The Official 2013 Oakland Raiders Season Thread
- Thread starter Hater
- Start date
http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/9319331/dj-hayden-oakland-raiders-training-camp-abdominal-surgery
D.J. Hayden has stomach surgery
ALAMEDA, Calif. -- Oakland Raiders first-round draft pick D.J. Hayden will be out until training camp after undergoing abdominal surgery to have scar tissue removed.
A team source told ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter that Hayden's injury was related to a previous heart surgery. Raiders GM Reggie McKenzie said Hayden underwent the procedure late last week.
Coach Dennis Allen said Tuesday at the start of Oakland's second week of OTAs that Hayden first felt symptoms last Tuesday or Wednesday. The Raiders say they don't know when Hayden will be released from the hospital.
Allen said he did not know if the latest injury was related to the torn blood vessel that nearly killed Hayden last November after a practice collision with a teammate at Houston.
"We can't rule that out, obviously, but right now I don't know exactly what the correlation is to it," Allen said. "But we don't anticipate it being an issue."
Hayden was rushed into surgery last year for a tear of the inferior vena cava, the large vein that carries blood from the lower half of the body to the heart, after the collision. Doctors had to cut through Hayden's sternum to save him. The injury is 95 percent fatal in the field, according to doctors, and is most commonly associated with high-speed motor vehicle accidents.
The cornerback overcame that injury to be taken 12th overall in April's draft. The team said doctors had cleared Hayden and he was at no further risk of injury.
D.J. Hayden has stomach surgery
ALAMEDA, Calif. -- Oakland Raiders first-round draft pick D.J. Hayden will be out until training camp after undergoing abdominal surgery to have scar tissue removed.
A team source told ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter that Hayden's injury was related to a previous heart surgery. Raiders GM Reggie McKenzie said Hayden underwent the procedure late last week.
Coach Dennis Allen said Tuesday at the start of Oakland's second week of OTAs that Hayden first felt symptoms last Tuesday or Wednesday. The Raiders say they don't know when Hayden will be released from the hospital.
Allen said he did not know if the latest injury was related to the torn blood vessel that nearly killed Hayden last November after a practice collision with a teammate at Houston.
"We can't rule that out, obviously, but right now I don't know exactly what the correlation is to it," Allen said. "But we don't anticipate it being an issue."
Hayden was rushed into surgery last year for a tear of the inferior vena cava, the large vein that carries blood from the lower half of the body to the heart, after the collision. Doctors had to cut through Hayden's sternum to save him. The injury is 95 percent fatal in the field, according to doctors, and is most commonly associated with high-speed motor vehicle accidents.
The cornerback overcame that injury to be taken 12th overall in April's draft. The team said doctors had cleared Hayden and he was at no further risk of injury.
Rick Roller 10
All Star
The fukk
Of course this dude is gonna have a million issues going forward. Medically cleared my ass.
Rick Roller 10
All Star
U don't know if they are related to each other?? of course they are you milk toast ass, deer in the headlights, Ball boy lookin mutherfukker
Y! SPORTS
Raiders owner Mark Davis puts GM, rest of staff on notice with firing of PR head
Mark Davis made some news over the weekend, informing public relations director Zak Gilbert that his silver-and-black spin-doctoring services were no longer required.
Because this happened as May turned to June – and because so many consumers have an insatiable appetite for NFL-related happenings – it qualified as a nationally relevant story, with the added intrigue of a certain Yahoo! Sports columnist having his sentiments redeemed on a widely read pro-football-obsessed website.
Understandably, many fans have since questioned why a firing that has industry insider written all over it should be assigned any relevance, particularly to an already frustrated fan base pining for its first winning season in more than a decade.
I'm here to tell you why, as a member of Raider Nation or as an NFL fan in general, you should care why Zak Gilbert got the axe.
While Davis is easy to criticize, and seems to be living down to the Tommy Boy nickname I bestowed upon him after the 2011 season, he is the boss, and I can somewhat sympathize with the frustrations that may have triggered this transaction.
In making this move, Davis, who took over as owner in October of 2011 after his legendary father Al died, was sending a message to everyone in the organization – most importantly, it was a message to Reggie McKenzie, the general manager he chose to lead the team into a new era 17 months ago.
McKenzie, the only man Davis interviewed for the job, proceeded to initiate an extreme home makeover, firing coach Hue Jackson (though Jackson believed that was the owner's decision), getting rid of high-priced veterans and putting up a firewall between the team's football operations department and virtually everyone else in the organization, including CEO Amy Trask, a Jackson confidante who resigned last month.
Gilbert, hand-picked by McKenzie (whom he'd gotten to know while both men worked for the Green Bay Packers) to run the PR department, immediately embarked upon a mission to herald a new era of Raiders football which, we were told, was a drastic departure from the Al Davis-led past. And Gilbert sold the hell out of what I would call the Reggie McKenzie Mantra, the key talking points of which can be summed up thusly:
• McKenzie was firmly in charge of all football-related organizational endeavors, empowered by Mark Davis to do whatever it took to reshape the franchise, even if it required some patience on everyone's part.
• The Raiders' pronounced and prolonged struggles since their Super Bowl XXXVII defeat to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in January of 2003 were largely the result of Al Davis' outdated sensibilities and shortsighted spending habits seeking instant gratification. By extension, he was also responsible for the team's salary-cap issues.
• The only way out of this financial Black Hole was to tear down the existing roster and employ a deliberate rebuilding approach embraced by McKenzie during his time with the Packers, emphasizing the draft and eschewing splashy free-agent signings.
This narrative was rammed down people's throats – indeed, Gilbert and his emissaries preached it a bit too fervently for my tastes – and almost universally accepted as gospel, ultimately serving as a ready-made excuse when Year One of the McKenzie regime proved to be a massive bummer.
The propaganda campaign actually commenced upon McKenzie's arrival. When Jackson was fired after an 8-8 season in which he reaffirmed his abilities as a gifted offensive strategist, the move was championed as a byproduct of McKenzie's justifiable desire to bring in his own guy.
As it turned out, McKenzie's own guy – former Denver Broncos defensive coordinator Dennis Allen – brought in his own guy, Greg Knapp, to run Oakland's offense. The disastrous shift to a zone-blocking scheme neutered the Raiders' most potent weapon, halfback Darren McFadden, and was a major reason for the team's 4-12 record. At season's end, the Raiders admitted their error by firing Knapp; that mistake, at the very least, was on McKenzie.
Through it all, McKenzie stuck to the narrative. After last season, he continued getting rid of veterans, including quarterback Carson Palmer, while doing little to instill tangible hope that the Raiders would be vastly improved in 2013. He seemed to be operating under the assumption – or, more accurately, the certainty – that his job would be safe no matter how poorly Oakland performed this coming season. And, of course, there were the ready-made arguments why he shouldn't be held accountable: Al Davis' mismanagement and the salary-cap hell McKenzie inherited.
While it amazes me that so many Raiders fans have so willingly accepted these rationalizations as fact, I can certainly understand why McKenzie would want this to be the case. In selling this narrative, however, I believe the rookie general manager may have misjudged one member of his audience: The man who signs his paychecks.
If Mark Davis, as has been reported, decided to fire Gilbert because of his displeasure with an unflattering Sports Illustrated article that appeared in the magazine earlier this spring, that's a fairly ridiculous act – not to mention a lousy way to treat a hard-working employee who uprooted his family to join the Raiders a year earlier.
That said, by virtue of his seat in the big chair, Davis doesn't need an overhead projector to justify such decisions, and I can certainly understand why he'd be fed up with the prevailing message emanating from team headquarters on his watch.
For one thing, whining about the salary cap is unbecoming and, in this case, a bit disingenuous. Yes, McKenzie inherited somewhat of a mess, but plenty of other men in his position encounter similar challenges and find creative ways to address such issues while remaining competitive. For all his aggressive spending in the latter part of his life, Al Davis managed to field reasonably respectable rosters – indeed, the 2011 team that Jackson coached was regarded as immensely talented in league circles.
If any team has a right to complain about cap issues, it's the Washington Redskins, who were docked $36 million over two seasons by an NFL edict that seemed specious at best. Deprived of a level playing field, Mike Shanahan's team won the NFC East in 2012. Yet if Washington had failed to make the playoffs, all the bytching and moaning in the world might not have saved the coach's job.
By contrast McKenzie, empowered by the widespread acceptance of the Mantra, has spent the past 17 months operating as though he is immune from responsibility for the team's performance. He has been Draconian at times – according to numerous team sources, several of Jackson's assistants were locked out of the building in January of 2012 after the GM decided not to retain them – and borderline reckless at others, waiting until the final seconds to swing a draft-night trade with the Miami Dolphins that spared him from spending the No. 3 overall selection on cornerback D.J. Hayden.
While there has been speculation that Allen wouldn't be able to survive a second desultory season on the job, conventional wisdom (and Davis' own public statements) have suggested that McKenzie will survive no matter what happens in 2013.
By firing Gilbert, I believe Davis delivered a metaphorical kick to conventional wisdom's crotch – and put McKenzie, Allen and everyone else in the building on blast.
Again, I'm not endorsing this move, but I don't find Davis' frustration with Gilbert's approach all that surprising. How many times can a man stomach a Mantra that paints his Hall of Fame father as the root of all dysfunction – and McKenzie as the lone, beyond-reproach fixer – without reaching for the Pepto-Bismol? And the fact that the on-the-field product has been correspondingly abysmal does not help McKenzie's cause.
If I were McKenzie, I'd come up with a new set of talking points for Gilbert's successor and cross my fingers that Allen has a significantly better sophomore season than he did as a rookie. And I'd take my head out of the clouds and start paying closer attention to the obvious signs occurring right in front of my face. Given that Davis was "embarrassed, pissed, disappointed" following a blowout defeat to the New Orleans Saints last November, how do you think the owner felt before deciding to send McKenzie's designated message-deliverer packing?
Put it this way: If McKenzie doesn't start backing up his no-fault Mantra with some tangible progress, Davis might well decide it's time to dust off his late father's overhead projector.
Raiders owner Mark Davis puts GM, rest of staff on notice with firing of PR head
Mark Davis made some news over the weekend, informing public relations director Zak Gilbert that his silver-and-black spin-doctoring services were no longer required.
Because this happened as May turned to June – and because so many consumers have an insatiable appetite for NFL-related happenings – it qualified as a nationally relevant story, with the added intrigue of a certain Yahoo! Sports columnist having his sentiments redeemed on a widely read pro-football-obsessed website.
Understandably, many fans have since questioned why a firing that has industry insider written all over it should be assigned any relevance, particularly to an already frustrated fan base pining for its first winning season in more than a decade.
I'm here to tell you why, as a member of Raider Nation or as an NFL fan in general, you should care why Zak Gilbert got the axe.
While Davis is easy to criticize, and seems to be living down to the Tommy Boy nickname I bestowed upon him after the 2011 season, he is the boss, and I can somewhat sympathize with the frustrations that may have triggered this transaction.
In making this move, Davis, who took over as owner in October of 2011 after his legendary father Al died, was sending a message to everyone in the organization – most importantly, it was a message to Reggie McKenzie, the general manager he chose to lead the team into a new era 17 months ago.
McKenzie, the only man Davis interviewed for the job, proceeded to initiate an extreme home makeover, firing coach Hue Jackson (though Jackson believed that was the owner's decision), getting rid of high-priced veterans and putting up a firewall between the team's football operations department and virtually everyone else in the organization, including CEO Amy Trask, a Jackson confidante who resigned last month.
Gilbert, hand-picked by McKenzie (whom he'd gotten to know while both men worked for the Green Bay Packers) to run the PR department, immediately embarked upon a mission to herald a new era of Raiders football which, we were told, was a drastic departure from the Al Davis-led past. And Gilbert sold the hell out of what I would call the Reggie McKenzie Mantra, the key talking points of which can be summed up thusly:
• McKenzie was firmly in charge of all football-related organizational endeavors, empowered by Mark Davis to do whatever it took to reshape the franchise, even if it required some patience on everyone's part.
• The Raiders' pronounced and prolonged struggles since their Super Bowl XXXVII defeat to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in January of 2003 were largely the result of Al Davis' outdated sensibilities and shortsighted spending habits seeking instant gratification. By extension, he was also responsible for the team's salary-cap issues.
• The only way out of this financial Black Hole was to tear down the existing roster and employ a deliberate rebuilding approach embraced by McKenzie during his time with the Packers, emphasizing the draft and eschewing splashy free-agent signings.
This narrative was rammed down people's throats – indeed, Gilbert and his emissaries preached it a bit too fervently for my tastes – and almost universally accepted as gospel, ultimately serving as a ready-made excuse when Year One of the McKenzie regime proved to be a massive bummer.
The propaganda campaign actually commenced upon McKenzie's arrival. When Jackson was fired after an 8-8 season in which he reaffirmed his abilities as a gifted offensive strategist, the move was championed as a byproduct of McKenzie's justifiable desire to bring in his own guy.
As it turned out, McKenzie's own guy – former Denver Broncos defensive coordinator Dennis Allen – brought in his own guy, Greg Knapp, to run Oakland's offense. The disastrous shift to a zone-blocking scheme neutered the Raiders' most potent weapon, halfback Darren McFadden, and was a major reason for the team's 4-12 record. At season's end, the Raiders admitted their error by firing Knapp; that mistake, at the very least, was on McKenzie.
Through it all, McKenzie stuck to the narrative. After last season, he continued getting rid of veterans, including quarterback Carson Palmer, while doing little to instill tangible hope that the Raiders would be vastly improved in 2013. He seemed to be operating under the assumption – or, more accurately, the certainty – that his job would be safe no matter how poorly Oakland performed this coming season. And, of course, there were the ready-made arguments why he shouldn't be held accountable: Al Davis' mismanagement and the salary-cap hell McKenzie inherited.
While it amazes me that so many Raiders fans have so willingly accepted these rationalizations as fact, I can certainly understand why McKenzie would want this to be the case. In selling this narrative, however, I believe the rookie general manager may have misjudged one member of his audience: The man who signs his paychecks.
If Mark Davis, as has been reported, decided to fire Gilbert because of his displeasure with an unflattering Sports Illustrated article that appeared in the magazine earlier this spring, that's a fairly ridiculous act – not to mention a lousy way to treat a hard-working employee who uprooted his family to join the Raiders a year earlier.
That said, by virtue of his seat in the big chair, Davis doesn't need an overhead projector to justify such decisions, and I can certainly understand why he'd be fed up with the prevailing message emanating from team headquarters on his watch.
For one thing, whining about the salary cap is unbecoming and, in this case, a bit disingenuous. Yes, McKenzie inherited somewhat of a mess, but plenty of other men in his position encounter similar challenges and find creative ways to address such issues while remaining competitive. For all his aggressive spending in the latter part of his life, Al Davis managed to field reasonably respectable rosters – indeed, the 2011 team that Jackson coached was regarded as immensely talented in league circles.
If any team has a right to complain about cap issues, it's the Washington Redskins, who were docked $36 million over two seasons by an NFL edict that seemed specious at best. Deprived of a level playing field, Mike Shanahan's team won the NFC East in 2012. Yet if Washington had failed to make the playoffs, all the bytching and moaning in the world might not have saved the coach's job.
By contrast McKenzie, empowered by the widespread acceptance of the Mantra, has spent the past 17 months operating as though he is immune from responsibility for the team's performance. He has been Draconian at times – according to numerous team sources, several of Jackson's assistants were locked out of the building in January of 2012 after the GM decided not to retain them – and borderline reckless at others, waiting until the final seconds to swing a draft-night trade with the Miami Dolphins that spared him from spending the No. 3 overall selection on cornerback D.J. Hayden.
While there has been speculation that Allen wouldn't be able to survive a second desultory season on the job, conventional wisdom (and Davis' own public statements) have suggested that McKenzie will survive no matter what happens in 2013.
By firing Gilbert, I believe Davis delivered a metaphorical kick to conventional wisdom's crotch – and put McKenzie, Allen and everyone else in the building on blast.
Again, I'm not endorsing this move, but I don't find Davis' frustration with Gilbert's approach all that surprising. How many times can a man stomach a Mantra that paints his Hall of Fame father as the root of all dysfunction – and McKenzie as the lone, beyond-reproach fixer – without reaching for the Pepto-Bismol? And the fact that the on-the-field product has been correspondingly abysmal does not help McKenzie's cause.
If I were McKenzie, I'd come up with a new set of talking points for Gilbert's successor and cross my fingers that Allen has a significantly better sophomore season than he did as a rookie. And I'd take my head out of the clouds and start paying closer attention to the obvious signs occurring right in front of my face. Given that Davis was "embarrassed, pissed, disappointed" following a blowout defeat to the New Orleans Saints last November, how do you think the owner felt before deciding to send McKenzie's designated message-deliverer packing?
Put it this way: If McKenzie doesn't start backing up his no-fault Mantra with some tangible progress, Davis might well decide it's time to dust off his late father's overhead projector.
BayArea Breez
GOAT Defensive Raider
Coach Dennis Allen walked away from Mondays practice much more pleased than he was at this point a week ago.
Allen bemoaned the lack of crispness last week and said he expected his players to bounce back the rest of the week and moving forward.
The guys responded well, Allen said. The last two days of practice (last week) were a lot better, and thats what you look for. Theyre not going to have their A game out there every day out there. The key to me is, how do they respond when they get challenged? They did a nice job responding. They responded well today.
Allen gets his players on the field Tuesday and Wednesday and then not again until the mandatory three-day mini camp next week.
He admitted that theres still plenty of work to be done and that too many makeable plays arent being made. No big deal, though, thats why teams practice in May and June.
This part of what OTAs is for is to be able to go through these things, be able to see it live, and then we get a chance to go back into the meetings and make whatever corrections that we need to make, Allen said. You saw what practice looked like. We had some opportunities to make some big plays. Those are the plays that we got to make sure that we make come Sunday.
Tony Bergstrom was back working at left guard with the first-team offense Monday, just as he was the first week of OTAs.
Last week, Lucas Nix replaced Bergstrom. Allen has said that he intends to mix and match along the offensive line into training camp before he settles upon his starting five.
Bergstrom looks fine at left guard, though we wont be able to tell for sure until theres contact in practice and the exhibition games.
Allen sounded more pleased by the play of his quarterbacks today than what we witnessed on the field today.
Too often, presumptive starter Matt Flynn misfired on passes that he shouldnt have much difficulty putting on the mark. He also had a pass batted down at the line of scrimmage.
Flynn didnt have any of his passes intercepted, but he missed high on a few passes, threw one way too low and had a few others miss wide of the mark.
Rookie Tyler Wilson didnt have one of his better practices, either, though he didnt do anything that made you cringe.
As for Pryor, he didnt get as many reps. For the most part, he made respectable throws, save one that sailed over Conner Vernons head and into no mans land.
Flynn doesnt seem too concerned.
Were doing some good things out there, Flynn said. Were getting more comfortable with each other and comfortable with being out on the field and playing. So I think as an offense were making a lot of strides. We still have a lot of things to clean up and thats just going to come with time and repetitions. But so far I feel good about where were at and where were going.
Wide receivers Jacoby Ford (hamstring), Josh Cribbs (knee) and Isaiah Williams (undisclosed), tight end Nick Kasa (hamstring), fullback Jon Hoese (calf), defensive tackle Christo Bilukidi (ankle), cornerbacks D.J. Hayden (abdomen) and Coye Francies (ill) and linebacker Miles Burris (knee) did not practice today.
Cornerback Tracy Porter returned to practice after missing some time last week with a sore calf. Beyond that, everybody else was healthy enough to practice.
For some reason, some people got the impression that Taiwan Jones practiced some at running back last week. To be certain, Jones is not working out at his old position. Hes working strictly as a cornerback as he attempts to make the conversion in his third season.
Allen said Hayden is on track to rejoin his teammates at practice at the start of training camp. Hayden underwent surgery late last month to remove some scar tissue in his abdominal region.
Everything went fine, Allen said. Everything was kind of as we had hoped and anticipated. Hey, listen, its a little bit of uncharted waters, but we still feel comfortable that hell be back and ready to go in camp. We still have seven weeks before we start training camp. Its 51 days from now until we start training camp. We feel confident hell be back and be ready to go.
Hayden was on the practice field today, sporting his No. 25, but he just watched from the sideline. The Raiders selected him with the 12th pick of the 2013 NFL draft.
Pat Sims and Vance Walker appear to be the replacements for jettisoned defensive tackles Richard Seymour and Tommy Kelly.
Allen said Sims and Walker were targeted by the Raiders, in large part, because of their penchant for holding up well against the run, long a problem area for the Raiders.
When you really look at it, thats probably what theyre best suited to do right now, Allen said. They play the run square, they come off and attack blocks like theyre supposed to. Theyve been gap-sound and fundamental in that regard.
Sims did a nice job of pushing the pocket today and getting a hand up at the proper time whenever the quarterback attempted a pass.
Marquette King opened eyes at training camp last year with his ability to punt the ball a long way, oftentimes in excess of 70 yards.
Problem is, King displayed a maddening penchant for following up a few impressive punts with a clunker or two. Naturally, teams are keen on punters that display more consistency.
Thats the big thing with Marquette, and thats what were going to be evaluating as we go through this process all the way through the preseason games, Allen said. Its consistency. Its not really unlike any other position, but the guys that can be the most consistent in the NFL, those end up being the best players. Thats one of the things that hes got to continue to work on. Hes improved that. Hes not where he needs to be yet, but he has improved in that area.
King is battling for the right to succeed long-time Raiders punter Shane Lechler, who bolted for the Houston Texans via free agency after 13 years with the Raiders. Veteran Chris Kluwe is Kings competition right now.
At one point today, King launched a 70+-yard punt, then followed that with a rather short punt that appeared to be mishyt. Just another example of how it was so easy to take for granted Lechler all these years and how consistency is easy to say but hard to achieve.
King isnt the only young player with some work to do before he can feel secure about a spot on the Raiders 53-man roster or meaningful playing time.
Allen said third-year quarterback Terrelle Pryor is making progress, but hes not there yet.
Theres been no lack of effort on his part, Allen said. Still, when you look at it, the quarterback position, hes still young in the position and theres still a lot of improvement he needs to make. Hes got a great athletic skillset, but still some of the finer point about playing quarterback are still what he needs to continue to get better at.
Its not hard to find ringing indictments of former Raiders middle linebacker Rolando McClain. On Monday, Allen doled out another one without even mentioning McClain.
It came when Allen was asked about the leadership provided by Nick Roach, one of Oaklands free-agent signings, who is tasked with replacing McClain in the middle of Oaklands defense.
Nicks highly intelligent and hes athletic, Allen said. Hes done a nice job of kind of being the quarterback of our defense. Hes kind of taken on that role and really has a passion about leading that team. With his athleticism, hes not maybe your proto-typical Mike linebacker. Hes got some things that he can do from a coverage standpoint that lends some flexibility to us.
In other words, Roach is most things McClain wasnt during his three failed seasons with the Raiders. Few questioned McClains intelligence and athleticism. Its his work ethic, lack of leadership and lackluster play that many called into question.
The Raiders released McClain earlier this offseason. He later caught on with the Baltimore Ravens, only to retire a short time later so that he can get his life in order.
The departure of Brandon Myers to the New York Giants in free agency left a huge void for the Raiders to fill at tight end.
Myers led the Raiders in receptions last season, and he played almost every down, while youngsters David Ausberry and Richard Gordon bided their time on the sideline.
Ausberry and Gordon are back for another crack at earning more playing time. The Raiders drafted Nick Kasa and Mychal Rivera as a means of creating more competition.
So, where do things stand right now?
Its pretty wide open, Allen said. All those guys are doing a nice job. Obviously, its hurt not having Kasa out there because hes a guy we really anticipated being able to step-in and potentially fill a role for us. So, hopefully, well get him out there soon. The big thing, again, with those guys, just like it is with everyone else, its going to be the consistency issue because they are relatively young at the position.
Allen bemoaned the lack of crispness last week and said he expected his players to bounce back the rest of the week and moving forward.
The guys responded well, Allen said. The last two days of practice (last week) were a lot better, and thats what you look for. Theyre not going to have their A game out there every day out there. The key to me is, how do they respond when they get challenged? They did a nice job responding. They responded well today.
Allen gets his players on the field Tuesday and Wednesday and then not again until the mandatory three-day mini camp next week.
He admitted that theres still plenty of work to be done and that too many makeable plays arent being made. No big deal, though, thats why teams practice in May and June.
This part of what OTAs is for is to be able to go through these things, be able to see it live, and then we get a chance to go back into the meetings and make whatever corrections that we need to make, Allen said. You saw what practice looked like. We had some opportunities to make some big plays. Those are the plays that we got to make sure that we make come Sunday.
Tony Bergstrom was back working at left guard with the first-team offense Monday, just as he was the first week of OTAs.
Last week, Lucas Nix replaced Bergstrom. Allen has said that he intends to mix and match along the offensive line into training camp before he settles upon his starting five.
Bergstrom looks fine at left guard, though we wont be able to tell for sure until theres contact in practice and the exhibition games.
Allen sounded more pleased by the play of his quarterbacks today than what we witnessed on the field today.
Too often, presumptive starter Matt Flynn misfired on passes that he shouldnt have much difficulty putting on the mark. He also had a pass batted down at the line of scrimmage.
Flynn didnt have any of his passes intercepted, but he missed high on a few passes, threw one way too low and had a few others miss wide of the mark.
Rookie Tyler Wilson didnt have one of his better practices, either, though he didnt do anything that made you cringe.
As for Pryor, he didnt get as many reps. For the most part, he made respectable throws, save one that sailed over Conner Vernons head and into no mans land.
Flynn doesnt seem too concerned.
Were doing some good things out there, Flynn said. Were getting more comfortable with each other and comfortable with being out on the field and playing. So I think as an offense were making a lot of strides. We still have a lot of things to clean up and thats just going to come with time and repetitions. But so far I feel good about where were at and where were going.
Wide receivers Jacoby Ford (hamstring), Josh Cribbs (knee) and Isaiah Williams (undisclosed), tight end Nick Kasa (hamstring), fullback Jon Hoese (calf), defensive tackle Christo Bilukidi (ankle), cornerbacks D.J. Hayden (abdomen) and Coye Francies (ill) and linebacker Miles Burris (knee) did not practice today.
Cornerback Tracy Porter returned to practice after missing some time last week with a sore calf. Beyond that, everybody else was healthy enough to practice.
For some reason, some people got the impression that Taiwan Jones practiced some at running back last week. To be certain, Jones is not working out at his old position. Hes working strictly as a cornerback as he attempts to make the conversion in his third season.
Allen said Hayden is on track to rejoin his teammates at practice at the start of training camp. Hayden underwent surgery late last month to remove some scar tissue in his abdominal region.
Everything went fine, Allen said. Everything was kind of as we had hoped and anticipated. Hey, listen, its a little bit of uncharted waters, but we still feel comfortable that hell be back and ready to go in camp. We still have seven weeks before we start training camp. Its 51 days from now until we start training camp. We feel confident hell be back and be ready to go.
Hayden was on the practice field today, sporting his No. 25, but he just watched from the sideline. The Raiders selected him with the 12th pick of the 2013 NFL draft.
Pat Sims and Vance Walker appear to be the replacements for jettisoned defensive tackles Richard Seymour and Tommy Kelly.
Allen said Sims and Walker were targeted by the Raiders, in large part, because of their penchant for holding up well against the run, long a problem area for the Raiders.
When you really look at it, thats probably what theyre best suited to do right now, Allen said. They play the run square, they come off and attack blocks like theyre supposed to. Theyve been gap-sound and fundamental in that regard.
Sims did a nice job of pushing the pocket today and getting a hand up at the proper time whenever the quarterback attempted a pass.
Marquette King opened eyes at training camp last year with his ability to punt the ball a long way, oftentimes in excess of 70 yards.
Problem is, King displayed a maddening penchant for following up a few impressive punts with a clunker or two. Naturally, teams are keen on punters that display more consistency.
Thats the big thing with Marquette, and thats what were going to be evaluating as we go through this process all the way through the preseason games, Allen said. Its consistency. Its not really unlike any other position, but the guys that can be the most consistent in the NFL, those end up being the best players. Thats one of the things that hes got to continue to work on. Hes improved that. Hes not where he needs to be yet, but he has improved in that area.
King is battling for the right to succeed long-time Raiders punter Shane Lechler, who bolted for the Houston Texans via free agency after 13 years with the Raiders. Veteran Chris Kluwe is Kings competition right now.
At one point today, King launched a 70+-yard punt, then followed that with a rather short punt that appeared to be mishyt. Just another example of how it was so easy to take for granted Lechler all these years and how consistency is easy to say but hard to achieve.
King isnt the only young player with some work to do before he can feel secure about a spot on the Raiders 53-man roster or meaningful playing time.
Allen said third-year quarterback Terrelle Pryor is making progress, but hes not there yet.
Theres been no lack of effort on his part, Allen said. Still, when you look at it, the quarterback position, hes still young in the position and theres still a lot of improvement he needs to make. Hes got a great athletic skillset, but still some of the finer point about playing quarterback are still what he needs to continue to get better at.
Its not hard to find ringing indictments of former Raiders middle linebacker Rolando McClain. On Monday, Allen doled out another one without even mentioning McClain.
It came when Allen was asked about the leadership provided by Nick Roach, one of Oaklands free-agent signings, who is tasked with replacing McClain in the middle of Oaklands defense.
Nicks highly intelligent and hes athletic, Allen said. Hes done a nice job of kind of being the quarterback of our defense. Hes kind of taken on that role and really has a passion about leading that team. With his athleticism, hes not maybe your proto-typical Mike linebacker. Hes got some things that he can do from a coverage standpoint that lends some flexibility to us.
In other words, Roach is most things McClain wasnt during his three failed seasons with the Raiders. Few questioned McClains intelligence and athleticism. Its his work ethic, lack of leadership and lackluster play that many called into question.
The Raiders released McClain earlier this offseason. He later caught on with the Baltimore Ravens, only to retire a short time later so that he can get his life in order.
The departure of Brandon Myers to the New York Giants in free agency left a huge void for the Raiders to fill at tight end.
Myers led the Raiders in receptions last season, and he played almost every down, while youngsters David Ausberry and Richard Gordon bided their time on the sideline.
Ausberry and Gordon are back for another crack at earning more playing time. The Raiders drafted Nick Kasa and Mychal Rivera as a means of creating more competition.
So, where do things stand right now?
Its pretty wide open, Allen said. All those guys are doing a nice job. Obviously, its hurt not having Kasa out there because hes a guy we really anticipated being able to step-in and potentially fill a role for us. So, hopefully, well get him out there soon. The big thing, again, with those guys, just like it is with everyone else, its going to be the consistency issue because they are relatively young at the position.
BayArea Breez
GOAT Defensive Raider
Mark Davis wants to go back to the 2003 to 2013 raiders of running a organization...
Shyt don't look good
Shyt don't look good
hes just asserting himself, just because he looks like he should be the third member of dumb and dumber with that bowl hair cut doesnt mean u shouldnt fear him
how long of a rope does mckenzie have? he inherited a 8-8 team and turned it into 4-12
Trojan 24
Veteran
To be Honest I'm not totally sold on McKenzie yet either, but hopefully he's given some time. I just wish people would stop harping about the "Packer" way. The Packers are great for one reason, Aaron Rodgers. With an Average QB they don't win a Superbowl and are a 7-8 Win team. I'm hopeful McKenzie can build a great team, but copying the Packers process is no guarantee.
Oakland Raiders Will Be NFL's Biggest Surprise in 2013
Oakland Raiders Will Be NFL's Biggest Surprise in 2013
Improved Defense, Easy Schedule Will Make for Huge Improvements
COMMENTARY | Call it crazy or call it wishful thinking, but the Oakland Raiders have the opportunity to make some serious noise in 2013.
Yes, the team is in the middle of an insane overhaul, but the Raiders are already miles ahead of where they were at any point last season.
General manager Reggie McKenzie inherited a disaster when he came into town last year, but he has worked his magic in free agency as well as the draft, and has made the Raiders more than just a cellar dweller in the AFC.
Offense
In 2012, the Raiders inept offense was led by Greg Knapp, an offensive "coordinator" who has never been very successful in the NFL. The offense was completely one-dimensional, and their inability to play a consistent 60 minutes of football made it impossible for Oakland to stay competitive for the long haul.
Now, Knapp is gone. So is Carson Palmer, Darrius Heyward-Bey and Brandon Myers.
Some inexperienced quarterback will be under center for Oakland when the season begins, and the offense will be the team's biggest question mark. The Raiders drafted offensive tackle Menelik Watson in the second round to improve the inconsistent line, but Jared Veldheer and Stefen Wisniewski are back to hold it down like they did last year.
With Greg Olsen in as the new offensive coordinator, the power-blocking scheme has made its way back to Oakland. This is critical for Darren McFadden as he struggled mightily in Knapp's zone-blocking scheme. If McFadden can finally stay healthy, the return of the downhill running game will be extremely dangerous for other teams when McFadden has the ball in his hands.
The receiving corps will be a bit of a liability since injuries and dropped passes have plagued them lately, but this is a new-look offense, and the Raiders have nowhere to go but up after last season.
Defense
Anybody that McKenzie brought in this offseason instantly made the team better. Oakland's pass defense was one of the worst in the NFL last year, and the rest of the defense let running backs make it look like they were practicing against them because the defense was so bad.
Just ask Doug Martin. Heck, ask Blaine Gabbert.
The defense is completely revamped from the struggling line to the horrible secondary. The return of fan-favorite Charles Woodson, as well as the acquisitions of Tracy Porter and rookie D.J. Hayden make this secondary much more competitive.
Although Oakland lost its leading tackler from last season in Philip Wheeler, Miles Burris is still here, and he has some new company to compete against.
Rookie Sio Moore has looked great in OTAs so far, and Kevin Burnett brings his 110 tackles from last season to a linebacker corps that looks completely different from last season with the exception of Burris.
The additions of Kaluka Maiava and Mike Jenkins also add depth to a vastly improved defense.
The defensive line struggled mightily last year, and with Desmond Bryant no longer in the trenches, it will be up to Lamarr Houston, the surprising Christo Bilukidi and the veterans McKenzie brought in to at least make the line relevant.
Either way, this defense will be significantly better than last year.
Special Teams
For the first time since 2001, the Raiders will have a starting punter not named Shane Lechler. However, they can choose between the veteran Chris Kluwe or the young, booming-legged Marquette King to pin other teams deep in their own territory.
Seriously, watch the video.
Josh Cribbs will also provide a spark to Oakland's special teams unit as his electrifying returns are sure to give the Raiders excellent field position.
And of course, who could forget Sebastian Janikowski?
Conclusion
This is a completely new Raiders team that has nowhere to go but up. McKenzie slashed contracts left and right but saved millions and millions of dollars and gave this dedicated fan base something to look forward to for many years to come.
The Raiders won't make the playoffs this year, but they won't be irrelevant like so many others have predicted.
Raider Nation is excited for the future, and it should be. Throw in all of the improvements McKenzie has made so far, mix it in with the league's fourth-easiest schedule and you have an Oakland Raiders team that is on the serious rise in 2013.
Y! SPORTS
Finally something positive
Oakland Raiders Will Be NFL's Biggest Surprise in 2013
Improved Defense, Easy Schedule Will Make for Huge Improvements
COMMENTARY | Call it crazy or call it wishful thinking, but the Oakland Raiders have the opportunity to make some serious noise in 2013.
Yes, the team is in the middle of an insane overhaul, but the Raiders are already miles ahead of where they were at any point last season.
General manager Reggie McKenzie inherited a disaster when he came into town last year, but he has worked his magic in free agency as well as the draft, and has made the Raiders more than just a cellar dweller in the AFC.
Offense
In 2012, the Raiders inept offense was led by Greg Knapp, an offensive "coordinator" who has never been very successful in the NFL. The offense was completely one-dimensional, and their inability to play a consistent 60 minutes of football made it impossible for Oakland to stay competitive for the long haul.
Now, Knapp is gone. So is Carson Palmer, Darrius Heyward-Bey and Brandon Myers.
Some inexperienced quarterback will be under center for Oakland when the season begins, and the offense will be the team's biggest question mark. The Raiders drafted offensive tackle Menelik Watson in the second round to improve the inconsistent line, but Jared Veldheer and Stefen Wisniewski are back to hold it down like they did last year.
With Greg Olsen in as the new offensive coordinator, the power-blocking scheme has made its way back to Oakland. This is critical for Darren McFadden as he struggled mightily in Knapp's zone-blocking scheme. If McFadden can finally stay healthy, the return of the downhill running game will be extremely dangerous for other teams when McFadden has the ball in his hands.
The receiving corps will be a bit of a liability since injuries and dropped passes have plagued them lately, but this is a new-look offense, and the Raiders have nowhere to go but up after last season.
Defense
Anybody that McKenzie brought in this offseason instantly made the team better. Oakland's pass defense was one of the worst in the NFL last year, and the rest of the defense let running backs make it look like they were practicing against them because the defense was so bad.
Just ask Doug Martin. Heck, ask Blaine Gabbert.
The defense is completely revamped from the struggling line to the horrible secondary. The return of fan-favorite Charles Woodson, as well as the acquisitions of Tracy Porter and rookie D.J. Hayden make this secondary much more competitive.
Although Oakland lost its leading tackler from last season in Philip Wheeler, Miles Burris is still here, and he has some new company to compete against.
Rookie Sio Moore has looked great in OTAs so far, and Kevin Burnett brings his 110 tackles from last season to a linebacker corps that looks completely different from last season with the exception of Burris.
The additions of Kaluka Maiava and Mike Jenkins also add depth to a vastly improved defense.
The defensive line struggled mightily last year, and with Desmond Bryant no longer in the trenches, it will be up to Lamarr Houston, the surprising Christo Bilukidi and the veterans McKenzie brought in to at least make the line relevant.
Either way, this defense will be significantly better than last year.
Special Teams
For the first time since 2001, the Raiders will have a starting punter not named Shane Lechler. However, they can choose between the veteran Chris Kluwe or the young, booming-legged Marquette King to pin other teams deep in their own territory.
Seriously, watch the video.
Josh Cribbs will also provide a spark to Oakland's special teams unit as his electrifying returns are sure to give the Raiders excellent field position.
And of course, who could forget Sebastian Janikowski?
Conclusion
This is a completely new Raiders team that has nowhere to go but up. McKenzie slashed contracts left and right but saved millions and millions of dollars and gave this dedicated fan base something to look forward to for many years to come.
The Raiders won't make the playoffs this year, but they won't be irrelevant like so many others have predicted.
Raider Nation is excited for the future, and it should be. Throw in all of the improvements McKenzie has made so far, mix it in with the league's fourth-easiest schedule and you have an Oakland Raiders team that is on the serious rise in 2013.
Y! SPORTS
Finally something positive
MenacingMonk
Tranquilo
I've read plenty of articles like that about this team before, prove it...
Got to wait so long before the season starts