We used to give him a hard time about Sterling Sharpe. (Big laugh.) “Are you going to coach Sterling Sharpe today or is he going to coach you?” Sterling would drive him crazy. He was a great player. …

Gruden knows the pulse of a team and how to talk to players. And I love all of the coaches he brought in. I think he would say this, too, that everybody wants to talk “Gruden, Gruden, Gruden,” but the unsung heroes at the end of the day are going to be that staff. … We’re going to win a couple of games just because of how we’re going to play defense.

It didn’t take me long this offseason to realize, looking at what Guenther is going to do on defense, that “OK … I can sleep at night this season.” Seriously.

(Top photo: Marcio Jose Sanchez/AP)

 

[sohi 23]

Love hearing from big Reggie. Gives me confidence lol.

 

[Kingof402]

I see media trying to portray that we are considering trading Mack. No chance in hell! They need to sign him now tho and quit playing

 

[raider5]

I see media trying to portray that we are considering trading Mack. No chance in hell! They need to sign him now tho and quit playing

They been hyping that **** on 957 for like 2 weeks. Saying to trade him to the Niners

 

[Kingof402]

It's ridiculous. No way. Only way I would ever trade Mack would be for Ramsey AND Calais still would hesitate

 

[raider5]

He must be having a hell of a camp.

 

[Johnny_Cakes]

Jon Gruden once again tackles his favorite subject — the technology in modern football

By Vic Tafur 3h ago

6

NAPA — Here is the thing about Jon Gruden: He is going to be media friendly, even when he isn’t.

The former broadcaster and current Raiders coach comes into each media scrum eager to help, and then when the questions get stupid, repetitive or click-baity, he doesn’t shut down like a lot of coaches do. You see a faint “Chucky” scowl or furled brow, and then he usually puts a little extra mustard on the next answer.

There are already popular recurring themes. Khalil Mack’s holdout, obviously. Bringing in veterans at every position, two by two like Noah trying to turn things around with the ark.

And the storyline that has given me the most laughs — Gruden and analytics and technology. It all stems from his joke at the NFL combine that he was going to “throw the game back to 1998.” He said he didn’t know if it was “data” or “day-ta” and that he wasn’t going to rely on modern technology, which caused mousepad quarterbacks and those glued to their cell phones and computers to freak out.

It still comes up, especially when a current player says that he is showing them game film from 1976. That’s what tight end Jared Cook said on Monday.

“We’re learning things about not only current football but old football that I haven’t learned in my 10 years in the league,” Cook said. “He’s bringing up film from like 1976 when you didn’t even think they had film. Like grainy film where you can barely see the players.”

Gruden was obviously asked about that after practice on Wednesday (the team was off on Tuesday).

“I’m just trying to make some points,” he said. “There were some guys that played the game that were pretty good. I think they love it. They love seeing Barry Sanders. I think they love seeing Joe Montana in the two-minute drill.

“I had a couple of young guys get up there, they didn’t know who Jack Tatum was. They didn’t know who Art Shell was. Part of that is having a respect for the league that you’re in and the guys that came before you.”

And it holds the players’ attention.

“You only have them for so long,” Gruden said. “You try to keep their attention span. Then all of a sudden, man, there’s Dan Marino. Man, I didn’t know he had that quick of a release. Geez, he was pretty good. A lot of these guys never heard of Mark Duper or Mark Clayton. I think they like it. You can make some points, show some great routes and also teach them a little bit about the people that came before you.”

Gruden will also show them drills from training camps many years ago.

“Showing guys the drills that Jerry Rice did,” he said. “Showing them how Roger Craig practiced. Those can be great teaching moments. Look, we’re not running a 1964 operation here. But there are some things that happened in 1964 that were pretty damn good. If you don’t think so, go ahead and have a nice day.”

I couldn’t resist, so I later asked him about the helmet cameras I see on the quarterbacks at least two-thirds of the time.

“It’s the technology,” Gruden said. “I’m into the technology.”

He paused for a dramatic smile.

And then he told us about longtime Tennessee video coordinator Joe Harrington.

“When Peyton Manning comes through here and you talk to Peyton, he’ll tell you Harrington was a very important part of the Volunteers and part of Peyton Manning,” Gruden said. “The use of the Joe Pole, the Joe Harrington Pole we call it, from linebacker cam, we have corner cam, we have strong safety cam, we have helmet cam on the quarterback.

“We’re able to see what the quarterback sees. We’re able to hear them in the huddle. We’re able to hear them at the line of scrimmage and really use it as a resource to teach Connor Cook, teach EJ Manuel, let Derek Carr see for himself how he sounded and what he saw. So there are some great, really cool things that Harrington has brought us in a very short period of time.”

We were on a roll now, straight downhill, and somebody asked about the computer chips in Jordy Nelson’s shoulder pads.

“We can measure the workload, how much we’re working players,” Gruden said. “We chart the reps and we have computers that tally all of that stuff. …

“I’m more interested in talking about football, honestly, than talking about technology right now.”

Fair enough. But we’ll definitely revisit the topic the next slow day of practice or when the next batch of national reporters and bloggers rolls through Napa.

Safety dance: We mentioned (to many moans and protests) during the offseason workouts how Karl Joseph was no lock to start at safety, and would split reps at first with Reggie Nelson and Marcus Gilchrist.

Well, add one more name to the list.

Gruden has talked up third-year player Erik Harris before, but Wednesday he pumped his praise of the former special-teamer up a notch.

“He had an outstanding offseason,” Gruden said. “I mean he made a lot of plays in the box, deep, covering, special teams. Right now he has a chance to be a full-time starter for the Oakland Raiders. That’s what I think of him.

“Now he hurt his finger. He left practice early today, but he’s doing an excellent job. He has some really good communication skills. He’s playing really good football for us right now.”

Standing ovation: You know it’s a slow day at practice when the center gets showered with applause by teammates. And … yes, Pro Bowler Rodney Hudson is pretty freakin’ good.

“When you’re in the pivot and you’re playing against (defensive coordinator Paul) Guenther, a lot of things change,” Gruden said. “Looks like they’re bringing a blitz to the left, then they’re bring a blitz to the right. They’re coming up the middle. He made a couple calls late in the down that were awesome today.”

Extra points
Receiver Martavis Bryant missed practice due to illness … Second-round pick P.J. Hall made his training camp debut, after being sidelined with a pectoral strain. “We’re happy to have him back,” Gruden said, “we think he’s an inside pass rusher, he’s hard to block, and hopefully we continue to see progress.” … Former Raiders assistant Rod Woodson and former announcer Greg Papa have both said they think cornerback Gareon Conley (out with a hip strain) gets hurt a lot because he has a Vitamin D deficiency. I swallowed the pill and asked Gruden Wednesday. “I haven’t heard that,” Gruden said. “I have not heard that. Makes it hard to heal?” I nodded. “We’ll try to get supplements for him,” Gruden deadpanned.