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Ken Norton Jr. hoping Raiders’ defense wields big stick this year
By Vic Tafur August 1, 2016 Updated: August 2, 2016 4:08pm

View media item 2122215
Defensive Coordinator Ken Norton, Jr. watches his group stretch on the opening day of Oakland Raiders training camp in Napa, Calif. on Friday, July 29, 2016.

Ken Norton Jr. doesn’t speak softly, but he does carry a big stick.

The Raiders’ defensive coordinator uses it to get his point across at meetings.

As in, line up in the right spot or else.

“He’s always intense,” defensive tackle Dan Williams said. “I don’t think he’s going to hit anyone with it, but you don’t mess with an old man and his stick.”

The Raiders’ defense made good strides late last season — Norton’s first as its coordinator — then added linebacker Bruce Irvin and cornerback Sean Smith in free agency. The Raiders are hungry for more, and Norton, the former Cowboys and 49ers linebacker, is the lead wolf.

“That’s just part of his personality, in your face, and it carries over to the whole defense,” Williams said. “We feed off him. He is a coach, but he is still a player. When he is on the sideline coaching, he is still in his linebacker stance, reading the plays.

“He wears his cleats to practice, is very hands-on, and you can tell he loves every minute he is out there.”

Norton’s highest compliment of a player is, “He loves ball,” and Norton loved watching his defense play ball in the second half of last season.

Over the final seven games, his charges ranked seventh in the league in total defense, allowing 305.9 yards per game. Oakland beat Super Bowl-champion Denver 15-12 in Week 14, thanks to its defense (which gave up a season-low 4 yards per play) and Marquette King (who averaged 46 yards on 10 punts).

Norton’s defense finished ninth in the NFL in getting off the field on third down (51.7 percent).

He’s expecting bigger things this season.

“I think any time you’re in Year 2, they understand the concepts, understand the defensive scheme a whole lot better,” Norton said. “We’ve assembled some really good football players, created a lot of competition. We’re really excited about what we can do.”

Irvin was a big addition. A big reason he chose Oakland was to be reunited with his linebackers coach from Seattle.

“Absolutely,” he said. “Ken Norton Jr. was here; that played a big factor in me deciding to come here, and we run pretty much the same scheme. They’re going to use me more going forward.”

In Khalil Mack and Irvin, the Raiders have two edge rushers who can drop back into coverage. Defensive linemen Mario Edwards Jr. and Jihad Ward can play around — or even in place of — tackles Jelly Ellis and Dan Williams.

Rookies Shilique Calhoun and James Cowser, who can play both defensive end and outside linebacker, are also in the mix.

“It’s definitely exciting,” Edwards said. “At any given moment, you can have me and Big Jelly standing next to each other, and then it could be me and Mack. Or me and Bruce. Could be the same defense with people playing different positions, or maybe’s it’s not.”

The last thing Norton wants to do is talk strategy with reporters, and he responded to most questions about defensive formations by reaffirming someone’s affection for sporting goods.

“They’re playing well together, they all like each other, and they all love playing ball,” Norton said. “We’ve assembled a team that really plays hard and loves, passionately, football. When you put those (kind of) guys together, only good things can happen.”

The players definitely bought in right away when Del Rio and Norton came on board last season. Winning as many games (seven) as they did the previous two seasons combined is testament to that.

“We’re all in it together,” Mack said. “Having guys that have played in the league and know the grind makes it easier.”

And if you don’t listen to them, the defensive coordinator is brandishing a big stick.

“We call that his Moses stick, his stick of wisdom,” Mack said, laughing. “He doesn’t need it, but he likes to walk around with it. We mess with him about it, but it is what it is.…

“He’s a different cat, but he makes it exciting for us. Ken brings a lot of enthusiasm, great effort and energy. Seeing that from a coach makes your level of play rise.”
Click to expand...
 
That's the limited joint?

I need to cop Khalil and Amari joints before I head out there. Probably cop 2 limiteds cuz I'm not paying for the elite :lol:

Can't wait til that Karl Joseph drops
 
Su'Quan Edwards got waived today, he'll probably get an injury settlement. Did y'all see Thorpe took a pay cut to stay here? That's ******* crazy to me lol.
 
So Ken Stabler's locker in the HoF has no Raiders gear inside... But there's a Saints helmet in there.

The **** is that about?
 
Iunno man. I know Stabler had his beef with Al, but I thought that **** was squashed?
 
Guy 
smokin.gif
 

Gonna have more celebrities in appearance this season than that team in L.A.
 
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Amari talkin about he was injured most of 2015 and he wasn't himself 
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With Charles Woodson gone, Reggie Nelson steps up
By Vic Tafur August 7, 2016 Updated: August 7, 2016 10:20pm

View media item 2127252
Oakland Raider Reggie Nelson does drills at training camp on Thursday, August 4, 2016, in Napa, Calif. Photo: Liz Hafalia, The Chronicle

For all the new faces at training camp, there is a notable old one missing. One with a goatee with white hairs sprinkled in it, and whose deep voice stopped teammates in their tracks. How does the team replace its leader, the retired Charles Woodson?

“I mean, he’s a first-ballot Hall of Famer,” quarterback Derek Carr said. “‘Wood’ is not a guy that you can just replace. You don’t just say, ‘OK, Wood’s gone, someone new in.’ It’s Charles Woodson, man.”

Though Woodson made some big plays for the team that went 7-9 last season, the safety’s overall play was a little erratic. He was, after all, 38 years old.

It’s very possible that the Raiders upgraded at the position with the addition of free-agent Reggie Nelson. Nelson, 32, tied for the league high with eight interceptions for the Bengals last season and made the Pro Bowl for the first time.

“It’s all about picking up the terminology,” Nelson said. “I have been in the league 10 years now. It’s still, ‘See ball, get ball.’”

Nelson missed the offseason workouts with an ankle injury suffered in the playoffs last season. He’s fully recovered and fitting in well, helping rookie safety Karl Joseph — the team’s first-round pick — learn the ropes. And constantly talking up Carr.

“Reggie has played a lot of football,” Carr said. “Reggie is already one of my favorite teammates I’ve ever had. He teaches me things that he’s doing, things that he sees.

“He encourages me, he tells me what I’m doing right and he says, ‘Keep doing that. It’s hard for safeties to do certain things when you do that.’ We have a great line of communication.”

The ball-hawking defensive back likes to get inside quarterbacks’ heads.

“He just has a knack for reading quarterbacks’ eyes and timing the ball,” Cincinnati tight end Tyler Eifert told NFL Network. “And getting it at its highest point.”

Nelson said he enjoys baiting quarterbacks.

“You can definitely mess with them,” he said. “And that’s what I am trying to teach Karl. Me and him being on that same page.”

Lessons learned: Guard Kelechi Osemele and defensive tackle Mario Edwards Jr. returned to practice Sunday, a day after being ejected by head coach Jack Del Rio for fighting twice Saturday. Edwards, who punched Osemele’s helmet a few times, was limited to individual drills because of a sore hand.

“We basically handled that and put it to rest,” Del Rio said. “They’re both going to be fine. Mario is still a little sore, but he’ll be fine. Nothing major going on there.”

Del Rio is “grateful” no one was seriously hurt.

“We learned a big-time lesson on how important it is to take care of each other and be good teammates,” he said. “Still challenge each other, but be respectful.”

Pay it forward: The Raiders sponsored a coaching clinic at McClymonds High on Saturday for the staffs of all seven Oakland Athletic League football teams and donated new tackling dummies to each of the schools.
Click to expand...
 
Raider5 said:
Amari talkin about he was injured most of 2015 and he wasn't himself :x :x :x :x :x  
Click to expand...

He should've went on IR after the ankle injury. he was no where near himself for the last 4-6 games.
Expecting big things this year.
 
I'm pretty excited for this upcoming season. Lots of patience to get us to this point where we got a realistic chance in the division.

Looking to stock up on some gear - the Nike Fly Speed jacket and a fresh cap to start. Also contemplating the Carolina game this year.
 
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